[MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER 1: Welcome to the Towson University College of Fine Arts and Communications What's Your Story podcast. In today's story, we hear from Runqiao Du, Professor in the Department of Dance, as he tells us about a conversation that changed the course of his life. 

RUNQIAO DU: biggest challenging moment was actually joining Towson University as a faculty member. Back in 2007, I was a principal dancer with Washington Ballet and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. I was on top of my career. 

As a male dancer, you mature a little later than women. So I was in my mid 30s. And I was doing really well. I was working with top choreographers all over the world, doing beautifully. One day, Towson University Dance Department reached out to me to ask me if I was interested to apply a three-year guest artist contract, a position with the department. And I thought that was an interesting idea. Although I had never thought of being a teacher, a part of me was telling me that I actually probably should plan my next step after I stop dancing. 

This always is a difficult subject we all want to avoid. We all want to pretend like we can dance forever. We can always pretend like we're doing absolutely fabulous, there's no tomorrow, there's nothing to worry about. But I wanted to be more mature, and I entertained the idea, and I applied. 

Next thing I know, I was accepted. I was really excited, and I was like, oh, gosh. Now it's a reality. What am I going to do? And then I came up with a great idea. And I thought it was great at the time. 

I was like, I'm going to do both. I'm going to teach in Towson as a teacher, and I'm going to keep my dancing career for a couple more years. So sort of my own transitional step from a performer into a teacher. I gave myself a couple years. So I thought it was a great idea. 

So in the fall of 2008, I started teaching in the Dance Department here in Towson. And immediately I felt this is something very different. This is something very much more involved than just teaching. But I was still dancing with the Washington Ballet at the same time. 

I was commuting, but somehow, something told me that this will not last for two years. So at one point, the fall dance concert was coming up. And I had a-- wait a minute. This is a great idea, because I'm going to participate in that concert. Not as a teacher, but as a performer. So I'm going to show my students, actually to be an example for them to see, to let them know how great I am as a performer. And at the same time satisfy my performing urge and still have that artistic stimulation. 

So I brought the idea to my chairperson, Dr. Susan Kirchner, and as she looked at me. And I was sitting on the couch. She looked at me very calmly. She said to me, she said, Runqia, I want to tell you-- she was saying that with a smile-- she said, your performing career is over. It is not about you anymore. It is about your students. 

I looked at her. It was like somebody punched me in the gut. And I said, wow. I've never, nobody ever told me that. And you know what? I needed it. I needed that sentence. I needed that conversation at that very moment in my career. As hard as it was, now, looking back, that was a turning point. That was a significant conversation in my life. 

So I felt I needed to do this because I never had a formal saying goodbye to my performing career. So I had a decision to make. That night, after I talked to my wife, I wrote Washington Ballet a letter. I still have the letter. I didn't send it to them. 

It was a very simple letter. I basically told them that it's time for me to move on, as hard as it was for me to make that decision. But I told them that it was time for me. 

So today I found a way to express myself through my students indirectly. I see their growth. I see how they express themselves. I see how my contribution is being realized in them onstage. I felt the same satisfaction. 

So sometimes a decision is hard to make. Sometimes it's brutal. But in all lives, sometimes it's very beneficial to have that cold, hard realization and move forward. And I'm forever grateful for that conversation that I had with Dr. Susan Kirchner. 

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