One of my students, who is quite intelligent and very talented as a dancer, has decided to pursue photography. She is in college and doing it so well. She started her own business already.

Here are some photos she has done already, which includes two above of other of my students. They all were with me since they were very little.

These are photos she took of Ballet X, a company that one of my instructors belongs to. She used to belong to Pa. Ballet Co. but retired a year ago and just dances with Ballet X (Tara Keating)...

www.cakeandpictures.com . . .

Another one of my students, who was an advanced level ballet student, has decided to join the circus and is in training!

Hers are the circus photos.

See, dance training can take you so many places!

I wanted to finish with more pics of my other circus student.

Very nice! I love the one of the dancer balancing on her hand. You must be proud of them!

I assume that the first student is the same one who's photos you posted some time ago?

Also, I always wanted to say that I ran away with the circus...

Both appear to be doing quite well!

Hehe, I have posted photos before but do not recall who and when. I am sort of jealous of the one trying for the circus. I always wanted to do that but my husband was not liking the idea of me not being home. I should have married later and done it!

I am proud of them, they are all dedicated and really good kids.

The ones on the website are amazing! I wish she could come photograph my classes!

Contact her!! If she can, she would love to do it! I have her coming this week to photograph my granddaughter. I will be paying her as I do not expect it for free.

Great photographs, you should be very proud. Your students love for dance is still instilled in them to this very day. Some give it up after graduating, but not your they are in the circus and taking dance photos.

It's just great, kudos!!!

It is so hard for the majority of students to continue dance after they graduate high school and even harder after college.

If they are commercially trained in a studio and then go to college they find that it's primarily ballet/modern and their training slows down. And after college, life kicks in and if you are not professional or not pursuing a dance teaching career, dancing takes a back seat to eating.

I have so many parents of students get that glazed look in their eye as they say "I used to dance in high school"...like a love affair lost.

It's beautiful to see when they go into different directions and especially when it involves art at some level. The photography is beautiful. And how much fun to be in a circus.

i_am_me wrote:

It is so hard for the majority of students to continue dance after they graduate high school and even harder after college.

If they are commercially trained in a studio and then go to college they find that it's primarily ballet/modern and their training slows down. And after college, life kicks in and if you are not professional or not pursuing a dance teaching career, dancing takes a back seat to eating.

I have so many parents of students get that glazed look in their eye as they say "I used to dance in high school"...like a love affair lost.

It's beautiful to see when they go into different directions and especially when it involves art at some level. The photography is beautiful. And how much fun to be in a circus.

This is true. Unless they go to Juillard or something similar, it rarely happens. I had a student who was dancing with me and a pre-pro ballet school. They, and I, both knew she had what it took to be in a company... very talented.

The parents insisted she go to college and it wound up not being a great dance program, so now she is just teaching in a local dance school and has lost a lot of what she had.

I spoke to them and said to let her go for it, she can always attend college. Geez, Villella finished college while he was a NYC Ballet! They would not hear it and she is not even using her degree that she received. So... what was their point?

JLL wrote:

The parents insisted she go to college and it wound up not being a great dance program, so now she is just teaching in a local dance school and has lost a lot of what she had.

I spoke to them and said to let her go for it, she can always attend college. Geez, Villella finished college while he was a NYC Ballet! They would not hear it and she is not even using her degree that she received. So... what was their point?

Oh, I hear you loud and clear. Their point??? Driving their child's boat. That's the point.

Believe me, I've seen it before. In spades.

I was so lucky. I went to college for two years and swore to my parents I wanted to be a pediatrician...even pondered neonatology. Two years into a bio degree, I said "I hate this...I want to teach dance...I am going to open a dance studio." And they didn't bat an eye.

This is with two parents that have Masters degrees...father currently a university history professor. So they are pro-college.

The let me be. I am forever grateful.

That is true. I never told my kids that they had to go to college or do anything. Once they were of age, it was their lives. My son wanted to work for the Post Office. My daughter was not sure, so delayed college.

My parents never pressured us and I am glad of that. I never wanted to attend college. I did well in school, honor level, but I love to learn in my own way, on my own, and not how someone else wants me to learn. Maybe I am lazy, lol, but that was me. I never regretted not going to college.

JLL wrote:

but I love to learn in my own way, on my own, and not how someone else wants me to learn.

That's me. Very experiential learning type. Theoretical learning is not my thing.

JLL wrote:

I never regretted not going to college.

You know, when I was 25, I had a moment and thought..."man, maybe it was just the wrong degree...maybe you just need to focus on something you enjoy." So, I decided to give it another shot...this time I was going to major in theater. Took one theater class, got an A, HATED IT and dropped out...round two.

Now, if I wanted to go to school it would be for psych. But guess what? I can go to Yale or Berkley's webcast sites and watch all kinds of courses for free. So ya...I've audited Yale's psych course. Might as well learn at an Ivy League. Gotta love the web. hehehe.

i_am_me wrote:

[q=JLL]but I love to learn in my own way, on my own, and not how someone else wants me to learn.

That's me. Very experiential learning type. Theoretical learning is not my thing.

JLL wrote:

I never regretted not going to college.

You know, when I was 25, I had a moment and thought..."man, maybe it was just the wrong degree...maybe you just need to focus on something you enjoy." So, I decided to give it another shot...this time I was going to major in theater. Took one theater class, got an A, HATED IT and dropped out...round two.

Now, if I wanted to go to school it would be for psych. But guess what? I can go to Yale or Berkley's webcast sites and watch all kinds of courses for free. So ya...I've audited Yale's psych course. Might as well learn at an Ivy League. My other fave is iTunes U. Audited some business courses from Yale there. Gotta love the web. hehehe. [/q]

Yup, yup, yup!! Just like the song, "I Did it My Way". I am very independent and just like to do what I want to do and how I want to do it! LOL

JLL wrote:

I am very independent and just like to do what I want to do and how I want to do it! LOL

Amen.