Ballet & Briefs: How Julian's Story Made Me Reflect on My Own

I didn’t expect a Harvard Law student to help me feel more seen—but then I read Julian’s interview with the Harvard Ballet Company, and everything clicked. His background in ballet and law sounds like an unusual combo, but the way he talks about it? It made total sense. As someone juggling seemingly disconnected interests.

Whether it's legal systems or choreography, he’s fascinated by how structure can spark creativity—and how different people interpret the same frameworks in wildly different ways. He’s not just interested in law as an abstract concept either—he wants to study the rules of law enforcement and work on reforms that actually protect human rights. It's thoughtful. It’s grounded. And honestly, it’s the kind of motivation I wish more people in power had.

What really blew me away, though, was his schedule. The man wakes up at 5 a.m., trains for a couple of hours, and then dives into Harvard Law classes. That level of discipline isn’t just intense—it’s purposeful. Julian explains that ballet sharpens his legal mind, because both involve mastering centuries-old rules and learning how to move within them. He even challenges the stereotype that artists are “loose” with structure, pointing out that ballet rules are older than the U.S. Constitution. Let that sink in.

The part that really stuck with me? He sees ballet not just as a passion, but as something that makes him a better lawyer and human. He’s deeply aware that a dancer’s career has a short shelf life, quoting Martha Graham: “A dancer dies twice.” But instead of letting that scare him off, he’s choosing to keep dancing as long as his body allows—because it’s a part of who he is, not just something he does.

Julian’s story reminded me that having different passions doesn’t mean you’re scattered—it means you’re multidimensional. And maybe the point isn’t choosing between disciplines, but learning how they feed each other. If ballet can make you a better lawyer, maybe our “unrelated” interests are more connected than we think.

Read full interview here: https://www.harvardballetcompany.org/julian-morimoto-1