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: Anna Waters
Anna’s Dance Bio
Anna has been dancing at the studio since she was three years old! Anna has also been a competitive dancer for seven years. She is an incredibly supportive teammate and always gives her best effort in classes and rehearsals! This year, she injured her knee on a ski trip over winter break – which really challenged her senior season. Our instructors and her physical therapists made sure Anna could safely finish her senior dance season – modifying routines and her solos to limit impact on her injured knee. Her willingness to completely rework two solos in a short amount of time is amazing. She continues to show up to every event for our competition team as the BIGGEST cheerleader.
“Anna is one of the hardest working dancers I’ve taught. She is always in class and rehearsal with a positive attitude and willingness to go full out and try new things. Anna is the BIGGEST cheerleader for our younger dancers and her teammates in every way. This year, she impressed us all so much! First, by continuing to show up for every class and rehearsal before she was cleared to dance again after her injury, she set an amazing example. Then, she continued to cheer on her teammates and peers in every event, whether she was performing or not. I’m continually inspired by Anna’s pure love of dancing and her teammates.”
-Miss Vanessa
In Her Own Words…
1. How long have you been dancing?
I have been dancing for fourteen years. I have been competing for seven years.
2. What is your favorite dance that you have performed?
My favorite dance routine I performed was a Jazz routine, September, in 2015.
3. Favorite dance memory?
My favorite dance memory is traveling to New York City with The Pointe and friends while in NYC we had the opportunity to take dance classes at Steps on Broadway and the Alvin Ailey Dance Studio. (from Miss Vanessa – that trip is full of some of my favorite memories, too!!)
4. Favorite genre of dance?
My favorite genre of dance is Jazz.
5. Finish this sentence: I love dancing because…
I love dancing because it gives me an opportunity to express myself through movement.
6. What are you looking forward to the most in finishing out your senior year in dance?
I am looking forward to competing during the competition season, spending time with my dance friends, and performing in our recital.
7. Plans after High School?
After graduation I plan on attending college and majoring in Biology and Health Information Management.
8. Advice for younger dancers?
Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new genres of dance.