Testimonials
These are our top 100 essay submissions for our 2014/2015 Essay Scholarship Contest that ran from July through November 2014. We absolutely loved reading all 1000 submissions this year and they were all well received.
Want to leave a testimonial? Email us at: [email protected]
Aili Laurila
I see myself as a confident person. At fourteen, I'm not afraid to wear bold outfits to school, or share ideas that are potentially out of the box. I am certainly comfortable going in public with no makeup on, but one thing I used to struggle with was my confidence in dance. I don't even think I realized it, but I used to dance like I wanted nobody to see me. After my experience at Joffrey San Francisco, I am proud of my dancing and what my body is capable of doing. At Joffrey, you are taught more than just technique, you learn how to express emotions and tell stories, which can be lost in all the focus dance requires. I definitely improved at improvisation the most during my experience at Joffrey. I learned to be comfortable and to let my body lead me, and not to doubt what came mind, to trust myself. Through this all, I know Joffrey is a world class school because of all the wonderful experiences and opportunities they offer young dancers and how much they helped me grow as an artist, and a dancer.
Alanna O’Brien
This past summer I got the privilege to attend the Joffrey West program for 3 weeks. It was no doubt one of the best experiences of my life! The faculty was outstanding. They were always ready to give professional training and so fun to work with. I could tell that my dancing drastically improved after only 3 weeks of training with Joffrey Ballet School. I was pushed to my highest potential every single day and treated as a professional. Thanks to this program I also met tons of very close friends that I still keep in contact with! I always felt welcome to express myself through my dancing and I am so thankful for that. Every class was much different from the others but every class was also challenging and fun to attend. The performance was very professional and so much fun! Our hard work through the program definitely paid off in a beautiful end performance. Truly had the time of my life this summer thanks to Joffrey Ballet School and the amazing faculty.
Alba Muriel
To have been in the JBS summer program this summer has been the most exited experience that I have never had. it was amazing, wonderful, awesome. Wen I was a little girl iI wanted to dance ballet and be in a real company, in fact I have been dancing since I was 4. The NYC Joffrey School is an amazing dance school because you can find your best and improve it at the same time that you're meeting a lot of new wonderful people. if your pasion is the ballet, this is your site because you are going to dance all day a lot of different styles that complement your formation in a excellent way. I can't forget the teachers, who are awesome and very attentive. My 3 weeks in NYC Joffrey were magic, like a dream come true, because when I recived the mail which said that I was in, I couldn't believed it. I would like to return this summer to continue growing as a dancer. thanks and regards, I hope to see you the next summer!
A’Lexus Jones
Joffrey’s 2014 Summer Intensive Program was a remarkable experience for me. It was the centerpiece of my summer and getting the opportunity to attend was one of the most defining moments of my lifetime because it allowed me to come together with a group of diverse dancers from around the world. On my first day at Joffrey, I was terrified. I’m a dancer, a poet, a child of God but could I share the stage with some of the most talented dancers in the world. Joffrey selects the best dancers and is one of the most prestigious programs in the world. Would I shrink under the pressure or would I be able to dance fearless and allow my talent to show. I dance because without it I feel incomplete. When I dance people feel my passion. Joffrey helped me to understand not only what dance means to me but what I could mean to dance. I was able to live my dream each day. My parents sacrificed to send me to Joffrey because they understood that dance is my lifeline. If granted the opportunity to return for the summer of 2015 I will not take the blessing for granted.
Alyssa Schoener
"In life as in dance: grace glides on blistered feet." -Alice Abrams I did not think I would ever find a quotation that so perfectly portrays dance. One simply observing this art would not expect the amount of 'blood, sweat, and tears' required behind the scenes. Throughout the years, I have struggled to become technically advanced by making countless sacrifices including extra hours at the studio. extremely sore muscles, and the financial roller coaster. No matter how many sacrifices I make to become technically mature, they don't matter unless I posses an unconditional love for dance. The most passionate dancers make the best dancers, and my love for dance can't be put into words. It can only be explained through movement. The Joffrey Ballet School is the premiere dance school in the USA; and I can only dream about exploring my artistic side while improving my technique there. Joffrey contains the most educated and experienced dance instructors in the world; and each teacher will push me to the limits, but also encourage me to reach my goals. Now, it's time to turn my dream into a reality and become the dance Joffrey will push me to be.
Amanda Yakos
To dance is to dream. When I dance, I can soar to new heights, boundlessly lifted by grand jete and jeté en tournant. I escape into a world unconstrained by finite words, lengths, physical shapes, and gravity. In this world, unorthodox laws of physics move me as my body “says what words cannot” (Martha Graham). When I write, I hope for my words to dance to certain rhythms, from waltzes to grand allegros, in the concert hall of my imagination. Words, however, can be transparent and misunderstood, on the ambiguous path filled with mysteries of the unseen, spoken word. But when soloist or corps move across the stage, the audience can clearly see them dance through infinities of imagination. In Ballet, precision enables one to soar into this realm of unspoken grace. At the world renowned Jofferey Ballet Company, precision and accuracy are bestowed upon aspiring and accomplished dancers alike, as a result of this company’s superior training. I hope to receive this scholarship so that I may not only receive high quality training from amazing teachers, but grow as a dancer and continue my daily strive to show the world the dance of my dreams.
Amina Yufanyi
I attended the 2013 summer ballet and jazz/contemp intensives. It was an incredible experience, with amazing teachers and choreographers, fantastic studios, and eager and ambitous students. I learned more over the five weeks I spent at Joffrey than my past 12 years of dancing. When I returned to my studio at the end of the summer, my teachers and classmates were surprised at how much I had improved over the summer. The Joffrey Ballet School provides an open learning environment where I felt free to express myself and also challenge myself beyond anything I had done before. I truly loved all of the teachers and classes. In addition to the formal instruction, they also provided a welcoming and open experience in the housing. I grew personally and developed life-long friendships with many other dancers. The staff was caring and helpful, and made being away from home for the first time a super experience. One of my favorite parts was the jazz/contemporary performance at the end of the 3 weeks. The choreographers were amazing and created beautiful and fun dances for us to perform in the show. Given the audience reaction, I'd say it was a super success! I love Joffrey!
Anna Tender
Asking one to explain their passion for dance is equivalent to asking a mother why they love their child. Though there is sometimes struggle, you without a doubt have an ongoing love for it. Dancing takes human strife and angst, and turns it into a spectacle of beauty, allure, and athleticism. My passion for dance is throughly interlocked with my lifelong curiosity pertaining to the decoding of the human mind. Going to a dance performance is not just something to please the eye, it is something that gives you a peak into the mind of the choreographer. Whether it is something as simple as a love for fairytales to something as complex as a loss of a loved one, these stories are conveyed to only the most wary and discerning of audiences. Joffery Ballet School is the world premiere dance school in the USA because they have been training dancers in a way that encompasses a myriad of approaches to ballet training. Joffery's versatile and unique style disciplines the dancer's technique while allowing the choreographers image and the dancers passion to penetrate the minds of the audience members.
Arianna Shahin
Dance is my way of expressing who I am. I feel free and in power to do or create whatever I want to. This past summer I attended the Jazz and Contemporary intensive at Joffrey, and I got the chance to express myself everyday! I would have to say it was the best experience of my life! I learned so much and really expanded on my learning skills.I loved taking classes from all different teachers with their different styles! I worked on improving my horton and ballet technique, had improv classes and even took my first theater dance class! I worked with Ariel Asch in her beautiful contemporary piece for the show. I loved getting to know a group of dancers as we all strived for the same goal and had the same passion for dance. I met so many friends this summer that I will definitely keep in touch throughout my life. Also, the teachers push you to be the best you can be in every class and it's definitely a very professional environment to train in. The program is definitely an experience I will never forget and I really hope to have this amazing opportunity again next summer.
Ariel Banfalvy
My name is Ariel and I'm 11. I auditioned in Miami, I was so nervous, the dancers were amazing. I was so excited when I was accepted! I went to the School in Miami it was the best time of my life. At first I was scared. I didn’t know anyone. The first day I felt lost but everyone was so nice. I love Ms. Jo and all the teachers. By the end of the second day I knew that I would love it. We trained in ballet every morning then jazz and tap in the afternoon. Mr. Jose taught choreography from In The Heights and it was amazing. All of the classes were amazing all of the teachers were amazing!! I took classes for two weeks learned so much and wish that I could have done the show. I told my Mom that I am going to save every dollar I have so that I can audition again for next summer. My dream would be to go to New York because that would be so amazing!!! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to train with the best and I really hope I can do it again next summer!!!!!!!
Ashley Cook
I was privileged to attend the amazing Joffrey SF Program last summer. First thing, Joffrey SF has the most fantastic teachers. Working with Josie Walsh was inspiring and she introduced me to new and valuable perspectives of ballet. In Ms. Walsh’s contemporary ballet classes, we learned to incorporate principles of contemporary dance into the rigid structure of classical ballet. My performance dance was choreographed by Ahn Dillon. As a classically trained ballet dancer, Ahn’s choreography made contemporary dance come naturally to me. Other great teachers were Allison DeBona and Adam Sklute of Ballet West. I was awe-inspired to work with these respected ballet figures. The Joffrey Program incorporated contemporary dance with classical ballet so seamlessly. I was able to grow stronger as a dancer by being trained in both classical and contemporary ballet. Finally, another great part about the Joffrey Program was the dancers. The dancers were so nice and congenial. Even though we came from different backgrounds, our whole class was able to bond together and form lasting friendships. My Joffrey SF experience will live forever in my memory. I would love to be able to go to another Joffrey summer intensive again.
Ashley Morik
The best part of my summer 2014 was the JBS jazz intensive. My first day I was pretty nervous. I kept thinking what if I am the worst one there and what if it’s too hard for me. But the instructors there made me feel comfortable. My choreographer knew how to make everyone have a special part in the dance and how to make it all fun. She made everyone feel that we had a special connection with her. She taught a hard class but at the same time she made everything fun. I also found the classes a good work out. I liked how we could have a different teacher everyday. All the teachers had different personalities and a different way of teaching dance. It was great to see how many techniques you can learn in just one day. Every year I decide to have a portion of my summer dancing. This year I was glad to have some of my summer dancing with Joffrey. I learned many new techniques and it made me a stronger dancer. I can proudly say I went to the JBS jazz intensive and had a blast dancing and learning there.
Autumn Burton
To dance is to dream. When I dance, I can soar to new heights, boundlessly lifted by grand jete and jeté en tournant. I escape into a world unconstrained by finite words, lengths, physical shapes, and gravity. In this world, unorthodox laws of physics move me as my body “says what words cannot” (Martha Graham). When I write, I hope for my words to dance to certain rhythms, from waltzes to grand allegros, in the concert hall of my imagination. Words, however, can be transparent and misunderstood, on the ambiguous path filled with mysteries of the unseen, spoken word. But when soloist or corps move across the stage, the audience can clearly see them dance through infinities of imagination. In Ballet, precision enables one to soar into this realm of unspoken grace. At the world renowned Jofferey Ballet Company, precision and accuracy are bestowed upon aspiring and accomplished dancers alike, as a result of this company’s superior training. I hope to receive this scholarship so that I may not only receive high quality training from amazing teachers, but grow as a dancer and continue my daily strive to show the world the dance of my dreams.
Azeb Martel-Wilson
The Joffrey Ballet School summer intensives are the perfect tools to determine whether or not an individual has what it takes to thrive in the professional world. The training is rigorous, the schedule intense, there is much to learn. I participated in the Jazz and Contemporary Program and The Joffrey Experience this summer,and it was an awe inspiring five weeks. The all-star faculty included people from all walks of life, each with something new for us to learn. They created a safe and impassioned environment, without room for close mindedness. The most rewarding experience for me, was working closely with Candice Franklin. During the audition process for the showcase, I was selected for two numbers. However, I loved Candice’s choreography. Therefore, I took the initiative and asked her for a chance to learn the routine, so I could improve. She was warm, open, and eventually gave me a chance and included me in her number. She taught me that hard work, taking risks, and never giving up, will lead to great things. That’s what sets The Joffrey Ballet School apart - their willingness to personally mentor you to success, so long as you are willing put in the work.
Breanne Elwell
“Dancing the Dream” is the focus in my life and sharing this dream with others is my ultimate goal. The opportunity to improve my skills, techniques, and experiences in dance is important, but without heart and soul, it is hollow. I needed a moment of motivation and inspiration to dig deep into my soul and allow it to flow through my dance. My opportunity to attend the Joffrey Intensive in Dallas opened my eyes and heart to the feelings of dance. After a season full of dancing at competitions, conventions, and master classes, my experience at the Joffrey Intensive was the best. As I moved across the stage this time I could feel a part of me was now being given to the audience. The instructors at Joffrey showed me how to give my heart and soul. I respect the excellence of dance that Joffrey brings to my experience. The dance program at the Joffrey Dallas Summer Intensive made me better each day. I am hoping for another such opportunity next summer at the Joffrey intensive. As a world-renowned dance school, The Joffrey Ballet School has the only dance program to draw the passion of dance from your soul.
Want to leave a testimonial? Email us at: [email protected]
