Listen to Noomii's interview with Jennifer le Roux

About Me

When I was 10 years old, I was a vibrant, enthusiastic little girl with a constant smile on my face. As I got older something gradually changed in me, I became more withdrawn over time and seemed to have lost my own voice.

Looking back, I now understand that after my own journey of experiencing rejection, jealousy and bullying I took on a belief as a child that perhaps it is better not to be me. I told myself that ‘If I am my true self, it will come at the cost of belonging’.

For years to follow, dancing became the space where I could be the real me. Where something of my true nature could be expressed. Ballet became my greatest love, my survival and would later in my life become my career.

From my own journey, I have learnt that when you are disconnected from your authentic self, you become like a chameleon who becomes whatever anyone wants you to be. To belong you take on any role that is expected of you and you transform yourself into playing that role perfectly, mostly to please others and live up to cultural expectations.

I now know that the most important thing is to belong to yourself first and I am deeply grateful for my journey of reconnecting to my true self. I am a professional ballerina, an entrepreneur, a creative, a wife, a mother, and a life coach. I have many roles I love to be, but most of all I love to be me.

Jen