Episode 53: Pliés and Planning for the Future — Michael Langlois

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Michael Langlois, a seasoned ballet veteran, Miami-based massage therapist, and published author. Langlois began dancing ballet at the age of ten and studied at various ballet academies, prior to joining the American Ballet Theater in 1980 under the famed Mikhail “Misha” Baryshnikov. Michael eventually became a principal dancer with Ballet du Nord in France and retired from dance in 1994. After retirement, Langlois attained a degree from Brown University and now lives in Miami, working as a massage therapist and published author.

Rather than living for the day alone, Langlois danced with his sights set on tomorrow — on the day when he would no longer be performing on the stage. And because he didn’t fall for the trap of short-sightedness, Langlois can now pursue what he finds most passionate in life. On the podcast, Michael walks through his life — including the joys and anxieties of working underneath Misha Baryshnikov — and shares some wisdom on the importance of planning for the future. 

Moving Quotes:

“[As a young professional ballet dancer,] a lot is expected of you, and I don’t know that young dancers have all of the tools to deal with all of that… It’s a slow process of becoming more mature… It’s not until you get into your 30s and are thinking about retirement that you realize how ill-equipped you are to face the real world."

“It’s difficult but also enthralling to realize that you can have this entire [dance] career before you’re 35 or 40, and then you can start your life again."

“When you’re a student taking ballet class, you might take two or three classes a day. But you’re not used to taking class, rehearsing all day, then performing. You’re basically working all day long."

“Sometimes I think you can set your sights so high that you’re always disappointed… Find your niche that you get some satisfaction from. I feel that I’ve been able to strike that balance."

“The discipline you acquire as a dancer is tremendous. All you need to do is focus that discipline on one thing, and you can become a huge success."

“I diversified my income. I knew that I wanted to pursue things that I was passionate about, but I also knew the things that I was passionate about were not going to pay me a huge amount of money."

“After I stopped dancing, I wanted to become a writer. And I thought, ‘Well, write about what you know.’ … I think the struggles that I went through are interesting and could help other dancers."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:05: Michael discusses how his desire to be a better athlete initially drove him into a ballet studio.

7:34: Michael explains how he got invited to join the American Ballet Theater (ABT) in 1980, under the leadership of renown choreographer Mikhail “Misha” Baryshnikov.

10:15: Langlois describes the feeling of working underneath such a legendary choreography as Baryshnikov.

12:19: Michael explains how he made a long-lasting impression his first year at ABT and speaks to the importance of versatility in dance.

14:39: Langlois deep dives on his memoir, titled B Plus: Dancing for Mikhail Baryshnikov at American Ballet Theater.

20:31: Langlois shares some other valuable life lessons he learned from the stage, including the importance of looking ahead and planning for life after dance.

29:19: Michael speaks to the importance of diversifying financial income streams, especially in order to pursue your life’s passions.

32:12: Langlois discusses his pride in mastering the art of setting high-yet-attainable expectations.

34:10: Michael describes his life’s next adventures, which include refining his writing skills and possibly publishing another book.

Bullet List of Resources – 

Michael Langlois