By Emily McMason
Not every Thurston County high school athlete can be seen on the field. For some, after months and months of drills, stretching and cross training, their peak performances occur on the stage. Ballet is an all-season sport, punctuated by roles in professional-length productions, end-of-year performances and regional festivals.
Most of us are familiar with the practice schedule of school sports. But what does a week in the life of a dancer look like? Here is a glimpse into the lives of Tumwater sophomore Khyley Villanueva, Olympia sophomore Julio Iguina-Pascual and Olympia senior Nicole Carson, all of whom dance at Studio West Dance Academy.
It starts with the core ballet classes- taken 4 days a week, each at least 90 minutes long. Added to that are a complement of jazz, hip hop, modern and pointe classes (for the girls), which brings the total up to 12 hours a week. On top of all that are individualized pilates sessions as well as production rehearsals that can run an additional 10-20 hours a week. You can see why these kids view the studio as their second home.
Khyley Villanueva explains, “Studio West is my home away from home. The faculty is full of encouraging and caring instructors who make it their mission to help us reach our fullest potential. All of the dancers are part of a family unit as well. We all really love and respect one another and want each other to succeed; which isn’t always seen in the dance world.”
For Nicole Carson finding a new studio was one of the first priorities after moving with her family to Olympia. “I moved here about three years ago and needed to find a new studio. During my week here the girls were all super welcoming and sweet. Then on my third day of my ‘trial’week, I was taught by Stephanie [co-director Stephanie Wood] and remember walking out to my mom and telling her ‘I want to start dancing here”’.
Just like any sport, injuries can happen, and continuing to dance while managing the healing process is a balancing act. Explains Villanueva, “I have dealt with several injuries while dancing. The most severe I’ve had happened last year when I pulled a muscle in each of my hips. [It] would heal and then come back, so recovery was very frustrating. Icing and resting would help keep the pain under control, but recently I began taking pilates lessons and haven’t had issues with my hips since I began.”
For Iguina-Pascual, last year’s hamstring pull is compounded by a new ailment “Last December, I slipped and pulled my left hamstring. It took me 7 months to fully recover. Recently I developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot. I get a very sharp pain in the middle of my arch when I dance. My podiatrist has me wrapping my foot for dance, icing my foot after dancing, and getting as much physical therapy as I need so I will be fine for the show.”
Is it hard pursuing an athletic passion that isn’t one of the traditional school sports? Answers Villanueva, “I wish they could understand why I do it. My friends ask me to hang out after school or on the weekends and when I say I can’t because I have dance their answer is, ‘You always have dance!’ They always talk about how much of my time it takes up, and I laugh and say it’s the same as playing a sport. It doesn’t matter how much time it takes up if you really love it.” Carson continues, “If only they could take a class of ballet and see what I put my body through every night…”
As for the future? Each of these athletes intend to continue dancing well beyond their college years. Iguina-Pascual dreams “to star in a Broadway show someday.” And for the senior Carson, her plans include “audition[ing] for prestigious dance colleges…I will continue to train and maybe make it into a small ballet company someday. It is my passion, my way of expressing myself, and allows my heart to speak.”
And the final word? Iguina-Pascual explains, “I wish they [the other kids in high school] would understand that ballet is a lot harder than it seems. It takes core strength, muscle strength, strong technique, flexibility, and coordination. And that it’s not only for girls. Every princess needs a prince to sweep her off her feet.”
You can see all three dance principle roles this season in The Nutcracker, with Villanueva as Clara, Iguina-Pascual as the Nutcracker, and Carson as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Tickets are available under ‘Studio West Dance Theatre’s The Nutckracker’ at olytix.org.
