Wilton Dance Studio Graduating Senior Shares What Dance Experience Means To Her
The Wilton Dance Studio is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To highlight what the studio and dance have meant to its community, we're sharing stories this week from current and past students. Be sure to come to the annual Spring Show this Sunday, June 8th at 1 pm or 4:30 pm to share the students' work and joy in dance.
In this post, graduating Wilton High School Senior Madeleine Woodworth, who plays a lead role in this year's ballet production "The Forest," tells us in her own words about what dance has meant to her.
What is your favorite memory of performing in shows with the Wilton
Dance Studio?
Madeleine: It is really hard to just pick one favorite memory. Each show is so different, and full of many wonderful memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. But to pick one, honestly my favorite part of each show is the dress rehearsal. I love going to the theater and getting ready and I just love seeing how the show comes together on the stage. Even with the stop-and-go blocking process, the missed cues, the quick changes, and even headpieces that go flying across the stage after a pirouette, the dress rehearsal is really special me, and it always has been. I'm really excited for the dress rehearsal, and for the show, and I think everyone else is too.
When did you start dancing and what kept you involved all these
years?
Madeleine: I started dancing when I was 3 years old so I think this is my 14th year at Wilton Dance Studio. When I was little I always dreamed of being one of the "big girls" and going en pointe and wearing a tutu. I kept this dream alive until I finally achieved it. I also really just love Wilton Dance Studio. When I was little my mom introduced me to a lot of different sports and activities. But nothing was quite like dancing here at WDS. I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else, and my love for dance and the environment that I learned it in was what really kept me involved for all of these years.
What would you say dance has taught you that you didn't expect?
Dance has taught me a lot of things, but I didn't expect that these things wouldn't just apply to performing. Anyone who hasn't danced can say that dancing is learning how to point our toes, pirouette, and wear tutus while doing it. But it is so much more than that. Dance has taught me discipline, how to work together with and respect other people, the importance of hard work and how it does indeed pay off in the end, and most importantly, dance has taught me to be confident in myself, and to never fear the spotlight. These are just a few of the things that dance has taught me, and I'm sure that every dancer has their own experience and their own lessons to learn from dancing.
What has been special about Wilton Dance Studio for you?
Wilton Dance Studio has been a second home to me. The ballet sixes are my family and I think I speak for all of the seniors when I say that we are really sad to leave. I know I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that this is my last spring show at Wilton Dance Studio. To me, Wilton Dance Studio has been a great place to learn how to dance. Our school isn't very competitive, and I think we're very fortunate for that. We are all learning, growing, and improving at our own pace and I think that Wilton Dance Studio really fosters this nourishing atmosphere. I feel really blessed to say that there is no drama in the level VI, and although there is friendly competition, it is only that which makes us want to better ourselves. Wilton Dance Studio is very special to me, and I've been here for so long that I think next year, when I'm away at college, it will be a bit of a shell shock to not have to go to dance classes every night.
How will you keep dance a part of your life over the next few years?
Over the next few years, I plan to join some sort of club or local studio that offers dance classes. Although there's nothing quite like weekend Nutcracker rehearsals in Studio A, I'm going to try and keep my passion for dance alive while I'm at college. Of course, every time I come home on break I will be visiting the studio :)
Anything else you'd like to share?
I would like to congratulate everyone on this show. It looks great so far and I think it's just going to keep getting better. In addition to that, I'd like to thank Mrs. Froehlich. She, along with many others, has made Wilton Dance Studio the place it is today, and I'm so grateful for that. There really aren't any words to describe just how much Wilton Dance Studio has impacted my life, and just how much I'm going to miss it. I hope everyone enjoys the show! A lot of hard work was put into it, and I think the audience will be impressed!
The Wilton Dance Studio is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To highlight what the studio and dance have meant to its community, we're sharing stories this week from current and past students. Be sure to come to the annual Spring Show this Sunday, June 8th at 1 pm or 4:30 pm to share the students' work and joy in dance.
In this post, graduating Wilton High School Senior Madeleine Woodworth, who plays a lead role in this year's ballet production "The Forest," tells us in her own words about what dance has meant to her.
What is your favorite memory of performing in shows with the Wilton
Dance Studio?
Madeleine: It is really hard to just pick one favorite memory. Each show is so different, and full of many wonderful memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. But to pick one, honestly my favorite part of each show is the dress rehearsal. I love going to the theater and getting ready and I just love seeing how the show comes together on the stage. Even with the stop-and-go blocking process, the missed cues, the quick changes, and even headpieces that go flying across the stage after a pirouette, the dress rehearsal is really special me, and it always has been. I'm really excited for the dress rehearsal, and for the show, and I think everyone else is too.
When did you start dancing and what kept you involved all these
years?
Madeleine: I started dancing when I was 3 years old so I think this is my 14th year at Wilton Dance Studio. When I was little I always dreamed of being one of the "big girls" and going en pointe and wearing a tutu. I kept this dream alive until I finally achieved it. I also really just love Wilton Dance Studio. When I was little my mom introduced me to a lot of different sports and activities. But nothing was quite like dancing here at WDS. I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else, and my love for dance and the environment that I learned it in was what really kept me involved for all of these years.
What would you say dance has taught you that you didn't expect?
Dance has taught me a lot of things, but I didn't expect that these things wouldn't just apply to performing. Anyone who hasn't danced can say that dancing is learning how to point our toes, pirouette, and wear tutus while doing it. But it is so much more than that. Dance has taught me discipline, how to work together with and respect other people, the importance of hard work and how it does indeed pay off in the end, and most importantly, dance has taught me to be confident in myself, and to never fear the spotlight. These are just a few of the things that dance has taught me, and I'm sure that every dancer has their own experience and their own lessons to learn from dancing.
What has been special about Wilton Dance Studio for you?
Wilton Dance Studio has been a second home to me. The ballet sixes are my family and I think I speak for all of the seniors when I say that we are really sad to leave. I know I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that this is my last spring show at Wilton Dance Studio. To me, Wilton Dance Studio has been a great place to learn how to dance. Our school isn't very competitive, and I think we're very fortunate for that. We are all learning, growing, and improving at our own pace and I think that Wilton Dance Studio really fosters this nourishing atmosphere. I feel really blessed to say that there is no drama in the level VI, and although there is friendly competition, it is only that which makes us want to better ourselves. Wilton Dance Studio is very special to me, and I've been here for so long that I think next year, when I'm away at college, it will be a bit of a shell shock to not have to go to dance classes every night.
How will you keep dance a part of your life over the next few years?
Over the next few years, I plan to join some sort of club or local studio that offers dance classes. Although there's nothing quite like weekend Nutcracker rehearsals in Studio A, I'm going to try and keep my passion for dance alive while I'm at college. Of course, every time I come home on break I will be visiting the studio :)
Anything else you'd like to share?
I would like to congratulate everyone on this show. It looks great so far and I think it's just going to keep getting better. In addition to that, I'd like to thank Mrs. Froehlich. She, along with many others, has made Wilton Dance Studio the place it is today, and I'm so grateful for that. There really aren't any words to describe just how much Wilton Dance Studio has impacted my life, and just how much I'm going to miss it. I hope everyone enjoys the show! A lot of hard work was put into it, and I think the audience will be impressed!
The Wilton Dance Studio Spring performances will be on Sunday, June 8, 2014 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at Wilton High School’s Clune Performing Arts Center. To buy tickets, call 203-544-9007 and leave a message or order at www.wiltondance.com. Tickets are also available at the door on the day of the show.
