One Devoted Dancer

by Jenna Mamorsky

"Dance is a way of communicating without actually speaking," says 16 year old Courtney Giannone, who has danced since the age of 12. Committed to her passion, Courtney has re-arranged her life around dance for the past two years, taking the train to New York City, and then a subway from Grand Central to West 61st Street, five days a week -- three days right after school, returning home to do homework at 8:00 p.m.

Taking three hour classes five days a week at the Alvin Ailey Dance Company's school was both hard work and a joy Courtney told TeenSpeak. With each new step she has learned, Courtney dances closer to her dream of being a talented dancer. Her hard work has paid off. Her technical skills and her artistic expression have earned her a hard to get spot in the Joffrey School of Ballet for this summer.

Courtney's love of dance all started when she was 12. She decided to try ballet and jazz at Jennifer Pollock's All for Arts competitive dance and tumbling team. Courtney, who had done gymnastics all of her life, tried dance for the first time at All for Arts. "I was a little nervous watching all of the older kids dance like pros when I only knew a couple of steps," Courtney explained. Giannone may have been nervous at first, but little did she know then that dance would become her passion, and in very little time, she would dance circles around what she thought looked impossible. Giannone was upset, however, when a broken arm kept her from participating in the All for Arts National dance competition for their last and most important competition.

About to give up on her passion, Courtney saw Alvin Ailey's dance company perform on stage. "Dance is tedious to watch when there is no artistic expression, then dance is just steps. A person can tell a lot about your personality when you show your feelings," says Courtney who was so taken by the emotion involved in the Ailey performance, she wanted to see more of it. She decided to audition for their summer program. Courtney knew this would be a big commitment. She would have to make an hour and ten minute trip to New York, walk to the studio and be ready to dance at 4:00 p.m. Even though this would take a tremendous amount of commitment and drive, when she found out she got into the school, Courtney joined.

Giannone "on her toes"