New Challenges

I love seeing our NAYB dancers take on a new challenge.  This past week it was master classes with Michael Vernon.

Mr. Vernon is one of my favorite master teachers to bring in to NAYB.  His point of view is so clear and so dynamic.  From the first exercise of class he knows exactly what he wants to get from the dancers.  He focuses on a few important and specific points and within a 90 minute class I can start to see the kids minds and muscles opening up.  NAYB is challenged to grow every time we have the privilege of studying with Mr. Vernon.

In case you don’t know: Michael Vernon is the Chair of Indiana University’s ballet department.  This is not your typical university dance program.  IU’s program is widely regarded as the most prestigious ballet department in the country.  Attending their performances is akin to watching a high caliber professional troupe.  Their graduates have an almost 100% professional placement record.  It’s a phenomenal institution of ballet.

Our rookie NAYB parents are thrilled when they first find out that a resource like IU’s ballet department exists in our own “backyard”.  They start dreaming of in-state tuition and Hoosier basketball games.  Of course, since IU is such a fantastic ballet program it is also nearly impossible to gain acceptance into.  Normally the freshman class has around 20 kids.  That’s a tougher acceptance rate than SAB!

Last spring NAYB had two of our graduates accepted into the IU ballet department: Chelsea Dumas and Morgan Stillman.  I should mention (brag) that both received not only acceptances, but merit scholarships.  To add to the excitement this fall Morgan was selected as one of only two men in the department to dance the sole male role in Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco.  He was also cast in Paul Taylor’s Company B and a piece by Complexion’s Dwight Roden.  Chelsea performed in Barocco’s corps of eight women, while also learning and rehearing the first violin role as the third cast principal girl.

Chelsea and Morgan are an overwhleming testimony to NAYB’s training.  We are so proud of them.  About 30 of our students, parents and staff went down to IU to see the show two weeks ago.  What an inspiration Chelsea and Morgan are to the next generation of NAYB dancers.

Thank you Mr. Vernon for visting NAYB and for giving us such an amazing resource down in Bloomington.  Go Hoosiers!