The Journey of a Beg. Adult Dancer at Ballethnic Dance Company

 I’ve always loved to dance. I remember at 5 years old  seeing Janet  Jackson dance in Rhythm Nation and being so inspired to just dance.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t privileged enough to enroll in dance at an early age. The closest I would get to receiving any formal training was when I was 14 years old. It was my sophomore year in high school and I tried out for my school’s award winning dance team. I was the only person who tried out with NO dance training and I made the team! The school would provide impromptu dance workshops in Jazz & Lyrical dance once a month (maybe twice a month if we were lucky). There was this one dancer on the dance team who had been dancing since she was 5 and she became my dance inspiration. She befriended me and her mother would take me to watch a few of her classes . I would watch her dance and  try to study her movement to practice them on my own at home but that was the extent of my dance training.  When I started college I figured it was best for me to pursue my career in music and just keep dance as a hobby, because in my mind I had accepted that I would never become as good as the dancers who’ve trained all their life…but my heart wouldn’t let me give up on the dream of becoming a well trained dancer.

A few years ago my passion for dance resurfaced and I found myself wanting to really study the art of dance. I had started taken classes here and there but it wasn’t enough. I wanted more. Either the teachers were disinterested in developing adult dancers or they didn’t take you seriously enough. At one point someone told me that I would never be qualified and would never be blessed to become the dancer that I wanted to be so discouragement set in.

Then I found Ballethnic! A friend of mine had a daughter enrolled at Ballethnic and invited me to “The Urban Nutcracker.” I fell in love! I thought this could be the place for me! On the night of the ballet production everyone was so nice and so welcoming from the ushers, parent volunteers and even the students. After my encounter that evening I told myself that as soon as I had the chance I’d take a class!

The spirit of love and encouragement was so overwhelming my first day of class. I explained to everyone that I really wanted to seriously learn ballet and the art of dance so that I can use it professionally in my career. Never once did anyone discourage me. In fact they encouraged me and even asked me to document my progress! It was then that I knew that I had finally found a dance home…Somewhere to nurture my passion and help to develop me into the dancer that I hope to become. I’m inspired by watching all the other adult students…all with different stories and different backgrounds but all there for a common love of dance.

I started my journey with Ballethnic in January of this year and I can truly say within the few months of taking classes I can already see growth. I take 6 hours of classes from Ballet to Jazz to African & Modern and I’ve never felt more confident as a dancer. I’m also dancing in the upcoming production “Jazzy Sleeping Beauty” it’s been an awesome journey so far! I am looking forward to seeing more progress at the Ballethnic Dance Company and I can not wait to see where I am by the end of the year!

Ballethnic Academy of Dance Provides Ballethnic Dance Company Dancers

In 1990 when Waverly and I started Ballethnic we knew that it was important to create a place in the Metropolitan Atlanta region that dancers could create and express themselves using Ballet but fusing that traditional dance form with others such as African. We also felt strongly about having a cooperative of dancers that self managed and produced work that we felt to be important. During this time the dancers of the company were also challenged to develop new skills and learned to produce shows from a concept to a full production.

However, we knew that the future of Ballethnic depended upon having the ability to develop young dancers with a love not only for Ballet but for the other dance forms as well. In our twenty two years of existence it is evident now more than ever. This season we have three dancers that matriculated through the Academy that are members of Ballethnic Dance Company. They are Chad Jones, Lailah Howard and Karla Tyson.

This has been one of the greatest joys form me as I remember them coming up through the school.   To see them understand showcase their knowledge has made me so proud. They also demonstrate the Ballethnic values of hardwork, comitment and perserverence. It is a blessing to be able to share the same stage.