The Elegance and Effort of Ballet
Ballet is a demanding art form that requires both grace and immense physical effort.
| It is necessary to show complete perfection in ballet. | Es gilt, beim Ballett völlige Perfektion zu zeigen. |
Expressing Strong Contrasts with nichtsdestotrotz
When you want to describe an action that happens despite a very difficult or opposing circumstance, German uses the emphatic adverb nichtsdestotrotz (nevertheless / nonetheless).
| nevertheless | nichtsdestotrotz |
When connecting two thoughts, nichtsdestotrotz is often placed directly after a comma at the start of the second clause. Because it is an adverb, it counts as the first idea (Position 1) in that clause. This means the conjugated verb must immediately follow it in Position 2, pushing the subject to the other side of the verb.
Notice the word order in the second half of the following sentence:
| The choreography is difficult, nevertheless the trainer demands perfection. | Die Choreografie ist schwierig, nichtsdestotrotz verlangt der Trainer Perfektion. |
This adverb is perfect for emphasizing the contrast between the grueling, painful reality of training and a dancer's unwavering dedication.
| The blister on the foot is bleeding, nevertheless she wears the pointe shoes. | Die Blase am Fuß blutet, nichtsdestotrotz trägt sie die Spitzenschuhe. |
| Ballet is exhausting, nevertheless the dancer does not give up. | Das Ballett ist anstrengend, nichtsdestotrotz gibt die Tänzerin nicht auf. |