Dancer's Must Be Dedicated!

Being a company dancer isn’t easy; you have to be very dedicated. When I mean dedicated I mean not only being a dedicated dancer but dedicated to show up to class when ever we have practice. Also being in company classes are a lot more expensive then just taking regular classes. Being in company is a lot more expensive since it includes a lot more long practices and going to several competitions. The monthly payments to take these classes are expensive, along with the entry fees for each competition which we attend.

If you are not a dancer you wont understand how time consuming and expensive dance really is. The monthly payments to take these classes are expensive, along with paying for the entry fees for each competition that we attend. Being a dancer includes us having to buy dance clothes that we wear to practice, customs for each dance we do for when we go to competitions, dance shoes depending on the class you’re taking and jewelry to go with the customs.

Being in company class comes with being very committed because we need everyone in the class to be there to have a successful practice. In my dance studio if someone constantly misses classes the teacher approaches them and gives them a warning. If they still miss class they kick them out, we can not have that one person not be there because it affects the rest of us and we don’t want that person messing up at competition. Its only fair to kick them out because being in company you work as a team, and everyone of us in this team must equally dedicated for us to do great at competitions.

School Work Comes First

Being in dancing school was my life! My mother knew that I loved going to dance but she would always tell me that school comes first. She would constantly remind me the importance of school. When I was in elementary school she would scare me and tell me that if my grades weren't good then she would pull me out of dance. Remembering back, I now appreciate her being so strict with me about my school work because in my highschool if you didn't pass a class, they would exclude you from joining any clubs or teams.

In a way it was really good that she did this because it showed me that I have to keep up my good grades if I wanted to continue dancing, or doing any other activites which I enjoyed. She would tell me when I got out of school to get my homework and studying done first, and then she would take me to my dance studio. I used to get so excited and run home to get my homework done. Then, she would check if everything was done right, and if she agreed, she would take me. Even if I didnt have my dance class,I still went since I was an assistant so I would just go and help out with whatever classes they needed me to. Then, as i became a little older and they saw how dedicated I was, they asked me if I would like to join a company class. I couldn't be happier, this meant that there would be more long practices since we would be going to competitions. My mother told me that if keep doing well in school, I could join but it was a huge commitment that i made. I enjoyed every second of it!

So Do You Think You Can Dance

Hip Hop is one of my favorite types of dancing ever. I always enjoyed it from the day I stepped a foot in that class. The reason I probably enjoyed it so much was because of my first teacher, Michelle, she was a sweetheart. She made the class so much fun and hip hop is more up beat and I rather that since I am very hyper. In hip hop Michelle would teach us a couple of moves which is called a combination. We would have to learn the combination and do it exactly how our teacher showed us so that we would know how to do it to the music. The teacher would sometimes ask each of us to do the combination by our selves which is called a solo. I loved doing my solo I was always very out going and never shy. I would always ask her if I could be the first to go.



My teacher Michelle Brooke is my role model. She is an all around good person. If it wasn’t for Michelle I would not be a dancer today. She made a huge impact on my life and I miss her a lot. She was the one who told me to never give up so easily and to keep trying. Michelle and I got very close, I then found out she wanted to move to California to pursue her dance career. I was very upset at first but at the same time excited for her and wanted only the best. Michelle was on the television show “So you think you can dance” and also toured with Mariah Carey she did great. Michelle and I still keep in touch till this day. Very soon I will be taking a trip down to California to visit her and take a few dance classes out there I’m very excited.

Danse Gracieuse

In dance there are many different styles and different types of dance classes which they offer. Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop Gymnastics and Modern are a couple of different classes which I took. Ballet is one of the most important classes that anyone should take if they are interested in becoming a good dancer.

Ballet is a very graceful type of dancing. Ballet classes are very intense, the dancers learn to hold their heads held high, their chest broad, the top half of the body firm. The dancer’s waist down is free to perform whatever skills which the teacher requires. In ballet every movement has a specific name so along with learning the motion you learn what the motion is called as well. Ballet is not easy in some dance studio’s the girls are put on strict diets so that they stay slim.
Many people find this type of dancing very boring including me. Although I do not love taking these classes I just remember that ballet is where every great dancer started. In ballet you learn all the techniques to become an amazing dancer. I remember my first ballet class I was very nervous about; I couldn’t remember what any of the motions were called. The next morning I was very sore. The next class was still a bit difficult but I didn’t give up I just tried my best. After a few other classes it got a lot easier like the saying practice makes perfect. I started liking it a little more because I didn’t feel as lost as I use to. Till this day I still take ballet classes along with a few others.

Cheer, Cheer, Cheer to get through the year!

Cheerleading is another one of my favorite hobbies. When I was eight years old I was always teaching myself how to do flips. Once I joined the dance studio and took lessons in gymnastics, I enjoyed it even more. In my elementary school they were holding cheerleading try - outs for the fifth graders. Of course I was interested in trying out because cheerleading involves dance and gymnastics which were both my passions. The try-outs went excellent and I made the team. Since I was the only one on the team who new how to flip and was so dedicated they asked me to be captain, I couldn’t have been happier. We then had many fun practices, cheered at basketball games and even went to a competition, which we did great at!

When it was time for me to choose a high school I heard that Fontbonne Hall Academy which is a private school in Bay Ridge had a great cheerleading team. When I tried out I made it! Right away I was ecstatic. The practices were harder and the hours were longer, but all the time and effort I put in was well worth it. My coaches were hard on us and knew how to push us the right way so that we would work to our potentials. In the end it made us high school champions four years in a row as well as second in the nation in our division at a competition in Virginia. Cheerleading has taught me many things such as team work, commitment, and dedication. As well as when you succeed right away never give up, just hold your head up high and try again.

The Start Of Something New

Hi, my name is Josephine but I prefer to be called Jo-Jo. It is short and sweet, just like me. What I enjoy most besides hanging out with my family and friends is dancing and cheering. I've been dancing for ten years and cheering for eight years. I used to live in Bensonhurst and then my parents wanted to move. I was very upset. When I moved into my new house, it was very boring and I wanted to go out and do something that I loved doing as well as meeting people. It just so happened that my next door neighbor, Carrie, was telling me that she was going to open up a dance studio in the neighborhood. I was very excited. Dance definitely caught my attention.

A couple of months later my next door neighbor opened up her dance studio and that’s where my dance career began. When I first walked in the studio I was very nervous but excited at the same time. Carrie introduced me to my first dance teacher, Michelle. Michelle taught hip hop and gymnastics. I loved the class and I never wanted to leave. She then told me that I have a lot talent and encouraged me to take more classes so I would learn new techniques to become an even better dancer. Michelle and I became very close. She was my role model. She then asked me if I wanted to be her assistant. I was so happy. From then on I always enjoyed going to dance and learning new styles. After Michelle influenced my life so much, I decided that I wanted to become a dance teacher as well and help other people the way she helped me. Even though Michelle recently moved to California to pursue her own career in dance, I will never forget anything that she taught me; never to give up and always follow my dreams.