In celebration of National Arts Education week (September 12-18), I thought it appropriate to focus on the importance of arts education.
Years of research show that arts education is closely linked to almost everything that we want for our children: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity. Arts education is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Statistics show that learning an art can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork.
With that in mind, I thought it might be interesting to hear about arts education from the perspective of young people. I asked some of the students of the SNB Academy age 3 to 16 to tell me why arts education (ballet in particular) is important to them.
For the most part students age 3 to 5 focused on the enjoyment of the art form saying things like: “Ballet is fun!” and “Ballet is the best!”
But students age 7 and over, had more individual aspects to share.
Some students focus on the work involved in studying the art.
Phoebe Delong (age10) says that ballet art is something in which “you have to put in a lot of hard work to make it look easy and delicate.”
Karlie Serapiglia (age 9) feels that it: ”is a chance of a lifetime. It means working hard and being productive and… I just love Ballet!”
16 year old Annika Johnson articulates: ”Ballet is particularly important to me because it teaches me how to work physically and mentally in a different way than school does and gives me a chance to express everything that I feel inside without having to say anything.”
Some students focus on the exercise aspect of the art form.
Jessie Clauson (age 14) states: “ Ballet is important because I can exercise and also express myself which I can not do in any other form of sports that I am involved in.”
Irene Nam (age 15) says: “Ballet lets you move around and express yourself which is very different from what we get to do at school.”
Iliana Harris (age 16) states: “Ballet has been very important to me especially during Covid. It let me get out emotions and move around – even when I had to be stuck inside.”
The art of ballet historically was done to bring man to a higher spiritual level. It is amazing that even young children have a strong sense of that.
River Herzinger (age 8) feels that through ballet she can: “show others and show God how much I love Him.”
Lulu Weir (age10) feels that ballet gives her a way to: ”show others the way I feel through dance.”
Molly Hajec (age 9) thinks that the art of ballet makes her ”inspired, loving and graceful.”
The majority of students in their teens emphasized the importance of art as a means for self expression and a way of coping with fears and anxiety.
David Johnson (age 15) states: “Ballet lets me express myself in a safe environment.”
Haley Pershall (age 14) says: “If there are things going on in the world that are…not so good… ballet gives me the chance to focus and kind of escape from them.”
Alexis Hanna (age 11) says: “Ballet is a big part of my life, and when I focus on it, I forget everything else in the world.”
Lucca Light (age 12) adds: ”If I have a really difficult and stressful day, I come to ballet, and it helps me calm down and have fun.”
Dafne D’Olympio (age 16) agrees and adds: “Ballet is important, especially now with everything that is going on in the world. I get to go somewhere where there is such a great community, a place where you can express yourself that is so safe and loving, and it means so much. It just feels… really good.”
12 year old Sophia Riella summed it up beautifully saying that the art of ballet: “is something that I am most passionate about. It is just that ….well… I guess … I just really love doing it!!”
Being able to have in studio classes again at the SNB Academy has been wonderful for all the students.
We are looking forward to the PEANUTCRACKER-The Story In A Nutshell audition on October 9, 2021 that will be held in the SNB studio and on Zoom from 1:00 to 3:30 PM.
Peanutcracker will once again give students in the community studying the art of ballet the opportunity to perform in December at both the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno and at the Carson City Community Center and to share their art with over 4,000 other young school children in the community.
For information about SNB or to register to audition call 775-360-8663 or visit www.sierranevadaballet.org
Alexander Cain Biber (Principal Dancer/ Ballet Master/ Choreographer in Residence/Teacher) grew up in a performing arts family and has loved theater and performing from an early age. He began his ballet training, at the age of 14, with Rosine Bena at Western Nevada Performing Arts Center – studying ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theater. In 2003, Alexander became an apprentice with Sierra Nevada Ballet and was promoted to the first company in 2006, to soloist in 2008, and to Principal in 2012.
Jennifer Lightfoot-Johnson (Grant Writer and Development Consultant) comes to SNB with 16 years of experience, both professionally and as a volunteer, in grant writing and working in the nonprofit sector.
Jennifer Boyle August (Guest Teacher/Choreographer) discovered her love of dance in Reno, Nev. During her time at Reno High School, Jennifer took a Modern class at TMCC, with instruction in Graham, Luigi, and Horton dance technique. While Jennifer was educated in other areas of dance, she felt these styles spoke to her more than anything else. After graduating from Reno High School, she moved to Boston to study dance with Joan Palladino at Dean College where she received her Associate’s Degree in Dance. She was then hand-selected by Judith Jamison to study at Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Intensive program in New York City.
Sara Weir (Demi Soloist) was born in Provo, Utah, and started ballet at age three. She trained in dance with Trisha Wilstead at Rocky Mountain Dance and then trained with Brittany Squires and Heather Gray at Jaquiline’s School of Ballet. She performed professionally with Showcase and Theater Ballet at Brigham Young University, Utah Regional Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet.
Carlee Bertero (Soloist/ Teacher) was born in northern Nevada and began studying dance at an early age at Fascinating Rhythm School of Performing Arts in Reno. Carlee was invited to join the Sierra Nevada Ballet Apprentice program in 2012; was raised to the first company in 2013; to featured corps member in 2016, to Demi-Soloist in 2017, and to Soloist in 2021. She has performed in many SNB story ballets such as Peanutcracker-The Story In A Nutshell, Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty-A Fairy’s Tale, A Midsummer Nights Dream- A Steam Punk Ballet, and Twelfth Night-A Ballet Noir. She has performed as a featured dancer with SNB annually in Dancing By The River as part of Reno’s Artown Festival and in SNB’s annual Brew Brats and Ballet in Reno and Carson City.
Domingo Rubio (Second Permanent Guest Artist/Guest Teacher) is SNB’s second Permanent Guest Artist as of May 2005. He has danced professionally for some 30 years. Domingo has danced with the Joffrey Ballet and Ballet Hispanico and was featured in the Robert Altman film, The Company. Rubio danced the role of Maxfield Parrish in SNB’s, A Painter’s Love Story and is a featured artist in SNB’s Dancing By the River and annual ballet classics.
Sam Weber (First Permanent Guest Artist/ Guest Teacher) is SNB’s first Permanent Guest Artist and is a founding member of the Company. He was one of the first permanent guest artists of The Reno Ballet under the direction of Rosine Bena. Weber danced with the Joffery Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and The Jazz Tap Ensemble. Besides being a fine ballet dancer, Weber is considered one of the greatest tap dancers in the world. He is known as “the fastest feet in tap.”
Gina Nelson (SNB Company Coordinator for Carson City and SNB Board Member) is originally from Napa Valley, Calif., and a long-time supporter of the arts and arts education. Gina worked as a crisis prevention specialist in a day treatment elementary school and was a counselor/teacher in a non-public school for at-risk boys.
Steven M. Porter (SNB Board President/SNB CEO) is a long-time devotee of the arts. Originally from the East Coast, Steve was raised with love and devotion to all the arts.
Cathy Mercer (SNB Company Coordinator for Reno/Managing Director/Board Member) grew up in Carson City and is a former dancer with a long-time devotion to the art form.
Ananda Bena-Weber (Associate Director, Dance Artist/ Ballerina/Principal/Teacher) is a principal dancer and NY award-winning artist and the Associate Director of the Sierra Nevada Ballet and a founding member. She has danced professionally as a soloist with the Reno Ballet when it was formed in 1994/95 and 1996. She danced with Perspectives Dance Theatre and Fascinating Rhythm Productions. She has appeared as a featured soloist with Sam Weber performing in Morton Gould’s “Concerto for Tap Dancer and Orchestra” throughout the SF Bay Area. She has appeared in principal roles in several original dance works such as Take Me To The River and Blue Rondo, and classics such as Les Sylphides, Romeo and Juliet, and Paquita.
Rosine Bena (Founder and Artistic Director/Master Teacher)
Sophia Riella (Trainee) was born in Truckee, Calif. She started ballet at the age of two with Sherrie Petersen, Sierra Ballet School and continued there for six years while also studying Irish and Scottish Dance with Lindsey Marccaci in Lake Tahoe and at Truckee Dance Factory doing competition dance. She has also studied classical music, composing, and piano with Elaine Courtney and has studied voice with Stephanie McMoy.
Erin Garman (First Year Company) began dancing at the age of 12 at Scene Stealers Theatre Arts where she trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, musical theatre, and ballet. She later began training with Fascinating Rhythm School of Performing Arts where she continued training in many styles and at Sierra Nevada Ballet Academy where she first met Rosine Bena, and started getting more serious about ballet, also dancing with Spiral Ballet.
Maya Macias (Trainee) was born in Houston, Texas into a military family. While her family was stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, at age two and a half years old, Maya began studying dance at the Children’s Ballet Theater because she wanted to go to “ballerina school. “ Maya continued her ballet training at Space Coast Ballet and when she was six years old, she began performing with Space Coast Ballet in the Nutcracker.
Olivia Mann (SNB Summer Demi Soloist) began studying at the age of four at Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, and the Dallas Ballet Center and later trained at Booker T. Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts.
Heather Rodriguez (Trainee) started dancing at nine years old in Corpus Christi, Texas. She continued studying Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz throughout her childhood with Corpus Christi Concert Ballet.