Brigid Named one of World’s Top 25 Ballerinas for Ages 12-14
What did you do?
My name is Brigid and I love to express joy through performing ballet. On April 7th, 2015, I competed in the Youth America Grand Prix finals held at New York City’s Lincoln Center. I am honored to have been named one of world’s top 25 ballerinas in the junior category, ages 12-14 years old.
In addition to this honor came several scholarships offers to some of the world’s leading ballet companies and academies. The recognition and scholarship is much more important than placing because I can now continue my training and become a professional ballerina.
What organization recognized the achievement?
Youth America Grand Prix’s mission is to support and develop world-class dancers ages 9 to 19 of all backgrounds by providing scholarship auditions, educational and performance opportunities, serving as the global network of dance, and connecting students, teachers, schools, dancers, and dance companies.
After auditioning about 7,000 students around the world, YAGP invites the 1,000 most promising dancers to New York City to participate in a week-long series of auditions and performances, which culminates with a select number of the most promising dancers performing their variations in a final round of competition at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
This Final Round showcases the most promising students performing one last time before scholarships are awarded, and they leave to continue training or pursue jobs at the world’s leading dance institutions.
How did homeschooling help you achieve your goal?
My family home is in New Mexico but during the past year, my mom and I have been living in Chicago so I can study and train intensively at the Faubourg School of Ballet. Home schooling with my mom has been a great blessing for me. Home schooling has helped me achieve my dance goals because of the great flexibility in scheduling and the level of courses that I can take while still training.
I also have two older brothers who have benefited from home schooling. My brother Michael is 16 years old and also participates in the Seton. He is also a great tennis player and is on the varsity tennis team at the local Mayfield High School. My brother Joseph is 21 years old and he is studying mechanical engineering at Texas A&M on scholarship.
What are your interests?
Besides dancing I enjoy reading, and I really take pleasure in outdoor activities, anything from rock climbing, to biking, to swimming, and so on. I also love to share adventures with my family.
What are you inspired to do with your life?
In Chicago, at the Faubourg School of Ballet, I was dancing eight to nine hours a day but it’s been a labor of love. Dancing professionally for the Glory of God is the dream I hope to achieve. I actually pray Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman’s prayer each day before I begin my dance training. I would also enjoy instructing dancers.
I taught ballet, tap, and hip hop to young dancers in Las Cruces New Mexico from 2012 to 2014. I’ve also had the privilege of serving as a volunteer dance instructor for under-served youth in the Chicago area through an afterschool dance program and for children affected by autism in a creative movement dance class.
It has been very beautiful and humbling to be able to help and to see how much good you can do with just a few words and actions.
What are your favorite subjects?
I enjoy learning in all different areas, but my favorite subjects are math and science. Ballet is such a form of physics, logic, and reasoning that it is fun to use math skills in learning and perfecting its art, and it is also fun learning about this incredible world around us in science.