If you know our family, you know that our kids are very involved in youth sports and we have been blessed with some very athletic children (which makes watching them all the more fun). Our girls love sports. We had always assumed that all of our girls would be involved in "traditional" sports (e.g., basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer). Then Skylin came along. While she has played some sports, her passion has always been dance. Skylin just loves dance.
For the past 5 years Skylin has been dancing at
Royalty Dance Academy in Rockwall. She loves the teachers, the girls and the studio. The studio has created a competitive but nurturing environment that makes it fun and motivating for the dancers. Over the years her passion for dance has continued to grow. She cannot get enough.
Every year the dancers have to tryout. These tryouts determine (1) what classes are recommended for the dancer, (2) what (if any) ballet "company" they will be a part of in the next dance year and (3) what parts (if any) they will have in the major production.
A company is a group of girls that practice together and, depending on the level, perform together in dance competitions. The ballet companies are as follows:
- Mini Apprentice
- Advanced Mini Apprentice
- Pre-Apprentice
- Junior Apprentice
- Junior Company
- Senior Company
- Pre-Professional Company
The more experienced and skilled dancers move into the higher level company - with pre-professional being the highest. Skylin did terrific last year and was accepted into Junior Company. This year she was really hoping to make Senior Company and get to start working on point. For those that are not aware, point is when a ballet dancer is up on their tiptoes - which is very challenging.
For tryouts the studio brings in outside judges. All the girls are given a number and are instructed to perform various dances and moves. They are judged on all aspects of their dancing and presentation.
Skylin was trying out for a tap class, a contemporary class, a jazz class, a ballet class, a ballet company and for a part in the ballet production - Hansel & Gretel.
The day of tryouts came and she was nervous. She spent the better part of a day at tryouts. She even tried out for Hansel (the boy) in the ballet production. She did not tryout for Gretel because that required a dancer who had experience dancing on point.
As you likely already know from the title of this blog, Skylin killed it at tryouts. She made it into every class she wanted, was invited to join the Pre-Professional Company and was offered the starring role as Gretel in the ballet production of Hansel & Gretel! She was so surprised and overwhelmed. She was hoping to make Senior Company (the next logical step in the ballet company progression) but the judges believed she was ready to be in Pre-Professional (the highest company at the studio). This is shocking because normally a dancer would have at least a year working on point in Senior Company before moving to Pre-Professional. Skylin has NEVER danced on point and does not even have point shoes. However, Ms. Gabe (her wonderful ballet teacher) said all the judges agreed that Skylin was ready for the highest level of ballet instruction. This despite the fact that Skylin is considerably younger than all the other girls in Pre-Professional. Some at the studio were shocked that a 9-year-old was invited to join Pre-Professional. Skylin was equally shocked, happy, a little embarrassed and apprehensive. She had no idea what to expect in the Pre-Professional Company.
Over the next few days, Skylin also learned that she would be dancing in the starring role as Gretel in the ballet production. This too was a total shock because, like I said before, she has not danced on point and the role requires considerable point work. However, Ms. Gabe and others believe she will be ready when the time comes.
Below are Skylin's most recent dance pictures and the result sheets from tryouts.
Congratulations Skylin and keep up the great work. We are all so proud of your accomplishments and look forward to watching you dance this upcoming year.
No pressure ;)
Skylin's tryout result sheets
Below are pictures of Skylin trying on point shoes for the first time.
This is Skylin getting fitted for her point shoes by her former ballet teacher, the ever encouraging and sweet Ms. Melissa. Ms. Melissa is no longer at Royalty Dance but just happened to be in town for a couple of days. She offered to help Skylin find the right point shoes at a shop in Dallas. Therefore, although she had limited time in Dallas and is no longer Skylin's ballet teacher, Melissa took 2 hours out of her busy life to help Skylin find the right shoes. We cannot thank her enough for her time. She has a passion for ballet and cares for dancers like they were her own children. It is teachers like her and Ms. Gabe that inspire and motivate.
Here is Skylin on point for the first time!
