It’s hard to believe that it’s time to start the countdown towards our graduating senior’s “lasts” – their graduation and final recital will be here before we know it. On the blog today: continuing this year’s Senior Features with a little bit more about the dancers you’ll see performing in the Senior Dance and a Senior Solo at recital. With so much uncertainty about what the rest of this school year will look like, we want to do what we can to help our graduating seniors know how loved and celebrated they are.
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 classes with younger students and even helping with some competition practices over studio breaks. Seniors are all featured on canvases that we’ll print and put up later this fall in the hallway 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 the recital, and each senior will have the opportunity to perform a solo of their choice. Giving these dancers an opportunity to showcase their performance skills and experiment with choreography is one of our favorite studio traditions.
Senior Feature: Jessica Barton
Jessica’s Dance Bio
Jessica has been dancing at The Pointe for four years! She started in ballet, and then added lyrical this season. She is extremely bright and creative, and we have loved seeing her grow her voice as a dancer. Jessica leads by example – always coming class prepared and ready to learn and work, gives her best, and doesn’t hesitate to go out of her comfort zone with a new style or skill. Jessica joined us on our studio trip to New York City in the summer of 2018 and we had an absolute blast!
“Jessica is a fantastic student – excited to learn, willing to try anything we throw at her, and truly excited about the art of ballet. She is creative, a quick learner, and is finding her own power and voice in an exciting way. Jessica is a kind, supportive classmate and teammate – always encouraging those around her. Her joy in dancing and movement and excitement for life are contagious and we are so thankful for her leadership in her classes!”
-Miss Vanessa
In Her Own Words…
1. How long have you been dancing?
I’ve been doing dance since 2016, but I started going to The Pointe in 2017. I’ve done ballet for three years, and I am doing lyrical this year!
2. What is your favorite dance that you have performed?
My favorite routine was the Ballet 5 dance I did in the 2019-2020 school year. I enjoyed it because the routine was more of a modern/contemporary ballet style.
3. Favorite dance memory?
My favorite memory is the time I perfectly nailed a double pirouette on stage. I had been having trouble with it during practice, but when I got on stage I did great!
4. Favorite genre of dance?
Lyrical is my favorite genre because it’s very flowy and visually conveys emotion. I like to dance with flourish, and lyrical is exactly that.
5. Finish this sentence: I love dancing because…
For me, I love dancing because it makes me feel free to express myself. It allows me to be creative in a physical medium (movement of my body) as opposed to what I’m used to, visual on paper, like with drawing or in the mind, like with writing.
6. What are you looking forward to the most in finishing out your senior year in dance?
I’m most looking forward to learning lots of lyrical choreography and getting to experience dancing and expressing myself in that style!
7. Plans after High School?
I’d like to pursue a double major in Creative Writing and Illustration. My dream job is to be a Freelance Illustrator or become a Concept Artist or Animator for a popular film company. I’d also like to one day publish my own science fiction stories.
8. Advice for younger dancers?
My advice for younger dancers is to always strive to learn and grow!
Don’t make another dancer’s skill level the ‘standard’ for you. View others’ skills as a goal to pursue, but only compare your current self with your past self.