What do you enjoy most about ballet?

I really like being able to express myself through dance. It takes my mind off of other things in my life and makes me feel better. I feel accomplished whenever I finish the classes.

When did you begin ballet?

I started doing ballet when I was two or three and I’ve been dancing since then. I’m at Minnesota Dance Theater and I’ve been there since I was seven. I feel really lucky to have been doing it for this long. It gives me an advantage over the people who haven’t been dancing as long.

What are some of the challenges ballet presents?

Trying to meet expectations and how the teachers want to see things done and trying to keep up with other dancers in the class. Also, there is a lot of pressure to look a certain way, to be really skinny, muscular, and flexible. I always try to stretch and I try to eat healthy so I can keep up with expectations for dancing.

Do you plan to pursue ballet as a career or in college?

I’ll probably try to join a company at some point. In San Francisco there is this company Alonzo King Lines Ballet. I’ve been to their summer intensives and I like how it’s not only traditional ballet. It’s also contemporary ballet. I really liked it there because it was a new experience and I liked how they incorporated other techniques.

What has ballet taught you?

Ballet has taught me to be more dedicated and focused on whatever I do. Ballet helps me keep focused in class. You have to use so much focus to remember the corrections and combinations and every little detail. It trains your brain to pay attention.

What inspires you to do ballet?

I do it for myself, so I can feel good about myself. Also, other dancers around me definitely inspire me. The ones who inspire me most are the ones who you can tell they care about what they are doing. It’s nice to watch.

What is your favorite part of being in a ballet school?

I really like doing all the performances. My favorite performance is the Strawberry Festival, which is a showcase for each of the levels to show off where they are. Each gets to do a few pieces. It’s a lot less stressful than the Nutcracker and you get to do more types of dance.

What is something you think people should know about ballet?

Ballet is a lot harder than it looks. Everyone thinks it looks so easy. It’s not. Also, it does ruin your feet. The pointe shoes make your toes weird looking. It also makes your feet more sensitive. A normal person will hit their foot on a table and it hurts them a second. A dancer hits their foot on the table and it will hurt more and for longer.

What is the hardest part of ballet?

Staying in shape. If you miss a few days, it will set you behind. Everyone goes to ballet everyday. They expect you to go everyday. It’s hard to catch up on the choreography if you miss because they might not place you in pieces if you don’t show up regularly.

How has ballet impacted your life?

It takes up all the time after school. But, I also have lots of friends and I’ve met a bunch of people I wouldn’t have met if I didn’t do ballet. It has also taught me to be more committed to my plans and to really follow through with things.