Continuation of Summer Adventures

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From San Francisco…

Nickolas Losada: I have great news! I got offered a spot at the San Francisco Ballet residence for the year and a full tuition scholarship to continue my training. And I’m staying for sure!!!!

From Orlando…

Diana Lopez: The Orlando Ballet Summer Intensive ended on Friday and I had an amazing time! I finally did have class with Julie Kent and Robert Hill, the Artistic Director of Orlando Ballet! We performed our jazz piece on Thursday and our repertory piece, which was from Swan Lake, on Friday. Then I said goodbye to all my teachers and friends, and my parents picked me up. I really enjoyed the summer intensive and am very grateful for this opportunity!

From New York City…

Emily Rivera: My week was great! We finally received our costumes for our piece. As the show approaches, I feel myself growing more anxious and excited. I really can’t wait for the show next weekend! This past weekend my uncle picked me up and drove me to Rhode Island to visit my family who lives up there. It was sooooo nice seeing my aunts and uncles and cousins, since it’s been almost five years since I’ve last seen them. I was so happy and excited one more week left in New York. I’m sad

Michelle Russell: This week has been great. For one thing, I finished my online classes, so I am free of that burden for the rest of the summer. This week I had technique class with Christopher Dodler, who also teaches at Southern Methodist University. His class was unlike all the other graham technique classes that I have ever had.  Not only was there the basic graham technique, but he also incorporated some other techniques such as release, Taylor, and Cunningham. In addition to having class with Christopher Dodler, I also began learning the Bride’s solo from Martha Graham’s Appalachian Springs. I was also fortunate enough to go see Nimbus Dance Works and Taipei Crossover Dance Company perform at the Perridance Center, where we saw some New World and Miami Conservatory alumni (Masha Maddux and Jacqueline Bulnes performed, while Lloyd Knight watched in the audience).

Jacoby Pruitt: This week has flown by. I can’t believe this was my second to last week. I feel like I just flew in yesterday. I am totally loving NYC every second I am here! I have learned so much in the time I have been here and I am so thankful!! This week has been great. I got to see some friends and family and have really just had fun. I also got to see the Ailey Company perform for FREE in Central Park as part of their summer stage series. It was such a great experience. On Sunday I had a tech rehearsal for my upcoming shows where I get to perform two different dances !!! I also got to hang out with my new friends and go to Central Park and just enjoy life. THIS WEEK HAS BEEN AMAZING.

From Lewiston, ME…

Stephanie Fuentes: My first week has passed in Bates and I couldn’t have asked for more! I have a very rigorous schedule and my roommate and I are the youngest in the program. Monday through Friday I have Ballet, Modern, Modern, and Repertoire. I’m the only one in the program who is taking 4 consecutive dance classes which is great but very tiring. There isn’t much to do around here in Maine, but the program is so challenging and the teachers are so great that on the weekends all you want to do is rest! The ages of the students in my class generally range from 21 to 24. This makes things more challenging for me because the other dancers are more experienced. They are from all over the world, and some are already in companies (the Varone Company for example). I finish each class exhausted but I personally just can’t hold back because I want to get the most out of the program, especially since I was given a full scholarship to attend. I have two more weeks to go but my passion for movement keeps growing. I also continue to grow from this experience of dancing with dancers who are older…. much older than me!

From Becket, MA…

Natasha Williams: It was an honor to be one of the 25 students accepted into the first ever tap program at Jacob’s Pillow. Beginning in 1931, Jacob’s Pillow is the longest running dance festival in the US. The tap program was led by Dianne Walker. It was an honor to take class with her, as she is one of the pioneers in the revival of tap dancing. Focusing on proper technique, her classes were filled with personal anecdotes and explanations of the history of tap—something most tap teachers don’t even know about. She also went over new ways of teaching the steps ourselves which was especially valuable to me as a tap teacher myself. Dianne’s teacher was the famous Leon Collins. Out of respect for him, she taught us his Routine 2. She felt it was necessary to pass this particular routine on correctly, so we would have it “in our pocket,” as she kept saying. I plan on passing this routine on to my students as authentically as it was passed on to me. There were many other great tappers present as well, including Derick Grant, an original company member of Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk, and Tasha Lawson, the Artistic Director of Tri-Tone Productions. She taught me about body percussion, something I have never done, but can now incorporate into my classes. We also had the privilege of working with the great Harold Cromer, a true legend in the tap world since the 1930’s who taught us his “Opus one”. This is another of the classic tap dances that will be a part of my curriculum for my students. In this same week we also worked with Ray Hesselink whose style is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers inspired. His approach is extremely comical and welcoming, showing me that no matter how difficult the work is, it can always be fun an enjoyable. Finally, we worked with Paul Arslanian, the program’s music director who co-founded the Jazz Tap Ensemble and has worked with many of tap’s greatest dancers. He taught a great deal about improv and how to relate tap dancing to music. This element of music is largely disregarded in many tap classes, but now I understand it even better and can really apply it to my classes and my own technique. In addition to the wonderful faculty, there were many other aspects to the Pillow that made it so memorable. Part of our duty there was to usher performances, so I had the privilege of seeing works from Les Ballets de Montreal, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, MONGER by Barak Marshall, and Shantala Shivalingappa. These were some of the most creative pieces I have ever seen, and they all impacted me in different ways. I feel immense gratitude toward Jacob’s Pillow for the friends I made, the work I studied, and the endless possibilities it has shown me—I am truly transformed, and can’t wait to continue working as a tap dancer and teacher.

From Charlotte, NC…

Javier Aranzales: Well, well, well. Everything here in North Carolina is beyond what I could have expected! We’ve been on a couple of excursions already. The first week we went to the dance studios in downtown Charlotte (which are beautiful!!) and saw fireworks from the full glass windows. The second week we went to Carowinds, a huge theme park with lots of roller coasters and a water park. The park is actually right in between North Carolina and South Carolina, so at one point I was actually in two states at once. The third week (this past Sunday) we went to Lake Norman. This was a first for me because I’ve never been in a lake. We canoed and swam a lot! After, we went to this cute little ice cream shop. This Sunday we are going to Southpark Mall. I hear it’s beautiful!! Hopefully I can find good and cheap souvenirs. NCDT’s summer intensive show is next Friday and in rehearsals we are starting to just have run throughs. I’m so excited for these last few days but I’m sad that it’s coming to an end. I’ve truly had such a great time here—I’m enjoying every single second! I currently have a food baby from all the food I ate for dinner. (We have a buffet for every meal and I couldn’t be happier) I’m off to go digest my food and then try to go find a treadmill somewhere. Until next week (:

Sharyn Richards: It’s already been 3 weeks and classes are still amazing. Our level 3 class had the opportunity to take class with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, the director of North Carolina Dance Theatre. He came all the way down from Chatauqua in New York to teach. And he spoke to us during our lecture class about dance and certain characteristics necessary to make it in the dance world. One needs to be disciplined, have confidence in themselves while they are dancing and not be intimidated by others, be able to learn things quickly, dance with the music. These were other things as well, but those were the basic qualities. I feel like now I’m dancing differently after hearing him talk about those things So it’s getting closer to the performance and now we’re starting to focus on rehearsing a bit more. We have 3 pieces: an original ballet piece choreographed by our own Gerard Ebitz from New World School of the Arts, a ballroom piece by Vivienne Ramsey and a jazz piece choreographed by Madeline Guerdat. The music for the ballet piece is by Tchaikovsky and is called Souvenir de Florence. It has no introduction and everything is continuous. I really like it so far. The ballroom piece is rumba and I love it because I’ve never done anything like it before. And we just have a blast in the jazz piece Other than dance, we went to the lake and had a blast on a canoe (and someone’s boat flipped over :O). Also, we went to the movies at the student union and watched The Last Song, and went on our daily trip to target for the week. Basically I just hung out with my suite mates in our dorm and we continued to get closer until it was time for Ashley and Michelle to leave on Saturday We also saw the show during lectures for the people who were only staying 3 weeks. It’s weird how close people can get in such a short amount of time just from living with each other, because we weren’t this close back home in Miami. This has definitely been an unforgettable summer so far. Hopefully things will still continue to be amazing and I’ll be checking in next week!

Another week with new experiences…

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From New York City…

Naomi Davis: Time flies by quickly here in New York City.  One minute I am stepping off the airplane and the next minute there are only a few weeks left.  This past weekend I went to Soho, Little Italy, and the Bronx Zoo.  The Zoo was so much fun! First we had to take the subway uptown.  That was my first time going far away from where we are staying.  It was interesting to learn a new route and take new trains instead of the way we normally go.  We walked around the zoo and saw a lot of different animals.  We went to a butterfly garden as well!  It was such a contrast from the everyday city life.  I am starting to adjust more to all the walking I do around the city.  It is much different than Miami.  I have been learning a lot recently from my dance classes!  Hopefully time will slow down because I don’t want to leave this incredible experience!!

Naomi Davis: This weekend my mom flew to New York City to spend time with me! We stayed in our friends’ apartment in the West Village and had a blast!  Friday night we ran to Time Square to get tickets for a Broadway musical called Next To Normal.  We got there ten minutes before they were drawing names to win $25.00 front row seats.  We quickly threw our names into the bowl, and sure enough we won!!  The show was absolutely incredible – especially from the first row!!!!  On Saturday morning we went Time Square and got student tickets for La Cage Aux Folles!  I took my mom on a tour of Steps on Broadway and Alvin Ailey.  We rented bikes and rode around Central Park.  Then the two of us saw La Cage Aux Folles with our discount student tickets in the box.  After the hilarious show we ran to High Line Park.  We walked all around this beautiful park built on a railroad track that is not in use anymore.  Our busy day ended with a dinner at Chelsea Market and a walk down Bleaker Street.  Sunday my mom and I said goodbye.  I met up with friends from the apartment and we saw a show by the Nimbus Dance Company.  It was such a great show!!!  I am so grateful for this experience!!!!

Emily Rivera: Since we had a nice day off on Monday after Fourth of July, this week went by REALLY fast! I’m getting more in to the rhythm of things, of my teachers and my classes and the dance piece I’m in for the end of the summer performance. I love my ballet teacher, Mrs. Chiang. She’s a skinny, little Chinese woman who smiles a lot and barely speaks English. She’s one of those teachers that not only give a good class, but she actually gives corrections. Oh, darling Mrs. Chiang! This past weekend we did a lot of things. On Saturday, we had a productive morning, full with cleaning the apartment and buying groceries for the week. At night, some of us went out to Soho to check out the shops there and then we headed to Little Italy for a night of amazing Italian food and fun . On Sunday, a group of us woke up early and headed to the Zoo in the Bronx. All the animals were soooo cute. It was definitely worth the long subway ride. Anyways, let’s see what happens next week!

Emily Rivera: Week four – Rehearsals this week were very exciting, with the show approaching! However, the highlight of my week was THIS WEEKEND! It was sssssooooo fun! Renata and I went to New Jersey to visit our friend Defne. When we got there, we went in to Princeton, and walked around observing the cute boutiques. Princeton reminded me of a little town, like in the town of Gilmore Girls… It made me happy The town was so quaint, cute, and very, VERY relaxing. It was such a nice change from New York City and Miami: I was very glad I went. After walking around, eating lunch, and getting some organic ice cream, we went back to her house for AMAZING BBQ, the movie “Shattered Island”, and for s’mores . We stayed up late, laughing and talking about nonsense like we always do. On Sunday, we woke up early, headed down to the lake for some canoeing, and then visited the main mall where everyone goes. All in all, it was exciting and I’m going to miss Defne dearly I can’t wait for the next two weeks!

Blake Simonsohn: Week 3 was extra special because July 13 was my birthday! Before the trip, I was disappointed to be away from home for it, but celebrating it with all the girls here in New York ended up being the best birthday out of all 17 of them! It started with class by former Principal dancer for Houston Ballet Lauren Anderson, who had great energy and was very inspiring. Later, before Jazz, Mr. Quinton gave me some cards sent for me from home and did a celebratory song and dance! That night, Janis made lasagna, my favorite dish of hers, and my mom sent me an Edible Arrangement and cookie cake in the mail! To add to the food-stravaganza we all went to a yogurt place called 16 Handles, which also offered us the opportunity to explore the NYU area. Friday, I went along with a friend visiting NYC colleges and saw Barnard (just a step away from home!) and Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. In the nighttime I went with her to a Weezer concert at the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn, which was incredible! The venue gave us a great view of the NYC skyline beyond the water before the
show started.

Jane Melissa: This week has been another amazing week in New York. I spent the weekend with my cousins and got to see my aunt and uncles again. It was also Blake’s birthday this week. We ate cupcakes! I also went to Coney Island for the 1st time today. It was really fun; we sat around the beach and ate 6 different Italian ice cream flavors. We went on a couple of rides and sat around the boardwalk once we got tired. I would have taken pictures but sadly my camera stopped working.

Anabelen Rivero: I can’t believe week four has just passed. Also, I can’t believe that it’s been a month since I’ve arrived to New York City and sent my first blog posting. This week has been a little weird. It’s had its ups and downs. My classes are all still great but I couldn’t dance on Thursday because I had really bad cramps but thankfully I feel better. On Saturday I went to go visit my boyfriends grandfather in Brooklyn with Jean. He took us to Brooklyn Promenade and we were really close to the Statue of Liberty. He took us to the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge. Sunday some of us went to SoHo and to the food fair, which I enjoyed.

Jacoby Pruitt: It is crazy how fast the summer is going. I can’t believe that I just finished week 3. This week was great: I was working hard in my dance classes and really started to feel an improvement. I have made tons of new friends who I eat lunch with and hang out after class with – they are so amazing. This weekend I went to see one of New York’s city parks foundations free dance shows in queens, the show was very good. On Sunday I went and met up with my family who took me to see “Wicked” where I sat 8 rows from the stage… It was AMAZING!! This week has been really fun and I am looking forward to the next one

From San Francisco…
Nick Losada: I was asked to stay at San Francisco Ballet year round!!

From Orlando…
Diana Lopez: I’m away at the Orlando Ballet Summer Intensive 2010 and this is my last week here . I have had such a great time these past four weeks dancing with many new friends, and being taught by great teachers. This program has been such a wonderful experience for me because not only have I improved as a dancer, but also I have made many friends from both in and out of the U.S.  I am staying at the University of Central Florida (UCF) dorms, and most of my roommates are from Mexico! It’s been so much fun spending time with them, dancing with them, and learning about their culture. I haven’t been writing very much because we don’t have a lot of free time here. We dance Monday through Saturday, and Sundays we’re taken to different theme parks. In a week I will be back home, so I will enjoy my last week here in Orlando as we perform our repertory pieces this coming Thursday and Friday. I am also really looking forward this week to being taught by special guest teacher – Julie Kent, Principle Dancer of the American Ballet Theatre. It will be sad to say goodbye. So far, this has been my favorite summer intensive. : D

From Flint…

Carolina Friedhoff: After four weeks at Magnus Midwest I can’t wait to get back to The Conservatory to show my teachers what I have learned! The intensive was great way to explore what it’s really like to dance everyday and be part of a company. I loved waking up every morning feeling ready to push myself to improve. The teachers were so inspiring and since they were all former dancers, had fantastic stories to share. Mondays and Thursdays were my favorite days because my level had Mr. Magnus, the artistic director of the program, as a teacher. We would start with a ballet class and then move on to “pas de deux” class, or partnering. Our partners were kind and always willing and happy to try combinations more than once. They were also all very talented which helped us girls to excel in class. The last Monday of the intensive was my level’s last partnering class. It also happened to be my birthday! Mr. Magnus choreographed a short pas de deux for the couples to perform. As other levels watched the class through the open doors, my partner and I finally connected. Whipping out multiple supported turns and handling the lifts with ease, I finally began to discover what my teacher had meant when he told us to dance with our partners “as one”. On the last day of the intensive, our showcase came together beautifully. I loved watching my friends from The Conservatory and those that I had met while I was away performing. As the curtain came down after an encore performance, girls and even some of the boys wept as they realized that we would all soon be leaving. I truly feel that I have improved since I left and will consider returning to Magnus Midwest next summer.

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From New York City…

Annellyse Munroe: This week was the beginning of the actual intensive. By the end of the week I was extremely sore. Also I was excited to begin Troy Powell’s repertory piece. The weekend was very special because of the 4 of July celebration. On Friday night I along with other girls went bowling which was a lot of fun. I haven’t gone bowling in a long time and it was a great bonding time. On Saturday I went to watch New Moon from the Twilight Series. On Sunday I went to the Museum of Modern Art and that was extremely excited to see modern art. Visual arts are not really my thing yet I learned a lot and now I have a better knowledge of various artists. Later that day, we also went to Soho. For the 4th of July me and other girls went to the River Park by the apartment and watched fireworks over the Hudson River.  It was a wonderful evening!

Blake Simohnson: Week two has passed by quickly yet still eventfully! I’m enjoying my
classes at DTH, ballet or otherwise, and getting used to the intensity of dancing so many hours per day. I especially enjoy my Pas de Deux classes. Even though partnered pirouettes aren’t coming so easily, it’s great feeling being lifted into the air! This week we also had a Graham master class that formally introduced me to the concepts and
structure behind the technique. This weekend we explored Chinatown/Canal Street. We bartered with the salespeople and ate at “Excellent Dumpling House” whose dumplings
really were excellent. On Sunday, after getting much needed massages, Janelle and I went to the Guggenheim Museum to see the exhibit “Haunted,” which features artwork that explores themes of memory, trauma, and returns to the past by artists including Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg.

Jane St. Juste: This weekend has been absolutely amazing. Last weekend I spent with my family in Brooklyn and on the Fourth of July we had a huge picnic in one of the parks. The park had a big beach, pool, and a playground. My cousin and I started a water fight. Then 2 days later it was my birthday… All of us in the house went out and got cupcakes after a long day of dance rehearsals. I also got a balloon of Mickey Mouse and Mini and a birthday card from my family.

Anabelen Rivero: Week three has gone by in a wink of an eye. Dancing this week has been intense and tiring. We are all getting ready for the end of the program’s performance. The rehearsals require a lot of focus, dedication and stamina, but they are still so much fun. On Tuesday, it was Jane’s 16th birthday. We celebrated her birthday by going out to CRUMBS, a famous cupcake place. The cupcakes were great and big! They all had different flavors like “Reeses Peanut Butter and Chocolate”, “Cookies and Cream”, “Butterfinger”, “carrot cake” to name a few. I had a delicious “White Vanilla with Sprinkles”! I felt like a little girl again. It was great! On Friday, some of us went walking through Times Square. I could never get tired of that place. It’s so bright and live with TV screens everywhere, different people, variety of restaurants and stores. You hardly see that in Miami, well not as big as here. Then, on Saturday I went to three different dance stores Capezio, Grishko, and this amazing leotard store named Yumiko. This store sells leotards made specially to fit your body, from Japan. There are only two stores in the world, in New York City and in Japan. Luckily, the designer of the leotards was there. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a picture with her because she left so quickly. Other than that visiting the store was great. This third week was pretty fantastic. I can’t wait to see what awaits for me this next week.

Michelle Russell: And yet another week has passed… This summer seems to be getting better and better each moment. My week was packed with intense Graham classes from Blakely White-McGuire, a former Graham company member. Along with my regular Graham technique classes, I was also given the opportunity to take the master class with Robert Battle, who is now the new artistic director for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. It was such a great class, both physically and mentally. I was honored to be taught by such an extraordinary dancer and choreographer, especially since this might be the last time he is able to teach an open master class like this. Adding to my experiences of this week, I also auditioned for the Graham Company. Although I got cut, I did learn a lot of things that I can apply to auditions in the future. On Thursday, Shauna, Renata, and I went to see a new Broadway called “American Idiot”. It was one of the most amazing Broadway shows I have ever seen, I would definitely recommend to others to go see it. Along with being able to see the show, we were also able to get discounted tickets and autographs from some of the performers. Today, a couple of the girls, Janice, and I went to the Bronx Zoo.

Devaughn McGann: My first week was amazing! My classes are great and I’m learning a lot everyday not only in dance but how to deal with different things we’re often faced with in life. NYC is a very inspiring place and it makes you want to grow more and more in life!

From Pittsburgh…

Diana Figuroa: For the 4th of July we went to Kennywood Amusement Park. I had a great time riding roller coaster and watching different shows.

From North Carolina…

Ashley Anduiza: I couldn’t have asked for a better first week at North Caroline Dance Theatre (NCDT). After arriving the first day and meeting up with my New World School of the Arts friends, we explored the campus and had so much fun meeting new people, including our suitemate who is one of the sweetest girls I have yet to met, and getting comfortable with what would be our home for the next three weeks. The first day turned things around me for me: I was out of shape and pretty intimidated by the strength and caliber of the other dancers. I came back to the dorms in a bad mood and I didn’t know how I would survive the rest of two weeks. However, things changed completely the next day. Ballet class felt like a breath of fresh air and variations helped me show off the passion for dance that I’d been missing since school ended. The composition and modern teacher helped me project confidence in the styles of dance that I feel hesitant about, and soon enough, I was getting numerous compliments and great corrections from both my teachers and my peers. Unbelievably, I even found a new love and passion for choreographing and how to explore different movements with my body. The rest of the week seemed to go back to normal as I got used to my new lifestyle along with the soreness and reaction of my body in response to this new amount of dancing. Saturday came quickly and I was surprised to find that I would be performing the 3-week performance with 4 other younger kids. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but the style of the choreography suited my body perfectly and came so naturally. The choreographer was pleased with me and he gave me attention that made me feel so confident and amazing. I’m looking forward to the experiences that are awaiting me.

Ashley Anduiza (second week at NCDT): I can’t believe the second week is over! It flew by so fast. Getting used to our schedule has really helped to make this week as enjoyable as it was. I immediately stopped paying attention to the other girls and let myself focus on getting comfortable and showing off what I had. Surprisingly, I received a lot more attention in jazz and modern classes rather than ballet. In fact, after a composition class, my teacher asked me to stay because she wanted to use my choreography for the modern piece that she was choreographing for the other students here, and give me credit for it in the program! That was really great and unexpected. The rest of the week went on and ended with Saturday’s rehearsals, which went very well.

Michelle Anduiza: It’s been exactly 7 days since I have been in North Carolina. So far, I have been taking different classes such as Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Floor Bar, Pilates, Ballroom, Character and Dunham Horton. And let me tell you …it has been tough! Going away for my first time away from parents, freedom, friends, amusement parks, and so much more… Now we have to wake up daily at 6:45am, run to eat breakfast, run back to catch the bus on time, and finally we get to the studios. That is when a whole new journey begins. Everyone starts the day off with a ballet class. After we take either Pointe class or variation class. Then it’s finally lunchtime, where we eat either a chicken salad or a sandwich. After lunch we take other forms of dance, less classical. Everyday we have lectures that teach us about nutrition and how to keep our bodies healthy. Also we learn about different companies and the obstacles dancers tend to have in their carrier. Finally we finish the day with one of the dancing classes. Everyday we must RUN to catch the first bus or else you are to wait about 45 minutes for the next bus. Once we get back from the studios we go to diner where we are provided with various types of healthy foods. My favorite is the dessert, which is always brownies, cookies, and cakes J. So around the time we’re done with diner is close 7:00 o’clock. Every night my roommate, suitemates and I stretch and work out. I usually avoid the workout part and just stretch. After getting in the bed, you think it is finally a rest time but of course there is always something in the way to ruin it. What can that be? Air conditioner broke in the dorms so every single night it’s around 57-60 degrees. It is so cold that we have to wear 2 sweat pants, 2 sweaters, 2 socks, and 2 shirts. Unfortunately, that is never enough. My routine is pretty repetitive so I have it all over again every day.  It’s been so great here except for the part that I got sick past Tuesday and was not feeling well all day. I ended up being driven back to the dorms and sleeping until diner time. Other than that day, I’ve met so many great people, I see many beautiful dancers, I have awesome teachers, and I have a great chaperone! I’m so happy I to be at the North Carolina Dance Theatre.

Michelle Anduiza: 13 days in North Carolina Dance Theatre are over – time flew by so fast. I’m here in the laundry room waiting for my clothes to finish washing with Ashley, Sharyn, and Javier and I am listening to music while dancing crazy to it. Tomorrow is going to be so much fun because I’m going to North Carolina’s amusement park called Carowinds!! Anyways this past week was great and very tiring. It was filled with laughter, sadness, gossip, excitement, and PAIN. I would have to say my favorite classes here are Modern and Ballroom! It’s so much fun and I’m learning a lot. My ballroom partner is from Miami also and her name is Daniella S. She’s so awesome and we have such a fun time when we doing swing or cha-cha in class! At first I was really intimidated by the girls from Miami that I met but I changed my thinking to positive thoughts and I became more confident in my abilities. Instead of thinking I was not good enough, I started to let go of being so serious and started to be more open and expressive. And that really helped me. Today we finished our piece for the 3-week workshop performance. The piece is pretty and the music is beautiful. I love it here so much and I’m going to be so sad when I leave next week. Okay I got to go back to my laundry…and dancing!

Sharyn Richards: I’ve been in North Carolina for almost 2 weeks and I love it so much! It’s beautiful and I love the fact that I’m getting the opportunity to experience something new. Past summers I’ve been to DTH (Dance Theatre of Harlem) and it’s nice to finally get a chance to go somewhere else, and I’m glad I chose North Carolina instead of New York. I was able to get in touch with my roommate before coming here. Her name is Kristin Oehler and we get along so well. We even have the same exact phone. J I’m so happy that I got her as a roommate. I feel like I’ve known her even though we just meet no more than 2 weeks ago. Of course, all of us are here to dance as well as make new friends, but since the classes are so small, all of us got to know each other by the end of the first week. All of the teachers are amazing and I love the fact that they teach from their own personal experiences and talk about what works for them, as well as what is correct technically and physically. The classes are small enough for individual attention so the teachers ultimately get to know you better by the end of the summer. A typical day would be to wake up around 6:30am, get ready and be at breakfast in another building that was about 5 minutes away by 7:30. Since there are more students than the number that can fit on the bus, bus would take the first group of people and then come back for the next. Every other day we can take our time and not rush to eat breakfast and then we wait for the bus to go to the studio and prepare for the first class. By the time we get back to the dorms, we’re dead tired and still manage to have the energy to do exercises for abdominal muscles and play around stretching in the lounge. We even managed to have little outings to Target and Wal-Mart. So on the 4th of July we went downtown to see fireworks and there was a little party and of course only the “Miami crew” was dancing…it was kind of sad but we had a lot of fun! It’s already been such a great experience meeting so many people that now I can consider some of them a life-long friends

Javier Aranzales: The days I had been waiting for more than four months have finally arrived! I wake up every morning ready for the buffet breakfast and for a full day of dancing. The days start off with a passionate ballet class and follow with modern, jazz, Pilates, strength training, lectures. Level Three at the North Carolina Dance Theatre (which I am in) is performing in a ballroom piece, a jazz piece, and even a ballet piece choreographed by New World School of the Arts’ own Gerard Ebitz. I was also among a couple of level three guys chosen to be in the level four’s ballet piece. It’s Balanchine’s Theme and Variations. Saturday is one of my favorite days: It’s all day ballet and ballet rehearsals. In the dorms of Witherspoon Hall, bonding is my main pastime. I’m lucky to have been accompanied by three of my Miami friends and the whole time we are together. I have also made friends with many people here that have been making this experience what it is becoming. Last night a whole group of us watched Center Stage and my passion for ballet grew even more. The opportunity to come to NCDT for five weeks to intensive study has been such an amazing experience. It’s been two weeks and I’m still ready for more. Off to go take out my laundry (first time I’ve ever done laundry by myself) and then watch Swan Lake. I’ll be checking in later.

From San Francisco…

Nicholas Losada: It is my second week in San Francisco and I am once again in awe by this city! The people, the weather, the culture, everything about this city fill me with excitement. The classes at San Francisco Ballet are very difficult, especially since I was placed in the highest level for men! I’ve had a hard 2 hour technique classes followed by a challenging one hour and a half of men’s batterie (practicing beats) class, and finally either a contemporary class or a pas de deux class in which we have learned “Grand Pas Classique”. Every Friday the men in level 8 have repertory as our final class and so far we have learned the variation and coda from Tchaikovsky “Pas de Deux” and “Bronze Idol” from “La Bayadere”. The highlight of my week would definitely be last Sunday July 4th, in which all the kids from the San Francisco Ballet Residence went to the beach and had a fun BBQ and relaxed along the Pacific Ocean, even if it was freezing cold!

From Flint, MI…

Caitlin Javech, Jazmine Ward, Hannah Williams and Carolyn Friedhoff: We have all been having the time of our lives here at Magnus Midwest: we love our dorm and love all of the classes! Mr. Magnus is an amazing teacher and extremely inspiring. We LOVE the pas de deux classes. The studios are wonderful and we all take classes on the enormous Whiting stage. So beautiful! Our performance is this coming Saturday, and we will be dancing till ten pm or eleven pm now every night. Time to work. For the outings we went to Meijers, which is a huge super store with groceries and much more. Also, we got to see fireworks on the 4^th of July only from our dorm window.

From Chautauqua, New York…

Cella Martocio: I’m really enjoying Chautauqua. These past 2 weeks I’ve been taking lots of classes from Patricia Mcbride, which has been very exciting and I’ve been rehearsing a lot for the upcoming shows. I’m in 2 pieces by Mark Diamond and Michael Vernon. Its been really amazing living in up state NY and in dorms meeting new people. What a great experience! Friday I watched the company perform, Saturday I had rehearsals and walked around town and then went to the movies, and today was my birthday so we went to swim in the lake and walked around an arts and crafts fair and now Kaylee and I are going to eat dinner.

Kaylee Grippando: I danced in the showcase for Kaatsbaan. It was so great and a weird feeling being on a very different stage. It was also really difficult to say goodbye especially to all my amazing teachers there. Now it is my first day at Chautaqua with Cella. I am already having so much fun and I can’t wait for this amazing experience.

Another week away….

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Yazzmeen Laidler: This week in New York has been very exciting. Waking up everyday to do something new such as meeting people from all over the world, taking master classes with famous dancers and dance instructors, touring the city of New York, and trying out new food and cultures: waking up to loud horns and several people walking the streets of New York, you already know what’s in store for you that day; taking the metro rail with millions of people all crowded into one train, Mexican musicians playing the instruments for entertainment, and many stops to Columbus Circle or even Time Square.  At Ailey’s summer intensive program I’ve met people from Italy, North Carolina, Houston, Texas, and from Fort Myers. The experience of just being able to meet people and famous dance instructors is an honor to me.  Not being able to audition for instructor pieces but getting the advantage to take open classes with Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden was a great opportunity. There’s so much more to learn and many cultures to explore in the next five weeks in New York.

Jane Melissa St. Juste: My first official week in the house has been nothing but amazing. All of the girls are getting along so well and sometimes staying up extremely late… but only on the weekends. My first week at Alvin Ailey was also amazing. I enjoyed all of my classes and I love all of my teachers. I have met new people and made great friends in a short period of time. This weekend we went to Time Square and had a ball. We went into one of the Forever 21 stores that had four stories! We bought sunglasses and tried on multiple outfits, it was the first time I have felt like a girl in forever!!!!

Blake Simohnson: My first week in New York City has been fulfilled and even exceeded all of the expectations I had so eagerly anticipated. From the moment I looked out at the streets of New York that feel like another world from Miami, I knew that the next six weeks were waiting to unfold into the time of my life. This first week overflowed with new experiences that I never could have had in Miami, at least not concentrated in such a short time. All of us in the apartment feels like the big family I never had as an only child. We all work well together cooking (though Mrs. Signorelli is the real mastermind behind all of our delicious meals) and cleaning, and also we are able to relate to each other’s sore muscles and long days of dancing regardless of what program we’re attending. Dancing at Dance Theater of Harlem, of course, has offered the most new experiences. Beyond the different studios and ballet teachers, I’ve already explored and enjoyed many different new styles of dance including Jazz, Partnering (which is still ballet, but an entirely new experience I knew and it would be a highlight in my schedule), Modern (specifically Martha Graham technique), and African. I also took a Gyrokinesis class at Steps on Broadway, a class I had been dying to try at a place I had been dying to go to! I know I’ll be going there on weekends to take classes from the renowned teachers that teach there like David Howard, Gelsey Kirkland, and Wilhelm Burmann. A place like Steps perfectly exemplifies how NYC is the center of the dance world, which makes it a place I can feel at home- at least for the  next six weeks!

Anabelen Rivero: This week was really intense. It was the first week that we used our schedules for our daily classes. Dancing 4 to 5 hours a day hasn’t been too tiring for me. I actually enjoyed dancing for that long, since it’s what I want to do. The only thing is that my muscles have been so sore that it hurt to get up in the morning. But then I start dancing and the pain goes away because I’m all warmed up. My teachers are all great people and are very inspiring. They are really different from the teachers at the New World School of the Arts. I’ve learned so much just in this first real week of dancing. I hope I will get to learn so much more in these coming weeks. Another positive of this week is that I have learned how to get around the city a lot better. It’s actually really easy and if I wasn’t sure in where I was headed I would ask someone. Some people are nice and helpful, while others, not so much. I have walked so much this week and I love it! I feel that I have lost tons of weight. It’s great that we don’t have to depend on a car to go anywhere. We just walk out and go where ever. This week has been great and I know that more wonderful adventures will come.

Jean Floradin: “This past week has definitely been a wake up call for me and very memorable: from taking the subway to Central Park, to experiencing my first Broadway Show, to  getting accustomed to so many classes a day, to waking up early and sore. The city is amazing and friends I’ve made here are definitely notable. I’m still trying to take it all in that I’m in New York and that this is probably the most exciting time in my life. I’m so thankful and grateful to even be here at this moment, and I’m feeling a responsibility to myself to make the best of it and to grow as much as possible.

Emily Rivera: New York just seems to get better and better. Besides dance going great and rehearsals going even BETTER, my spare time and weekends have become more productive. This past weekend, a group of us went shopping in a new four-story Forever 21 in Times Square. It was crazy! From there, we headed to Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola and saw a friend from school, Tony, play piano. The jazz trio was absolutely great and Tony’s piano skills were, like always, flawless. On Sunday, the fourth of July, we went to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and were stunned at all the breathtaking art we saw. From photography to water-color paintings to Frida Kahlo, we took on every floor in the five-floor building. We finally pulled ourselves away and headed to SoHo. Not only did we find a great stand where this Uruguayan woman was selling incredible Argentinian tea (mate), but we also came across a free ice cream truck that was advertising Coach’s new line! All in all it was an eventful day and I can’t wait for the next couple of weeks!

Michelle Russell: Wow, what a great way to start my summer off! This summer has not only been a blessing to me, but it has also opened my eyes to all the opportunities that await me. As a Florida State University dance major, I was fortunate enough to earn a half scholarship to attend The Martha Graham Summer Dance Intensive. My first week was swell. Arriving on Saturday, I knew what I had in store. This time I wanted to see New York in a different way, a more mature way. All of the girls in the apartment are very thankful and eager to obtain all of the advice that they can get, and as an alumni I am happy to share with them. I have done so much within this small span of time. I have already visited Staten Island and started learning repertory from the Graham Company. Along with seeing all that New York has to offer, I have not only been able to start receiving training from some of the former principal dancers of the Graham Company, but I have also been granted the opportunity to take class with a few of them. Aside from receiving training at the Graham School, I am also taking advantage of the open classes offered elsewhere such as Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. Since this weekend was Fourth of July weekend, I went to Long Island to celebrate with a friend that I met at FSU and her family. It sure is great to know people in other places. I got to see a part of New York that I am not familiar with and I also got to spend time with some great people.

Naomi Davis: A very eventful week two has finished here in New York City.  This weekend was the most exciting part of my trip so far.  We started out by going to a bowling alley in Chelsea on Friday night.  Saturday I went to Time Square and walked around with friends.  The night ended with a Jazz performance at Lincoln Center.  It was a three person show- a pianist, a drummer, and a bassist.  The pianist actually attends New World with me.  It was such an incredible opportunity to see one of my own friends performing in New York City at the Dizzy Coca Cola Club.  Sunday began with a trip to see the MOMA- Museum of Modern Art.  We explored the exhibits for a few hours.  After that we wandered over to Soho and Canal Street and walked around.  For Fourth of July some of us went to a park right outside our apartment.  From there we can see the Hudson River.  I had a spectacular week that ended with an even better weekend.  Thank you so much for giving me the chance to immerse myself in the wonders of New York City.

Shauna Davis: Being in New York at the Graham school has been an incredible experience thus far!  It has only been a week and I feel like I’m home!  From being taught by first generation Martha Graham students, to riding the subway to and from I can’t even begin to imagine how much I’ll learn, as a dancer and as a person in the remaining two weeks I’m here.  At home, our lovely chaperone is preparing us for lives on our own in New York by teaching us how to prepare delicious and inexpensive homemade meals.  Just this Tuesday, The 29^th, my Co-Chef Renata and I made 7-layer lasagna!  It was a hit!  They keep on asking for more.  Not only have I assisted in making fabulous meals, but I’ve also been getting great exercise outside of the dance studio.  On Tuesday, Renata and I went running in the park and on Thursday, we walked all the way from the apartment to Alvin Ailey to Times Square (that’s 75 blocks!).  We’ve done so many fun things and been to so many neat places here, it’s hard to keep count: Time Square, Staten Island, SoHo, China Town, Museum of Modern Art, Hudson River, MARTHA GRAHAM SCHOOL, Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and many more!  I can’t wait to see how much I learn and get to see in the two weeks I have left!

Jacoby Manuel Pruitt: Week one is complete, This week has been so amazing. I have already learned so much and made new friends at the Alvin Ailey School. My classes have been amazing and we have already started this amazing dance for our end of the summer show. New York summer number 2 is off to a great start!!!! We Just celebrated the Fourth of July and of course we saw the FIREWORKS!!!! and then we all went to a park and had a blast on the jungle gym (your never too old for a little play time). Week One Has Been such a blast cant wait to see what else the summer has in store!!

Kaylee Grippando: Kaatsbaan so far has been incredible. Once a week I get to take a class with Martin Van Hamel. Her classes are incredible and she gives a lot of corrections. Last week I was fortunate enough to take a master class with Franco Devito. His class was so much fun and he gave me a lot of corrections. I recently went to Jacobs Pillow and saw the State Ballet of Georgia. The dancers were absolutely incredible. For the student showcase we are performing Paquita. The rehearsals have been so much fun and it is really upbeat and energetic.

Thomas Armour Youth Ballet Students Are Away to Different Summer Programs – First Week

First day at the John Magnus Midwest

Jasmine Ward, Cailtyn Javech, Caroline Friedhoff, and Hannah Williams at John Magnus Midwest Summer Program on their first day

Journal Entries from New York City – Naomi Davis, Annelyse Munroe, Emily Rivera and Anabelen Rivero are at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre

Naomi Davis: “My first week in New York City is complete.  Not only is it finishing with a plethora of sore muscles and a new movement vocabulary, but it is closing with a multitude of new experiences.  I have learned how to navigate an unfamiliar city with my friends.  Traveling uptown and downtown by foot and by subway, we have seen many new sights.  Everything in New York seems to be an adventure.  Whether we are getting lost in the city, cleaning the apartment, eating as a family, walking around SoHo, dancing at Alvin Ailey, making new friends, and more, we always have a blast.  I feel so fortunate that I am a part of this incredible opportunity.  I can’t wait to see what my future weeks in the city will bring!”

Annelyse Munroe: “… this first week in New York has been incredible. This is my third year going to New York dancing at Alvin Ailey and  the experience  just  keeps getting  better and better. Right now there are 6 girls in the apartment and I share a room with 2 of them. This is my third  year and for the other 3  it’s their first time at Ailey so I’m very helpful towards them. At the moment, I’m the oldest out of all the girls so I have a lot of responsibilities. Since I know my way around  New York very well, it is my pleasure to show the other girls how to get around to Ailey and other places.  I enjoy a lot the team work when cleaning, grocery shopping, and doing anything together. The second day we had lunch at Central Park which was very nice and a great bonding experience. Last Monday through Friday I had a placement class at Ailey and I was very proud of  myself because I got into high levels and I made it into Troy Powell’s repertory piece. Troy Powell is an amazing choreographer and I’m looking forward to working with him .  Also we had master classes with excellent teachers and I have already learned so much from them. This weekend 6 more girls are coming and I’m excited to get to know with them. I can’t wait for the other weeks to come!

Emily Rivera’s first week: “The first week in New York ended as quickly as it had come. One minute, I was leaving Miami, I was leaving my home, and I was leaving with a bag way too full to fall under the limit of 50 pounds. The next minute, I was riding the subway, eating loads of Pinkberry (a local frozen yogurt store), and dancing at the most amazing dance center ever… ALVIN AILEY! This past week at Ailey, I’ve been busy with placement classes, master classes, and auditions for the show at the end of the summer. I auditioned for a couple of dance pieces and in the end I made it in to one. The piece I’m going to be dancing in is going to be choreographed by Carlos Dos Santos, a native of Brazil. Rehearsals start on Tuesday, the 29th, so I am VERY excited for that. Besides dance, we’ve also been traveling to “hotspots” such as Soho, Times Square, and Central Park. Learning how to get to these places was fun, well except the getting lost part, and I think I finally figured out how these subways work. The apartment we’re staying in is so cool! It’s much better and bigger than I imagined. Even though it’s a lot of us in the apartment, we all live comfortably together. I feel as if in one short week, I’ve learned many things: to be independent, to do chores regularly and not occasionally, and to really open up to different styles of dance. I can’t wait for the next few weeks!”

Anabelen Rivero: “Being in New York City for six weeks and  dancing with different choreographers and teachers at Alvin Ailey is a blessing. I’ve learned so much in the past week. I can’t imagine what it will be like for the next 5 weeks. I’m going to be learning great quantities of material that I will be able to carry on with me for the rest of my life.  It’s so wonderful here. Everything in New York is alive and there’s always something happening. The people are so unique and each have their own style and individuality. Being independent is what you have to be living in New York: going up and down the subway everyday is a major responsibility and it is kind of scary if you don’t know where you are going and all of a sudden get lost. It’s great to be rooming with people who you are very close with and glad that I was picked to be in this group. This first week has been filled with wonders. I hope it keeps growing.”

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