“Places, everyone, places!” by Karyna

“Places, everyone, places!” by Karyna - April 2022 Scholarship Essay

The stage manager’s call rang through my ears as I dashed through the backstage chaos to get to my place. Any moment, the curtain would rise, and the show would begin. On the other side of the curtain, thousands of children chattered amongst themselves, fidgeting in their seats with excitement. As the overture began, the audience fell silent in anticipation. That year, I was excited to be performing the lead role of Clara in Eastern Connecticut Ballet's rendition of The Nutcracker, but truthfully, I was even more excited to inspire young kids in the audience to get involved with the arts.
Every single person in the cast and crew, including myself, was an integral part of a larger purpose— to give back to the community. By coming together to perform, we were providing an opportunity for school children all over the state to access the performing arts for free. Many of these children came from underfunded communities and schools, meaning this was likely their very first experience at the theater. Leading up to the performance, I rehearsed day and night; in addition to Friday and Sunday rehearsals, my Saturday schedule was typically filled with ballet class and rehearsals from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. As exhausting and physically taxing as the days often became, I always pushed through. Hearing the children gasp at unexpected parts of the show, giggle at the sillier moments, and smile at the happy ending was all I needed to recognize that my hard work had paid off.
These school performances were especially meaningful to me because I was once one of those children in the audience, in awe of the ballerinas pirouetting amongst the stage. Seeing Eastern Connecticut Ballet’s The Nutcracker is what sparked my interest in the performing arts and catalyzed my determination to make it to the stage. I joined Eastern Connecticut Ballet’s pre-professional children’s division in 2012 and worked my way up to performing lead roles, working on pointe, and performing with the senior company. If I had never seen The Nutcracker, I never would have discovered my passion and purpose: ballet. Over the years, I learned that one of the most fulfilling aspects of becoming a dancer with Eastern Connecticut Ballet was being able to give children that same experience and opportunity to discover a love for dance.
Ballet has taught me to go about everything in life like there is no tomorrow, putting full effort and energy into every endeavor. It has directed my life down a multitude of paths, teaching me important lessons about dedication, commitment, hard work, and community, all of which will serve me for the rest of my life. In college, I will be continuing my dance training and continuing to share my love and appreciation for the arts with the people around me. Ballet has given me a space to grow and become who I am today, and serves as the foundation for who I will be in the future.