CElEbRAtiNG LEGAciES - St. Pius X Catholic High School

program,” Samantha explains. The Fordham University application is similar to those used by most
universities. In the application for The Ailey School, however, students detail their dance background
and training history. They are also required to write an essay and submit two dance photographs.
Once all the applications have been reviewed, the school decides which candidates it would like to
invite for auditions.
“Before the audition, I had to fill out my responses to a series of short answer questions and submit
them to the audition panel,” recalls Samantha. “The audition consisted of a ballet class and a modern
class, after which we performed our individual solos. Then interviews were conducted. After all this,
it was just a matter of waiting.”
Family Matters: Samantha and her grandmother,
Norma Johanneson (science teacher at St. Pius X)
smile for a picture in May of 2009 at a party given by
Samantha’s Spanish teacher, Debbie Guilbeau.
It was definitely worth the wait. Now, with her scholarship to the B.F.A. program and one semester
already under her belt, Samantha is excited about what the future holds. Her college plans include a
degree in dance and a minor in pre-law studies. “I want to dance professionally during and after college. [After that] I will continue my career
in law. I believe it is very important to have a fall-back career as a dancer, because anything could happen, and you may not be able to dance
forever.”
SPX dance instructor Lisa O’Connor is very proud of Samantha. “She greatly impressed me with her outstanding talent and versatility in dance
performance, as well as her focus and determination to reach her own goals. Samantha shared with me that [the Alvin Ailey performance at the
Fox Theatre] inspired her and that she wanted to dance with them one day. Here we are a couple of years later, and she is attending the Ailey
B.F.A. Program at Fordham University. Samantha is already on the path to reach her goal.”
St. Pius X recently caught up with Samantha to get a quick
glimpse of “College Life” in New York.
What is the most
exciting aspect of
attending Fordham?
What are you enjoying
most about the
program?
The most exciting aspect
of attending Fordham
would have to be
that it is located in the
heart of New York City.
There is never a dull
moment around campus.
Fordham is also very conveniently located within the city. One of
the main subway stations in New York is a block away, the grocery store,
pharmacy and Central Park are two blocks away, and we are surrounded
with many wonderful restaurants of different cultures. I also love that
Fordham has another campus in the Bronx, and they have intercampus
transportation. Although I love being in the city, it’s nice to know that I
can just hop in the van and go hang out at a “real” college campus.
The aspect I enjoy most about the program is that I am getting the best
of both the academic and the dance worlds. I am being challenged both
intellectually and artistically. I am doing what I love to do, dance, without
having to put my academics on hold.
What surprised you the most? What have you learned about
yourself?
What surprised me most was how easy the transition into college was.
A lot of people told me that when I got here I would be homesick, but
honestly, I have not been truly homesick at all. I am so occupied and
focused on what I have to do that I rarely have time to sit around and feel
homesick. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my family and friends dearly,
and I do miss them, but I feel so comfortable here.
It is still only my first year, so I can’t really say how much I have learned
about myself. Personally, I think learning about oneself takes a few years
of being on your own. So I am still in the process, but I’m definitely enjoying
myself.
How have you been able to incorporate your love for dance in your
daily routine?
The program I am in is called the Fordham/Ailey Bachelor of Fine Arts
program. This program requires you to be a dance major, so dance is actually
a part of my curriculum. My days start at 8:30 a.m. with two dance
classes at The Ailey School (five blocks from Fordham), then I go back
to Fordham to attend an academic class. Afterward, I have another dance
class at Ailey, and I finish the day off at Fordham with academics. Dance
is definitely imbedded into my daily schedule, so I really do get a lot of
time to dance. I have also recently started rehearsals for our upcoming
shows. I am just absolutely thrilled to be doing what I do, and it’s exciting
because this is just the beginning.
Have any exciting opportunities surfaced from being in the
Big Apple?
The Ailey School prefers that
freshman and sophomore
students do not perform outside
of The Ailey School,
since we are still “in training”
so to say. I have been
asked to work with outside
choreographers but it is very
important to me that I respect
the rules at The Ailey School
and focus on my training.
It is only my first year so I
know I will have many more
opportunities to perform outside
of the B.F.A. program in
the future.