Orland Dance Challenges

As a youth, I engaged in many forms of dance expression. I studied tap, jazz, and ballet for fifteen years. During these formative years, I choose to forgo many youth experiences so that I could participate in advance dance programs. The hard work paid off when I received a college scholarship to a performing arts

In “Showing What Is Possible,” Jacques D’Amboise reflects on an experience when a teacher helped him discover ballet. Madame Seda helped D’Amboise fulfill his talent. With ballet, he overcame the pressure to join a gang like his friends. D’Amboise was able to become a well-known ballet dancer with help from his teachers. When it was time to retire from dancing, he started the National Dance Institute. This project enabled D’Amboise to influence his own students around the world. An influential teacher can affect one’s future by challenging pupils to move past their comfort zones, teaching them to actively control their future, and setting up an environment where they can improve together.

Whether rooted deeply through generations of a family or formed through an experience, passions and fascinations are what drives us, humans, to be who we truly are. At this point in my life, I do not want to reach comfort or perfection, but rather feel composed and confident in what I chose to merge my ballet skills with. When I dance, I escape reality and feel a pure exhilaration.This sensation shapes my curiosity and interest in the human anatomy. From the elements that make it up to ways in which people individually move their bodies, the human body is absolutely fascinating. Specifically, I am passionate about teaching ballet to younger students. By introducing ballet to kids early on, they will experience the same joy almost all dancers feel for a longer period of time. When I’m dancing I’m challenging your mind, releasing endorphins, and working hard. I am also eager to own my own business linked with teaching that will provide people with affordable dance equipment, and even more crucial, advice on what suits each person's personal needs. I know as I grow old my body will not be as capable as it once was, but I’m dedicated to spreading my appreciation of ballet to others. Overall, my passion for ballet and how I can utilize it to positively impact society as an entrepreneur has developed through the inspiration of my grandparents, the creativity of my former dance teachers, and my interest in the human bodies relation to ballet.

Have you ever thought what it would be like to be dancing up on your toes with the American Ballet theatre (ABT)? That’s just what happened, Misty Copeland currently a principal dancer at ABT had a dream to dance there ever since she started to dance and she didn't think that she could do it,but with training, hard work, and passion you can achieve anything. For the month of September I decided to read “Life in Motion” written by Misty Copeland. This book was very inspiring in many ways. I learned so much that I didn’t know, not only about Misty Copeland but also about ballet. I decided to read this book because, Misty Copeland is one of my idols, she is also a big inspiration and I really wanted to learn more about her. Overall this book was amazing. I would recommend it to  not only ballet dancers but to also people who love non-fiction because it is full of so many details and a lot of imagery that it makes a person feel like they are in her shoes dancing through her life. I would recommend this book because many people can relate to Misty Copeland in many ways, your mind wanders while reading, and because the plot was very unbelievable and surprising.

“What are you even doing here? I have never seen such flawed technique in all my years as a choreographer.” The words echoed throughout the medical college auditorium. Impelled by the admonishment in front of my peers, I persevered in my endeavor to improve upon my dancing prowess and by the final year of medical school was leading the college dance team. The above mentioned undertaking further spawned an interest for the discipline of Latin Ballroom which lead to participation at the national level. The unwavering focus and persistence even in the face of unfavorable odds is more broadly reflective of my approach towards learning, both academic and extracurricular. This has been instrumental in achieving stellar academic outcomes including being ranked nationally in the top 0.0004 percent in the premedical test and the top 0.6 percent in the common aptitude test for management training.

Toward the end of my sophomore year, I achieved a balance. I’ve learned to balance my studying for AP classes with my leadership role as captain of the dance team. I’ve pursued my passions both in and out of the classroom, choreographing and teaching young dancers at my studio and taking honors science electives at my school, where my hard work was rewarded when I was named Genetics Student of the Year. I am inspired by the young dancers I assist in teaching, and my engagement in my local dance community has helped me to thrive in areas outside of the studio’s dance rooms. Because of dance, I have been taught to handle the toughest situations with discipline and

Tiana Woods is an ambitious second-year undergraduate student studying Political Science and Dance. She is currently attending Columbia University as a Kluge Scholar. Tiana started her learning journey in the East Orange School System at the Little Ones Preschool. Her Preschool teachers cultivated in her a passion for reading. Ever since then she has loved to tell stories through different art forms. Dance being her favorite platform through which to do so. For Tiana, there is something magical about being able to instantly connect with people of different backgrounds through movement. That's the beauty behind artistry in dance—movement can be interpreted in so many different ways, by so many different people. But it will always inspire. Tiana

Casey Brown has always wanted to be a dancer. When she was little, she took dance classes once a week every Tuesday. Casey loved it and rocked the stage every year at the dance recitals at the Williamstown High School. As she got older, she took a break from dance but came back after a few short years. She took a modern class and her teacher would always tell her to take a ballet class. So the next year, Casey signed up for ballet. Right away her teacher noticed that something about her.

Sophomore Mayra Gomez has mostly AP classes and she is in Dance Production. How does she do it all? Well, Mayra has found that during the dances she is not in or during breaks, she can do her homework. Gomez says she gives one hundred percent in every dance otherwise the dance looks sloppy and weak. Did you know that she choreographs dances in her free time? She does and she plans to audition those pieces so that they can be in dance concerts held by Grace Davis High School. Mayra says that being in Dance Production is very stressful, but at the same time it is fun because you and the members of Dance Production become one family who share embarrassing moments; they share tears and smiles. Although Dance Production looks well-put and organized,

Last week was such an amazing experience! I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to dance with all my wonderful 4th period friends and take part in the Fall Show, “Subsequent”, with the rest of the BHS Dancers (including my wonderful big, Lindsey)! I’m really proud of how the dance department did as a whole. I love dancing at Brookwood High School because it’s so different than the strict ballet setting that I’m used to at my studio. It is also very special to be part of something at my school. As a Sugarloaf Ballet Company Dancer, I’ve not had this experience before. Dance has always been separate from my school. It is so exciting to be able to say that I dance for Ms. Ellen at Brookwood High School.

Growing up in the Big Apple can be rough at times; especially for 17 year old Leila Ashford. Leila’s mom died when she was 10. She now lives in a tiny apartment with her father. Her father works in a big business and barely has time for Leila. When her mom was still alive, Leila was enrolled in a dance class; she was momma’s little ballerina. Ballet was Leila’s biggest dream. After her mom died, her dad got really upset and quit his job. Ever since, there hasn’t been any extra money for Leila to reapply, but she didn’t let that stop her. Everyday after school, Leila would go out onto the patio and dance until sunset. She was determined to be a professional dancer some day.

I have decided to summarize "The True Nature of Ballet" by Caron Jonard. In this Passage, a woman describes the both emotional and physical pain of being a dancer. She describes the pain and sacrifices through a ballerina's eyes in which they must go through to reach their dream. Though she had many wounds, she pushed through every painful blister and raw skin cuts all over her feet, she never gave up. Put a smile on and dance your way through the pain, is exactly what she did. She explains many injuries and hardships, such as landing a gig as being a dancer. Having a career as a dancer comes with many obstacles, in which I was not aware about. Knowing that her young daughter now shows interest in having the same dream, it worries her. She

Ever since I was eight years old, the dance studio has been my second home. I assiduously worked and dedicated unconditional effort to this extremely strict discipline. I was never blind to the fact that I lacked some of the “required abilities” a ballerina should have. The idea of me becoming a professional dancer was greatly questioned by my ballet teachers but this did not stop me. After a ballet summer intensive in New York City, I received an unexpected email. I was invited to study at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia. This school is known as one of the best ballet schools worldwide. Many people dream about attending, and very few get invited. The Bolshoi Ballet Academy, also known as Moscow State Academy of Choreography,

In a nut shell I realized I had become complacent. I was used to doing well and was expecting to do well because I had been having a good week. However, I was not in a place to receive. As dancers I believe it important to be flexible and able to be taught be anyone, however sometimes as individuals we resist. I felt the resistance even with Mrs. Candace’s class. The first month of this semester modern was very difficult for me, not because I was incapable but because I was not in a mental place to receive. Once I change my way of thinking my dancing changed completely. After Mr. Greenstein’s class I made these connections. As a dancer I want to work on discovering how to avoid resisting a new style. I want to learn how to approach something I do not know in the most positive way. Sometime we can’t control our reactions, so what can I do be accepting.

For the past twelve years, I have trained in the beautiful, disciplined, and often grueling art of ballet. During my years as a student, I learned the technique, musicality, and artistry needed to become a ballerina, but, more importantly, I discovered the strong character traits that are necessary for success. Every aspect of my ballet training has provided me with unique, essential qualities. Focus, respect, and meticulousness were emphasized and learned in every class, cooperation and trust were mastered during partnering, and fearlessness was acquired after numerous performances. Though all of these characteristics have shaped me as an individual, I am most proud of the hard work ethic that I have achieved.