Empowering Stories
From dancing in kindergarten to controlling every muscle.
The story of how little Merilin Kruberg, who went to dance in kindergarten, became the head coach of the dance studio Varjud at the age of 18.
"In the kindergarten we danced but no one was asked if they wanted to dance or not. In 2009-2010, Nadezhda Viktorovna, a kindergarten coach, invited me to dance at Varjud, where she also taught. As Merilin says: "When I studied in Narva, it was an ordinary hobby of a teenager, my life did not change at all. Becoming a dancer has been a very long journey for me." The girl moved to Tallinn to study at Tallinna Saksa Gümnaasium. "To be honest, I didn't expect at all that I would saturate myself in dancing, I began to understand this two years ago. I had thoughts that I wanted to do this all my life and that this would become my job. But at that moment it was only thoughts, I didn't highlight it in any way and didn't back it up. After moving to Tallinn, I realized what a real dance is, how it can influence and change a person." In Tallinn, the dancer went to study at a studio and also taught in two others at the same time. The girl moved back to her hometown of Narva to bring in some modern art.
"Unfortunately in Narva the understanding of dance has been behind the times. The main thing is not that you have a coach for whom you can only repeat. A dancer needs to develop his brain so that he can have his own dance and not constantly copy someone else's."
She is now the head coach at Varjud, teaching three age groups. The younger one is 11-13 years old, the middle one is 13-15 years old and the older one, where the guys go with whom Merilin used to study herself. For all the years in dancing, the Girl won a large number of prizes in competitions and dance battles, but despite such great merits, she does not consider this the most important achievement. As the heroine says, dancing played a big role in shaping her thinking. She worked her way from kindergarten and the easiest dances to the feeling of control of every muscle while moving. Dancing is a way to express what cannot be shown in any other way.
Fears?
When you become a coach, it's naturally scary at first. At the beginning, you ask questions within your competence, especially when you are 18. "Am I teaching in the right way? Is this the way of interacting with students? What if the students don't like the choreography I teach?" But, when you catch yourself thinking that if you were hired as a coach, then you have the necessary experience and skills, then you understand that you are doing the right thing."
Tips for dancers
"First of all, don't be afraid to make mistakes. It is important to understand that dance is not only for professionals and it is definitely not to show 10 somersaults and many difficult movements on the stage. Everyone can dance with absolutely any body. It doesn't matter if you have physical training or not at all. Dance is self-expression through the body, and you can express yourself the way you want. When you develop this and your skills grow in level, this is already a new chapter, it is worth starting small. You need to be consumed with desire and go towards your goal in spite of the difficulties."
Tips for coaches
"It is very important to want to learn, because unfortunately I often see coaches who do not control the body themselves but are already teaching others. But in order to develop others, one must want to develop oneself, and this process of development never ends. Separately, I would like to say that it is worth giving yourself a rest and listening to your body."
What moved on?
Moving on was the visualization of how I see myself in the future. I have a coherent idea of what kind of life I want for myself, what I want to do, where, how and with whom. And to be honest, I really like doing this, I didn't see any obstacles and didn't think what if something went wrong. I just wanted to and did it, despite the different "BUT"".
Future expectations
"I will go to study and get a professional education in dance. Now I am preparing all the documents and additionally do the ballet to go to college in Holland. For me, Holland is art at every turn. I have never been there, but I clearly understand that this is the place where I need to go. At first I had a plan to go to college in Germany, but I realized that there are better options in Holland."
"Unfortunately in Narva the understanding of dance has been behind the times. The main thing is not that you have a coach for whom you can only repeat. A dancer needs to develop his brain so that he can have his own dance and not constantly copy someone else's."
She is now the head coach at Varjud, teaching three age groups. The younger one is 11-13 years old, the middle one is 13-15 years old and the older one, where the guys go with whom Merilin used to study herself. For all the years in dancing, the Girl won a large number of prizes in competitions and dance battles, but despite such great merits, she does not consider this the most important achievement. As the heroine says, dancing played a big role in shaping her thinking. She worked her way from kindergarten and the easiest dances to the feeling of control of every muscle while moving. Dancing is a way to express what cannot be shown in any other way.
Fears?
When you become a coach, it's naturally scary at first. At the beginning, you ask questions within your competence, especially when you are 18. "Am I teaching in the right way? Is this the way of interacting with students? What if the students don't like the choreography I teach?" But, when you catch yourself thinking that if you were hired as a coach, then you have the necessary experience and skills, then you understand that you are doing the right thing."
Tips for dancers
"First of all, don't be afraid to make mistakes. It is important to understand that dance is not only for professionals and it is definitely not to show 10 somersaults and many difficult movements on the stage. Everyone can dance with absolutely any body. It doesn't matter if you have physical training or not at all. Dance is self-expression through the body, and you can express yourself the way you want. When you develop this and your skills grow in level, this is already a new chapter, it is worth starting small. You need to be consumed with desire and go towards your goal in spite of the difficulties."
Tips for coaches
"It is very important to want to learn, because unfortunately I often see coaches who do not control the body themselves but are already teaching others. But in order to develop others, one must want to develop oneself, and this process of development never ends. Separately, I would like to say that it is worth giving yourself a rest and listening to your body."
What moved on?
Moving on was the visualization of how I see myself in the future. I have a coherent idea of what kind of life I want for myself, what I want to do, where, how and with whom. And to be honest, I really like doing this, I didn't see any obstacles and didn't think what if something went wrong. I just wanted to and did it, despite the different "BUT"".
Future expectations
"I will go to study and get a professional education in dance. Now I am preparing all the documents and additionally do the ballet to go to college in Holland. For me, Holland is art at every turn. I have never been there, but I clearly understand that this is the place where I need to go. At first I had a plan to go to college in Germany, but I realized that there are better options in Holland."
Interviewer: Viktoria Savitševa