Q&A: Fort Hunt Dancer Tiffany Chatfield Takes the Stage

By day, Sandburg Middle School seventh-grader Tiffany Chatfield is a dedicated student. After school, Chatfield devotes her afternoon to perfecting her craft, spending hours in a dance studio.

Chatfield rehearses at the Metropolitan Fine Arts Center, where she studies ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and modern dance. She recently performed as Arabian in the MFAC performance of The Nutcracker, and she will perform as a "snow kid" in "Frosty’s Follies" and appear later this month at the Washington Choral Society’s performance at the Kennedy Center. She is also performing in Nutcracker in a Nutshell as Clara.

Her mother, Janine Kovack, has spent the last decade supporting her daughter in her craft. Although Tiffany is 12, she dances at the level of a 15-year-old and also loves to sing. Kovack is aware her daughter has a special talent and encourages her daughter to pursue her dream to dance.

“Why should I tell her not to dance? Dancers don’t make a lot of money, but they’re there to entertain,” Kovac said. “If you love it, you just do it.”

Patch caught up with Tiffany on her way to rehearsal this week:

Patch: What do you love most about dance?

Tiffany: I dance because I think it’s a great way to express myself.

Patch: Tell us about your upcoming performances.

Tiffany: I’m dancing in "Frosty’s Follies." We do a lot of shows and give back to the community. I’m also appearing at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Choral Society with two other girls. It’s my first time at the Kennedy Center.

Patch: How long have you performed with "Frosty’s Follies?"

Tiffany: Five or six years.

Patch: What do you like about performing in Frosty’s Follies?

Tiffany: It’s a really fun Christmas show. It’s really entertaining. It’s fun to be a Christmas dancer.

Patch: I hear you like to sing, too. What are some of your favorite musicals?

Tiffany: I like Wicked, Newsies, and Annie.

Patch: What do you want to do when you get older?

Tiffany: I want to be on Broadway or a professional ballerina.

Know of another local student doing something special? E-mail Patch at forthunt@patch.com.