Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rayleigh Vendt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rayleigh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Before I ever dreamed of becoming a ballerina, I wanted to be a professional baseball player. I grew up as a big St. Louis Cardinals fan, and I wanted to be the first female player in the MLB. However, that wish quickly changed after I ran the bases on my toes at my Little League games, and my mom decided to let me try a ballet class. I immediately fell in love with the art of dance at 6 years old and have never looked back.

Many kids take ballet classes when they are young but most eventually quit to pursue something else. However, I can remember the exact moment when I knew that I wanted to become a professional ballet dancer and resolved to accomplish that dream. I was 11 years old, and I had just finished my first pointe class. Getting permission to wear pointe shoes is a huge privilege in ballet because it signifies that you are technically advanced and physically strong enough to safely dance en pointe. After my first pointe class, I was sitting in the lobby with my mom, talking excitedly about how amazing it was to dance en pointe and I took off my shoes to reveal that I had gotten four bloody blisters on my toes, just from one class in the new pointe shoes. My mom gasped and suggested that I take a day off of dancing tomorrow, to let my toes heal, and I started to tear up. Not because my toes hurt, which they did, but because I was heartbroken at the thought of not experiencing the pure joy and freedom of dancing en pointe the very next day. It was then, crying in the dance studio lobby, that I knew I would relentlessly pursue a life as a ballerina. No amount of pain, frustration, or someone telling me I shouldn’t, would stop me from feeling the joy of dancing in pointe shoes for the rest of my life. I still have that first pair of pointe shoes. They remind me that the little girl who would stop at nothing to keep dancing would be so proud of me today for achieving my dreams.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Rayleigh Vendt and I am a professional ballet dancer. I started dancing at the age of 6 and received my first professional ballet contract at 17 years old. I moved around a lot as a kid, so my ballet training took place at many different studios, but most of my pre-professional coaching happened at the Ballet Academy of Texas in Coppell, TX. I dedicated my childhood to ballet training, foregoing most of the typical experiences, like football games, summer camps, parties, and even prom, to attend every ballet class possible. I graduated high-school early and accepted a contract with Cincinnati Ballet in 2012. From there I went on to dance with Ballet Austin, Oklahoma City Ballet, and am currently in my fourth season with Texas Ballet Theater.
I am also an original member of the brand-new ballet company, Pointeworks. It is a San Diego based ballet company that was created in 2023 by fellow dancer Sophie Williams, to provide professional dancers with work opportunities during the summer when most other professional companies layoff their dancers. I love being a dancer with Pointeworks as the company highlights the voices of female artists which are often diminished in the field, despite women making up the majority of ballet dancers. Pointeworks also brings together artists from all over the globe, which creates a community of diverse perspectives and elevates the company as a whole.
Ballet is a very traditional artform, but I believe it is as relevant today as it was in the 15th century. Being able to communicate a story, an emotion, even just an idea, to an audience through movement is so powerful. People crave new experiences and attending a ballet performance can give an audience just that, a live performance that is both so human and so otherworldly that they create a unique memory to look back on for years. I am so proud and grateful to be a part of keeping ballet relevant in today’s culture, I think there are many stories left to tell.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being an artist is both challenging and rewarding. As a ballet dancer, you are acutely aware that you did not pursue the career with the intent to make a lot of money. Yes, it is possible to support yourself by being a dancer, but if you want a job that pays a lot but is filled with monotony, look elsewhere. The true reward of being a dancer is the self-fulfillment you get each and every day through doing what you love. The old saying about how “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life” is directly applicable to a career as a ballet dancer. While the work is physically and mentally challenging, the joy and self-satisfaction it brings to my life is worth the cost. I wake up and am excited to go to my job, to push myself, and to connect with others through art. I do not need to find external fulfillment in purchasing superficial luxuries or seeking out adrenalin-raising thrills because I already feel those satisfactions in my craft.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Art is subjective. What is beautiful to one person may be ugly to someone else. While there is a common language of ballet technique that is typically conformed to, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to dance. This means that you are considered a “good dancer” only if the people at the front of the room say you are. As a ballet dancer, the opinion of your artistic director is the only thing keeping you employed. You can do all the right steps, with proper ballet technique, but if the director does not love the artistry you are exhibiting on any given day, you are at risk of being let go. In addition to not liking your dancing, directors may also reject you because of your height, your weight, your face, your hair color, and a myriad of other biased reasons.

When I decided to leave a ballet company I once worked for, I auditioned for every company in the U.S. possible. I was rejected over and over again, for some legitimate reasons, some illegitimate reasons, and sometimes for no reason at all. Despite these crushing rejections, I knew in my heart I was a hardworking, talented dancer that would be an asset to a company, if I could find the right one. I continued to audition with passionate determination, and I was eventually found by the company I currently work for, Texas Ballet Theater. This story is not unique, almost every ballet dancer has faced rejection in this manner, but our resilience and relentless love for the art encourages us to keep pursuing the dream.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @rayleighvendt

Image Credits

Pointeworks
Natalie Bracken
Sophie Williams