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World Ballet Day 2023

November 1st, 2023


"Dance training can't be separate from life training. Everything that comes into are lives is training. The qualities that we admire in great dancing are the same qualities we admire in human beings: honesty, courage, fearlessness, generosity, wisdom, depth, compassion, and humanity" - Alonzo King


To all of my ballet kids out there, this one is for you.


People always reminisce about their first love.


They say things like "You never forget the first person you fall in love with"


In some aspects, I think they are right. You don't forget your first love, at least I didn't. The overwhelming feeling hit me when I was ten years old. I had fallen in love with ballet. There is some sort of safety when you fall in love with something that is not a human being. You don't ever need to worry about any kind of disagreement or someone backing out because things got too difficult. There was a strong sense of security built into my relationship with dance at a young age, and to this day, I really can't explain it. I wouldn't be who I am today without the art of classical ballet. Having the opportunity to pursue what you are passionate about in life will make you see the world and the people in it from a different perspective. I am so thankful for that ability especially in the world that we are living in today.





I was two and half when I stepped into a ballet class for the first time. My mother enrolled me in a class at Terry Mattlock School of Dance in order to help me gain more locomotor skills. Now granted, there is not a ton that a two year old can physically learn how to do other than learn how to run in a somewhat of a pattern.


And that is exactly what I did.


My entire family sat down at the Whiting Auditorium downtown Flint in order to see me (and about fifteen other little girls) run around in a circle with fairy wings on for approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Little did I know then that I was being introduced to an art form that would not only shape who I became as a human being, but would also come to realize that I had a calling to pursue a career in the arts.


Pursuing a career in the fine arts was no walk in the park. I missed out on a lot that was considered "a normal high school experience". I sacrificed class activities, birthday party's, good grades, sleepovers, family vacations, sleep, and much more in order to chase what I was passionate in life. Some people may say that you need a college degree to be qualified to teach dance. Others might say you need certifications, or some might even say that experience speaks louder than an expensive piece of paper sitting on the wall. Truth be told, I believe the credentials differ depending on the human being. For me, it was a very specific combination of all three of those factors. However, it is also about who you know, (and more importantly) who knows you and can speak to who you are not only as an artist, but as a human being.


Some people might call that crazy, but others will call it determination.


Growing up, I was by no means a favored dancer whatsoever, but I understood at a very young age that you need mentors and teachers to get you through the hard times. The reason that I have been so successful in my career is because of my list of connections and contacts that I have been building since I was about 15 years old. I am a firm believer that every person serves some sort of purpose in your life. Some people will teach you the good, and some will teach you the bad. I was very specific and selective about who I kept in contact with and who I still have a relationship with even to this day. Over the years, I have learned that the people who want to be a part of your life will make that known, and if they don't, then it is their loss.


Ballet taught me so many things that I have carried into my adult life such as: patience, friendship, determination, and perseverance. It taught me how to develop and maintain a hard work ethic. It taught me how to take constructive (and destructive) criticism with grace. It taught me how important it is to have people in your corner who love and care about you. It taught me how to take disappointment and turn it into motivation. It made me realize that discipline is in all walks of life. It taught me the principal that you will respect your teachers and those in authority over you. It made me appreciate all of the people who came before me and made my dream a reality. Ballet gave me the ability to see the beautiful within the ugly.


Now that I am in a position where I am the teacher in the front of the room, I can't help but constantly think about the teachers that influenced me so heavily: Denise Paavola, Jennifer Wiley, Nick and Laura Schultz, Steven Houser, Dan Thompson, Judd Gibbs, Heather Liskiewitz, Katie Wiley, Joseph Curry, and so many more. I was so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people who consistently poured into my life. It is because of them that I am able to pour into my students in all walks of their life. As I continue to grow, my teaching philosophy will surely grow and change with me. I tell my students every day that I learn just as much from them as they do from me. They push me as a teacher in ways that I didn't even know where possible, and for that, I am truly grateful.


Okay, now a bit of a life update!


We are still in full blown Nutcracker mode as our performance dates draw closer and closer! I spend my Saturday's at FIM from 9 AM-5 PM running rehearsals and teaching classes. I am already thinking about Festival of Dance and all of the new choreography that is in the works which will be premiered in May of 2024! I have my Progressing Contemporary Technique Certification on November 5th, and I am currently in the process of getting registered to get my American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum Certification in levels Pre-Primary to Level 3 in January of 2024! I am also starting the process of being privately coached in the Cecchetti Method Grade 1 by my dear former teacher, mentor, and dear friend, Jennifer Wiley! It has taken me 24 years, but I have found my place in the dance world. I have also found the people that stand by me, encourage me, push me, motivate me, and ultimately, bring out the best in me.


Happy World Ballet day to all of my ballet kids out there! Don't ever let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough to chase your dreams because my darling, you are!







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