He said he would dance all day every day if given the chance. “I train for 15 hours a week at the studio.” This summer, Aiden will be attending Joffrey Miami Summer Intensive and No Boundaries Summer Dance Program in Massachusetts. “I want to keep pushing myself to get better and better,” he said, adding that his big aspirations include dancing in college and being part of a ballet or contemporary dance company. “And, of course, being on Broadway would be amazing!” he added.

Abigail (Great Falls, 4th Grade) is not only a dancer, but she also plays soccer and basketball. Her mother said, “She is a fierce competitor and loves to dance as well as playing sports.” Like her brother, she has attended numerous dance conventions and competitions, also receiving various recognition, awards and scholarships.

When asked what her favorite part of dance is she said, “I love that I can express how I am feeling through dance. I like to feel the music and movements. I also like being part of a team and love my dance friends.”

Success for Abigail can be attributed to her dedication to the sport. She stated, “I dance all the time…even when I am not in classes. I take around eight hours of class every week and love competitions and conventions. My favorite style is contemporary and I really like to perform solos.” She has successfully performed a solo since age seven.

She has thought about her future and her mother said she plans to dance for many years to come. Abigail would like to be on the Jazz/ Contemporary senior company team at her studio. She said, “The older girls at the studio make me work harder and I dream of being where they are!”

HALEY HAMANN

Hamann (GMS, 7th Grade) always loved dancing. Her interest was piqued when she went to a recital that her friends were performing in. She said, “That made me want to try taking classes. My first classes were tap and it is my favorite.”

The amount of time Hamann devotes can vary from one dance season to the next. Not only is she a dancer, she is also an assistant to her teacher, helping during two pre-school classes. “This past year I took ballet, musical theater, tap and jazz classes,” Hamann said, “so this was about eight hours a week and sometimes we work on the weekends. I also take classes and intensives (meant to accelerate skills, explore the dancer’s abilities and push their boundaries) in the summer which is part of being on the company dance team.”

Hamann, who dances year round, has been dancing for seven years and has been inspired by many of the older dancers in her studio. “They are great role models and they are so good. I see them dancing a lot and I want to work up to the level that they are at.” She said she is very inspired by her teachers and would someday like to be a dance teacher herself. “They have taught me everything I know about dance and I can tell that they really believe in the kids that they work with.”

MAEVE HIGGINS

Higgins (GHS ’20) started dancing when she was only two years old, but had always been around dance as her older sister started when she was young. She said, “I have been dancing for about 13 years now and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” Higgins spends approximately ten hours a week on dance. She added, “I got serious about dance when I was about eight or nine years old and started competing when I was ten. As a studio, we attend about three regional competitions and one national competition per year.” Her favorite part of dancing is the competitions because she loves spending time with her team and performing on stage.

Higgins finds dance to be a major stress reliever, despite the fact that it can be fun and tiring. She really enjoys choreography and has been given the opportunity to choreograph her own solo for competition which was a very rewarding experience. She said everyone is supportive when trying out new moves or stepping out of their comfort zone.

Higgins said, “Another important aspect about dancing is the community and friendships that I have made from being on such a close knit team.” The dancers come from many different towns so she has been able to expand her network of friends. She shared, “I am planning to continue dancing competitively throughout high school and hopefully I will be able to find a way to dance in college, as well.”

GRACE PERRON

Perron (GHS ’19) began her dance career when she was about three. Both her mother and grandmother were dancers so, of course, her mother started her in creative movement classes. “As I got older it got more serious and the show So You Think You Can Dance definitely got me a lot more interested in it.” When Perron was seven or eight, she wanted to be a bigger part of the dance scene and was asked to be part of the competition team.

There are many reasons Grace enjoys dance. Being with her friends is the first reason but the end of year recital, she said, is such a rewarding time for the team.

“Recital is our time to just have fun and do all of our dances for the last time. Dancing on stage with my best friends in front of all of our friends and family is one of the best times of my life,” she said.

Perron devotes a lot of time to dance. It’s not like regular sports teams where there are “seasons,” rather, dance is a year-round sport. She said, “We only have school vacations off and one week after recital before auditions for the next season. We dance all summer. I am usually at the studio every day of the week except Friday and Saturday. A lot of hours are put into it which can get super exhausting!”

Perron also loves the feeling of going on stage to perform. “As far as the competition scene goes, my favorite part is standing backstage right before I go on for a routine. I live for that feeling, the adrenaline of the seconds before you go on stage is amazing.”

MARISSA WILSON

Wilson (GHS ’21) has been dancing since she was four years old. She said, “It all started with my mom dragging my sister and me to dance every Tuesday.” Wilson has been dancing for 11 years now and this year, she is committed to dancing 15 hours each week.

She stated, “Every year we do about three regional competitions with three or four extras that are optional. Then at the beginning of summer, we do one national competition.” She said the fun part about competitions is being with all her friends and the bonds they form while working together.

Wilson said dancing is certainly an adventure, “It is also really fun going through the emotional roller coasters with one another and it always feels like we are one big family!” Her biggest inspiration is Mariel, her instructor, because she has shown her that she can do whatever she wants, that she should set her mind to it and try her best.

Finally she said, “I have continued to dance because it is a really good way for me to let out my stress, express my emo- tions and it is also a great way for me to stay in shape. I also love dancing because I am always with my dance family!”

 

There are many reasons to dance, whether it’s because your mom “dragged” you, as a way to stay in shape, or maybe reduce some stress. But one thing is very clear, it’s a big commitment. Some children will stop dancing altogether, some will go on to college and dance, and a few might even go on to Broadway; but in the end, it’s like a family and some of the best friends and greatest accomplishments these children have made is through their dance community.