This week, former FSPA dance student, Sarah Pelc blogs about her experiences as a student.

Growing up in Flint, dancing at FSPA was always a part of my life. Little did I know how much of an effect my dance training at FSPA would have on me later in life. First and foremost, the faculty of the dance department taught me the proper form and technique for both ballet and modern dance. From my experiences, I have learned that ballet is the foundation for many forms of dance. The strong emphasis on ballet at FSPA prepared me for a career in dance, even though I have become a contemporary dancer.

My favorite part of dancing at FSPA was performing. Through the annual Nutcracker production, along with the Flint Youth Ballet’s Festival of Dance, I was able to strengthen and build my technique and artistry as a dancer. If there is one thing I’ve learned in my short time in the professional dance world, it is that a dancer can have the most beautiful technique in the world, but it is the passion and emotion the dancer exudes that is the most enjoyable part to watch. The variety of styles and repertoire performed at FSPA helped to build artistry that I can carry with me across all forms of dance.

Another one of the highlights of the dance program at FSPA was working with guest artists. During the Nutcracker, watching the professionals from Dance Theater of Harlem perform the roles of Sugar Plum, Cavalier, Nutcracker Prince, and Clara provided inspiration and motivation to us younger dancers. It gave us something to aspire to, and it reminded us that professional dancers are real people too. Working with guest choreographers also helped me to understand and learn more about the larger dance world, outside of FSPA. It was working with guest choreographer Darrell Moultrie that I began to realize my passion for contemporary dance. Learning the different styles of Darrell and other guest choreographers at FSPA led me to explore other styles of dance, and helped me to become a more versatile dancer. Eventually, I realized I wanted to study modern dance in college.

Now, as a scholarship student at the Lou Conte Dance Studio, home of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, I am grateful for the training I received at FIM. Although my dance trajectory has moved from performing in The Nutcracker to learning repertoire by Nacho Duato and other contemporary choreographers, I credit the foundation of my dance training to FIM.