Courtney Worley is 16 years old and got her first taste of ballet at Indiana's Lebanon Ballet School summer program. She has played the role of a Rose in The Sleeping Beauty, and is soon to play the coveted role of The Sugar Plum Fairy in May's Production of The Nutcracker. She also enjoys other forms of dance, like Irish Stepdancing and Hip-Hop. Her favorite dancers are Alina Cojacaru and Miko Fogarty, and her other hobbies include hanging out with friends, watching movies, reading, photography, crafting, and freaking out over her favorite athletes, Ice Dancer duo Meryl Davis and Charlie White ;D
"I first became interested in ballet when I was about 5 I think, right around when Ms. Hume set up the school. I REALLY wanted to start then, but we didn't and I'm kind of glad I started when I was older because it made me focus harder when I did begin, and see it as a privilege, or a place that was fun to go to and challenging, rather than as the norm. What drew me to ballet was when our cousins started taking classes as a Christmas gift one year (I think it would have been 2009.) So anyways, my sister Erica and I were begging our Mom to let us take classes and finally she agreed to let all of us girls take a summer class in 2011 to see how we liked it."
"We all loved it! Then fall classes started and we got to dance in our first recital, Sleeping Beauty."
"After the recital, I was always dreaming about getting a solo in the next recital and wearing a tutu. Then when our teacher Ms. Hume announced that we were doing the Nutcracker this year, I wished I could be the Sugar Plum Fairy! But I didn't think I'd actually get the part, so I was really excited when she told me I was going to get it! I get to wear a tutu, so I'm happy about that.
"In the future, I want to be dancing at a professional school. I'm not sure which one yet. I used to want to be a teacher, but since then I've been an assistant teacher and I've found I don't really love it all that much. I would rather have someone else be telling me what to do and how I need to look, and improving myself rather than teaching others what I already know. It sounds a little selfish, but teaching isn't for everyone, I guess. "
"What I love about dancing is, first of all, learning and eventually perfecting (hopefully) a different skill. It gives me a chance to step away from the stress of school for a little bit without feeling guilty or lazy. I like that even though it's painful at times, it strengthens your body and doubles as an interest at the same time. Ultimately, I hope it will be a way for me to express myself, but right now I'm focusing on the details and making sure I'm doing everything the right way."
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