Esperanza Mir, the visionary behind ‘ArtDansa’, a thriving dance school in Palma, knew from the age of 11 that she was destined to teach ballet. In this candid interview with Humans of Mallorca, she reflects on her journey from business school in Barcelona to teaching in Canada, the challenges of building her school, and how she’s finally ready to find balance in her life.
Where were you born?
I was born in Palma in 1993.
Where did you study?
I studied business management in Barcelona, but I also studied dance at the Centre de Dansa de Catalunya at the same time. Once I finished my studies in Barcelona, I moved to Toronto to start my studies in dance pedagogy at the Canada’s National Ballet School.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was very young, around the age of six, I wanted to be an astronaut. But it wasn’t long until I discovered ballet. I immediately fell in love with ballet, although at that age I never really dreamed of being a ballerina on stage. But by the age of 11, I knew that I wanted to be a ballet teacher and have my own school.
Who are your parents?
My mum is an English teacher, and my father was a software developer. Neither of them has anything to do with the arts.
What did they give you in life? What are you grateful for?
They gave me the opportunity to be independent. They taught me how to solve my problems by myself. They gave me a loving family. They gave me the opportunity to start dancing, and they gave me the opportunity to chase my dreams.
Where do you live now and why do you like this place?
I live in Palma, close to the school. I love living in town. I love being able to wake up and walk to the market and buy fruit from the greengrocer, meat from the butcher, fish from the fishmonger — and just get the bare minimum at the supermarket. I love strolling the streets in the morning, when there’s hardly anyone out. And, whenever I get the chance, I go to the beach with my dog.
How did you choose your profession?
I didn’t really consciously choose my profession. I was very young when I decided to be a ballet teacher. Of course it wasn’t that easy because everyone around me “wanted what’s best for me”, and they wanted me to get a “real job”. But I couldn’t see myself being anything other than a ballet teacher and I’m glad that I was stubborn enough to chase my dreams.
What is the most interesting thing about your job?
Not having to be the same teacher in each classroom. Apart from the fact that my students are all very different ages, I have to prepare different classes for each group, according to their needs.
When you teach an age group from one year to the next, you can’t be the same teacher, you need to know your students, how they learn. And you have to adapt to them.
What sort of people come to your studio?
ArtDansa is open to everyone who is willing to learn to dance, from beginners to advanced. That said, most people who come want more than just a quick dance lesson. They come to ArtDansa looking for methodology and pedagogy.
What was your first professional success?
My first professional success was in my first year of teaching, with a group of small girls doing ballet as an extracurricular activity at school. I was teaching ballet to little girls aged four or five and they loved ballet. Their families would tell me that when the little girls woke up, they’d ask, “do we have ballet today?”. For me, that was my first professional success, just being able to give something to love to those little girls.
What challenges have you faced?
When I was about to open the school I spoke to lots of people. One was my uncle, and he was already an entrepreneur. We were having a chat in a bar, and he told me: You’re about to learn how lonely the life of a boss is. I didn’t really understand what he meant. But now I do. I’m well aware that I’ve been supported by my family and my friends at all times, and I’m extremely grateful, but there is something about running a business that makes you incomprehensible for those who work with you, for your friends, for your family. They have problems that I might not understand, and I have others that they can’t even imagine.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I was lucky enough to meet another entrepreneur while he was taking his first steps, just like me, so I didn’t feel so alone. Since then, I’ve met more entrepreneurs, and we’ve talked about our problems, and even though we’re all from very different businesses, the problems are quite similar. That’s one of the things that has given me the strength to persevere.
What are you most proud of?
The thing I am most proud of is the atmosphere I have managed to create at school. Arriving at class to see students who share a love of ballet who are all friends, to see that they arrive half an hour early just to be able to talk to each other, that they support each other in class, that they help each other improve and that no matter what happens, they respect each other. This is priceless
What do you think about the protests against mass tourism in Mallorca?
I believe that the population is paying the consequences of very poor management of tourism for many years. During all these years there have been politicians of all colors. Politicians need to find a balance between being able to live from tourism and not be slaves to it. We want to share the island with all those who want to enjoy and respect the island, but Mallorcans also need to be able to enjoy it.
What plans do you have for this year?
After working for 5 years, 10-12-16 hours a day to build the school, my goal find some time for myself and have a life beyond school. I know that these 4 years were crucial for the school, and I did what I had to, but now I think it is time to balance the business with my life.
I have many people giving me ideas to grow the school and I’m postponing all those wonderful ideas until I find my balance.
What is your goal in life?
Just to enjoy my days, maybe not 365/365 but being able to say that I’m happy, that I enjoy my work, my friends and my family.
How do you see Mallorca in 2030? What changes would you like to see?
I hope Mallorca finds a balance between tourism and life, that all the people that live in Mallorca can enjoy the island, the beaches, the center of Palma, the little villages.
Text by Anastasia Barysheva
