I have greatly enjoyed my times at Princeton Ballet School thus far. Princeton Ballet School has a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere, spacious dance studios, and sociable, friendly people. I couldn’t imagine dancing elsewhere and having an experience quite as exceptional. I have gotten so used to the environment, that I honestly couldn't imagine dancing elsewhere.

For me, Princeton Ballet School is special in the way that the dancers in my classes are super friendly, during and outside of dance class. That sociable environment makes classmates unafraid to make mistakes in front of their peers. Every class, I know if I were to make a mistake (or perhaps not-so-gracefully fall out of a jump), the girls in my class would not snicker or burst out laughing. I know from firsthand experience that the other dancers are much more considerate. This isn't anything like Black Swan where the girls strive to be better than those surrounding them. Instead, I know I can rely on my classmates to assist me if I need help, just as I would do the same for each of them. Being in dance classes where all of the dancers get along so well makes ballet class much more enjoyable. I can honestly say that the members of the Princeton Ballet School community are some of the most pleasant people I have ever met; from the secretaries, to the pianists, to the parents of dancers, everyone has always been so kind! Teachers and students alike make the rest of the people in the room feel comfortable enough to ask any questions about stretches or even just telling a light joke to help us smile through the physical struggles of dance class.

When I think of Princeton Ballet School, I associate with it not only the people and the locations, but also the memories I have collected. Once I remember myself in a maroon colored leotard in the old New Brunswick studio. My teacher, Ms. Petteway, pulled me to the side after class to tell me that she could tell I really loved dance. This seemed like an eternity ago, but her words stuck with me because I was always dedicated to attending dance class and pushing myself to get better yet it surprised me that my teacher, whom I admired for her own dancing abilities, could even notice my passion for ballet. I had not realized what power the body has to tell a story or express emotions.

My very first time on pointe was a interesting memory that I remember fairly clearly. I felt like a giraffe with awkward blocks extending from my feet.  (Actually, I still feel that way.) My first year on pointe wasn't an altogether miserable experience, it just took some getting used to. I admired the look pointe shoes had and was saddened that first year because all fifteen minutes of pointe was of course, at the barre, where I conveniently faced a wall and could not see in the mirror the pretty shapes my feet could make in the toe shoes. Oh and there was the pain I endured that first year! That was when it clicked that as pretty and simple as dancers make dancing on pointe seem, it is anything except simple. My poor toes felt like they were on fire!

This year I am able to dance two Student five-level classes, one open enrollment ballet class, and the weekend rehearsals and classes for ARBW Juniors. Because I am at the Princeton studio five out of seven days each week, the studios feel like my second home. Apart from the wonderful people in the studios, I appreciate the actual space I dance in. It is great to have classes in both big studios and smaller studios (I didn't used to dance as often so I didn't usually have classes in the smaller Studios B, C and D in Princeton). Larger rooms are great for allowing dancers to practice moving throughout the space and dancing outside of themselves, but small studios benefit dancers too.  In small studios, dancers must pretend to carry their stage presence beyond the borders of the room. All three locations (Princeton, Cranbury, and New Brunswick) are clean, welcoming, and lively. I never walk into the school and feel completely out of place because I feel like I belong, just as every dancer should feel at their own dance schools.

I have admired each and every one of my ballet instructors for the feedback, corrections, and various methods of teaching. This year, Ms. Whitney has me working on proper usage of the muscles and coordination of the eyes, head, and arms. I have learned that every year, different teachers try to teach what they feel their dancers need to work on most. The result is personal growth of the dancers. I think I make my teachers proud because often times I reflect on the suggestions teachers have made in the past to figure out dance steps in the present.

I believe that Princeton Ballet School does much more than train amazing dancers. The ballet school allows students to attend professional dance performances and to learn alongside experienced, caring instructors in nice facilities, and gives to practically all students opportunities for performing. I am proud to be a student at Princeton Ballet School and in return, I plan on continuing to support the school in the hopes that others may be inspired just as much as I am now.