Class of 2020 Senior Feature: Maya

It’s hard to believe that it’s time to start the countdown towards our graduating senior’s “lasts” – their final competition season, graduation, and final recital will be here before we know it.  On the blog today:  the first of this year’s 5 Senior Features with a little bit more about the dancers you’ll see performing in the Senior Dance and a Senior Solo at recital.

Senior Year at The Pointe

For many dancers, dancing all the way through their senior year is a big goal and a major accomplishment – many of our graduating seniors started dancing with us when they were in preschool!  We are beyond grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their lives for so long and to get to watch them grow up into confident, thoughtful, and hard-working young adults.

Senior year is a special one – many of our seniors take classes and serve as Junior Faculty at The Pointe – assisting in Dance & Discover or Level 1 and 2 classes and even helping with some competition practices over studio breaks.  Seniors are all featured on canvases in the lounge that will be graduation gifts for them showcasing their well-earned skill and artistry in dance.

You’ll see our seniors dance with Miss Vanessa in a group senior dance choreographed by the dancers at recital (in the 3:00 and 6:00 shows), and each senior will have the opportunity to perform a solo of their choice (in either the 3:00 or 6:00 show).  Giving these dancers an opportunity to showcase their performance skills and experiment with

choreography is one of our favorite studio traditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Feature: Maya Prebil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maya’s Dance Bio

Maya Prebil has been dancing at the studio since she was in preschool – and she’s grown with our studio in almost every program we offer.  Maya currently takes Advanced level classes every week: Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Jazz – in addition to competing at the highest level.  She is one of the founding members of our Intensive Track company program, and has been competing in dance for 8 years.  This year, you can see her dance in our Company Production, a small group contemporary piece “A Moment Apart”, a large group contemporary piece “Hear No. See No. Speak No.”, a lyrical large group piece “Rise”, a small group hip hop piece “No Twerk”, and the Intensive Track contemporary group, “People Help The People”.  She is also competing two solos this year: a lyrical solo, “She Used to Be Mine”, and a contemporary solo “Waking Up”.  Maya is a member of our Junior Faculty (the highest level of our Student Teacher Education Program) and assists our instructors in Ballet 2 on Thursdays and Dance & Discover 3 and Jazz 1 on Saturdays.   Maya is a member of our National Honors Society for Dance Arts chapter, and was one of the five students at The Pointe to be the first Iowa students inducted into NHSDA!

“In my relatively short time working with Maya as her teacher, coach, and choreographer, I have been blown away by her commitment to the art of dance and I’m so proud of how much she has grown within the last few years. I’ve been lucky enough to work one-on-one with her on three solos, and each time she has dedicated every ounce of energy she has available to perfecting and elevating those routines to the highest heights. Although I will miss having her in class and working closely with her in company, I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the next chapter of her life at ISU. My one piece of advice to her is the same I tell all of my dancers: try, if you can, to keep dancing even if it’s in the smallest capacity – you won’t regret it!”

– Mr. Aaron

In Her Own Words…

1. How long have you been dancing?

I have been dancing for 15 years. This is my 8th year as a company dancer. Outside of the studio, I have participated in the Linn-Mar Color Guard for three years, with one as captain!

2. What is your favorite dance that you have performed?

For me, it is probably a toss-up between “Candyland”, a hip hop company group last year choreographed by Mr. Aaron, and “Coffee in a Cardboard Cup”, which was a company tap dance in 2015 choreographed by Miss Vanessa.

3. Favorite dance memory?

I don’t have one specific memory, but I have always loved the atmosphere of the studio dancers at competitions. It’s fun to be able to travel and spend time with the rest of my dance family.

4. Favorite genre of dance?

Contemporary

5. Finish this sentence: I love dancing because…

I love dancing because it gives me something to be passionate about and work for.

6. What are you looking forward to the most in finishing out your senior year in dance?

I am looking forward to one last competition season and being able to spend my nights with my favorite people for a few more months.

7. Plans after High School?

I will be attending Iowa State University to major in Elementary Education and minor in Dance

8. Advice for younger dancers?

Don’t put your focus on what other people can or can’t do. The only thing you can control is yourself, so put in the work and be proud of your progress.