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GLIMPSE INTO PROFESSIONAL WORLD OF DANCING Junior Trainee Somiya Schirokauer is 16 years old and attends Shaker Heights High School. She has studied at the Verb Ballets Dance For Everyone program for 3 years. She has been a Junior Trainee with the company since 2020. How did you get involved with Verb’s classes? I started dancing at Cleveland City Dance when I was ten years old. My mother had never danced before and found the “new to ballet” class at Verb Ballets. She really appreciated the teachers’ individualized attention and the supportive atmosphere. Since she loved it so much, I tried a few classes Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021)
and fell in love with it too! What have you gained from being a junior trainee? I love being able to watch the company dancers up close and learn from their different strengths and approaches. As a junior trainee I get to learn the repertory with the dancers in studio and have even had the opportunity to perform with the company. I also enjoy that the pieces encompass a wide range of music from classical to rap and dance styles from contemporary to Ukrainian folk dance! What does your typical day look like with dance and school? On a typical day, I attend company ballet class in the morning before rushing to school for the afternoon. In the evenings, I go back to the studio to take Dance for Everyone classes. What does ballet bring to your life? Ballet gives me a chance to express myself, enjoy physical movement, and connect with music! It also gives me a Photo: Bill Naiman (2021)
community of people with shared interest in the arts. What are your career aspirations? I aspire to be a professional dancer in a company with a varied repertoire just like Verb’s. I will be auditioning this winter for traineeships with companies!
Verb Ballets welcomes teens and adults wishing to study dance with its Dance For Everyone Community program. We offer all levels of ballet for all ability levels on an ongoing drop in basis. Whether you always wanted to start or want to reconnect with a childhood hobby, your first class is free! View class schedule at verbballets.org/classes.
verbiculture | October 2021
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