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Name: Jessica Nelson
Age: 17
Year started ballet: 1994
High School: Dos Pueblos (graduated in 2008 and attending Lewis and Clark College
for the next school year)
What’s your favorite thing about dancing?
It’s difficult to choose one thing, but I suppose I can say
I love the freedom in dancing. It allows for so much expression and
when I dance, I enjoy it so much that I feel that if only I could
push off a bit harder from the ground, I would fly upwards. Though
this cannot be, something inside me does take flight.
What's your favorite role you have danced/favorite ballet?
I really enjoyed dancing as Giselle. At first I had trouble getting
into the character, but once I figured out my own version of the
role, I had fun telling the story to the audience. I loved being
on stage and hearing the audience laugh at Giselle’s naiveté.
Plus, going mad and dying in a ballet is actually really fun J
I recently watched the video of my performance of Giselle and I
was pleased with it (even the part I kind of made up as I was doing
it)
Another favorite which I cannot leave out is Peter Pan. For some
odd reason, I absolutely loved being the little boy who never grows
up. I really got into the role and loved every minute working on
it. I’m pretty sure, if someone played the music, I would still
be able to remember and dance the entire ballet- I enjoyed it that
much.
What kind of pointe shoes do you wear?
Grisko 2007s
Do you prefer class or performance?
It’s actually difficult
for me to say since they are such different experiences for me. Performances
are enjoyable for the interaction with an audience, the costumes,
and the intense support and feeling of community among all the dancers.
But I would not prefer to be performing instead of taking class on
a regular basis as this would allow for less development of my dancing
skills. I enjoy the exercise I get from class and what I learn and
work on every time.
What's your favorite part of class?
Just about anything with cabrioles or fouettes in it.
What are your future plans after you have graduated?
I will be attending Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon
in the fall. I plan to major in Biology and then continue on to graduate
school to get a degree in Botany and begin working as a field biologist.
As far as ballet is concerned, I plan to continue dancing and expand
my horizons to other dance styles. I hope to participate in some
dance performances during college as well.
How do you think being
in ballet has changed your childhood/affects your day?
Ballet has had an enormous effect on my life and the person I have
become. Dance is a major part of my identity and now natural to me.
I dance down the hallway in my house and just about anywhere else.
Dance has taught me responsibility and how to cooperate with a large
and diverse group of people. Ballet has given me a love of music,
especially classical, and provided a foundation for learning other
dance forms. Taking ballet also gave me a better awareness of myself
and how I can be happy and healthy. Dance did take up a lot of time
but it was well worth it. When school work was stressful, ballet
allowed me some time to escape and do something I love.
What advice
would you give to younger dancers?
Understudy! All the time- not just when you are asked to. This not
only makes you look good to Lisa and Emily, but allows you to improve
your dancing more quickly, since you can be introduced to new steps
earlier than they are taught in class. Understudying can put you
higher up on the casting list and improves your ability to learn
choreography. Work hard, stretch a lot (outside of class too),
push yourself to do your best, but don’t push too hard just
because the girl next to you can do something better than you. All
dancers have their strengths and weaknesses and all have different
bodies and rates of development. Learn what you can do.
Practice to do well in your strong areas, but practice even more
in your weak ones.
Favorite ballet memory?
I have so many good memories, including my favorite performances,
but right now, one of my recent fond memories is the gathering
outside after our last performance when everyone wanted to take
a picture with me. There was actually a line! I’m going to
miss everyone so much! |
Alumni: Where are
they now?
Dancers who have graduated from goleta ballet theatre have continued to dance
after leaving the school:
Bonnie Crotzer, UC Irvine Dance Department
Lila Dodge, Idyllwild School of the Arts/Smith College Dance
David Eck, Royal Winnepeg Ballet
Elizabeth Eck, North Carolina Dance Theatre
Stephanie Fenz, Ballet West
Lilly Pinney, UC Irvine Dance Department
Tanja Whited, Barnard College Dance Dept.
& Charleston Ballet Theatre
Sarah Willett, UC Irvine Dance Department
Monique Zermeno, Cal Arts Dance Department
Stephanie Johnson, UC Berkeley Dance Department
Extended Training
Dancers in Goleta Ballet Theatre have been accepted to the following
summer dance programs and year-round university programs:
American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive
School of American Ballet
Houston Ballet Academy
The Royal Ballet School
DanceAspen Summer School
San Diego Ballet School
Milwaukee Ballet School
San Francisco Ballet School
The Joffrey Ballet School
Pacific Northwest Ballet School
The Rock School
Atlanta Ballet School
Boston Ballet School
Colorado Ballet School
Charleston Ballet TheatreUC Irvine Dance Program
Barnard College Dance Program
Cal Arts Dance Program
University of Utah Dance Department
UC Berkeley Dance Department |
