Sophomore Katarina Fuhrmann has been dancing for the Classical Ballet Academy since she was three years old, and likely will continue until she is a senior in high school. She is dedicated to her sport, practicing five days a week, every week, hoping to excel at the academy’s regular performances of Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and other ballet classics.
Having tried practically every imaginable sport, from soccer, where she sat on the field and picked flowers instead of playing, to basketball, which she only described as “interesting,” Fuhrmann stuck with dance through it all.
She attributes her dedication to a variety of factors, from the community and team, to the director of the academy, and close family friends.
“There’s a lot of stereotypes in ballet about what is the correct body type or correct version of a dancer, and I’m really lucky that I’m at a place that doesn’t hold those stereotypes,” she said. “I think that’s really helped keep me interested, and how [the academy director] is always pushing us, but never making us feel bad when we know we need to work on things.”
Over Fuhrmann’s time at the Classical Ballet Academy, the company’s size has grown with the size and scale of its performances. And, as she has moved into the higher levels of performance that the school offers, Fuhrmann has decided against joining one of its competition teams, citing their highly competitive nature and her preference for performances.
Although her journey in dance has been generally positive, her time at the academy has not been without challenges for her or her peers. Injuries have been a constant danger, as is true with all sports.
Several years ago she had to take a break due to an ankle injury — similarly, a teammate also suffered a separate injury, forcing her to quit dancing.
“It was really heartbreaking,” she said. “But it was also great to see the community come together and support her.”
These, and similar responses to adversity from her strong community, have been another motivator for sticking with dance for so long.
“My teachers and my dancer friends were all very supportive,” she said. “No one was telling me that I was slacking off or judging me for it, and I appreciated that.”
Balancing the many practices with academic and social commitments is another struggle she faces. Though over the years she has learned how to master that challenge, and motivate to continue.
“It’s hard to always feel like you want to be doing it, but… when I’m there, I have so much fun… It feels like something I can work on and improve, and a way to express myself. ”
Dancing is not the only creative outlet Fuhrmann has come to appreciate. She was intimidated as one of the only freshmen in Art Foundations last year, but has grown to love and cherish La Salle’s fine arts program and Ms. Cha Asokan, her art teacher. “As soon as our first project hit, she was reassuring me I could do it… [and] she taught me all the techniques and things that I needed,” she said. In the end, Furhmann made a piece that ended up winning a Scholastic Silver Key.
“It was a great way for me to realize that maybe, you know, art could be something I enjoy,” she said.
Fuhrmann values kindness and an open mind in her friends and community most, both of which have helped her to continue pursuing dance. She advises anyone who is thinking about joining dance, or any sport, to remember those values as they join a new community or team.
“I think that it’s crucial to want to understand other people and want to understand their perspective,” she said. “I think that a lot of things in our world would be a lot easier if people truly cared for other humans, and wanted to see their perspective and know what would benefit them the best, and would honestly just hear each other out.”
