By DAVID LEE
WEST TAGHKANIC – During the Spring recital on May 7 at The Hudson Valley Academy of Performing Arts on Route 82, Academy Director and instructor Debra Hughes took the opportunity to announce the accomplishments of some of the students under her tutelage. Four students auditioned and were accepted to the American Academy of Ballet Summer Intensive conducted on the campus at SUNY Purchase. Those students are Chloe Shipman, 11, Brenna Lu, 14, Blake Schober, 16, and Lotta Pflaum, 16.
“These auditions are very competitive,” Ms. Hughes said, “They are looking at dancers from across the country as well as from other countries.” Another HVAPA student Amaya Preston, 14, auditioned for and was accepted to Steps on Broadway Summer Intensive and the Manhattan Youth Summer Intensive. Chloe was also chosen to dance onstage with the New York City Ballet in their production of “Firebird” at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center this summer.
Ms. Hughes highlighted dancers Chloe and Emma Miller, 13, for having been chosen to begin the study of dancing “en pointe.” This is a great accomplishment for a ballet student. Ms. Hughes does not graduate students to pointe unless she sees that they are really ready. The dancer must be at least 11 years old and advanced to Ballet level 2.
“They must have had enough classes to have gained core strength and technique,” she said. “It represents a lot of commitment.”
Following the recital, Ms. Hughes reflected about ballet in general. Being a product of very traditional classical training herself she teaches with a similar emphasis. But Hughes teaches with uncommon patience, kindness and just plain joy.
“Ballet is an art form that requires dedication perseverance and hard work— it is maybe one of the hardest of art forms. So much work is required to make it look effortless. There is an equal combination of strength and flexibility,” she said.
“It is important to me to train girls so if they choose to dance professionally, they could,” Ms. Hughes said, adding, “Of course, people who want to become professional, you have to have that fire inside you.”
Ms. Hughes wishes that more boys would participate in ballet at HVAPA. “Dance develops athletic ability.” She pointed out that movie star Patrick Swayze played football in high school, and also studied ballet.
In a recent conversation at the academy studio with Brenna, Lotta, Chloe and Blake, they all agreed that the auditions for the American Academy of Ballet Summer Intensive were very competitive.
“The judges were very critical– I made a lot of mistakes,” said Blake.
“But they were looking as much for your attitude,” said Lotta.
“Yes, I think that the three of us had the most character,” said Blake. Chloe, being a few years younger, auditioned with a different group.
“This was all of our first auditions,” she said.
Four weekly sessions are conducted during the month of July and participants can apply for a single or all four weeks. The dancers stay in the dorms at SUNY Purchase, and each day for the six-day week the students will be dancing all day. There is a 3-hour morning and pointe class before lunch. In the afternoon, it is Pas de Deux and repertoire in preparation for a recital at the end of the week.
“There are teachers and students from all over the world,” said Ms. Hughes, “so it is a real international experience. Many of the teachers are themselves professional dancers.”
With all of their accomplishment and love of dance, none of the four have formulated professional dance ambitions.
“I guess that’s my fault,” said Ms. Hughes, “I tell them, ‘you’ll make a better living doing anything else.’”
“Often it is not the most talented dancer that becomes professional,” she said, “but the one with the fire in the belly and drive that it takes. I teach them classical ballet so they could be an a ballet class anywhere. And I believe that the training helps to prepare them physically and mentally for life and whatever they do.”
David Lee
Talking after class at he Hudson Valley Academy of Performing Arts are Chloe Shipman, Brenna Lu, Lotta Pflaum and Blake Schober.