The idea of freedom is not usually something associated with spending eight hours a day in a strict, intense environment, taking dance classes mostly in a foreign language, but sophomore Emily Ridings thinks that freedom is just that.

“I’m a shy person, unless I’m around my friends. Dance lets me be able to feel confident and portray what I want other people to know, but without using my words. Dance means…well dance to me is freedom,” Ridings said.

During the summer, while many people were hiking or rafting or at summer camp, Ridings was doing something entirely different. Emily was dancing six to eight hours a day for six weeks in New York City at a summer ballet intensive program through the Bolshoi Ballet Theater, an exclusive Russian school for dance that holds two summer dance intensives in America, one in Connecticut and the other in NYC. It is one of the most exclusive dance schools in Russia, and a very sought out summer program here in America.

On an average day, Ridings would arrive at the dance studio by nine, where she was expected to stretch and warm up before starting her long day of dance. The classes she took consisted of technique, partnering, pointe (which is when dancers dance on their toes in shoes made of satin and plasters), repertoire, and character (a European style of dance combined with acting). Although this was a change from her usual dance schedule at the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, she said that she did not have too hard of a time adjusting to the rigorous workload.

“What really got me was how much pointe work we did, because I got blisters. So. Many. Blisters,” Ridings groaned.

Although the dance was vigorous, it wasn’t the only thing that Ridings had to prepare for. Before going to the Bolshoi summer program, she was asked to learn basic Russian. While at the summer program, after a full day of ballet, Ridings would go to an academic class, which taught her a little bit of Russian grammar and vocabulary.

“There were translators in the studios to translate what the teachers were saying, so it wasn’t too bad, but sometimes they would tell you “good job”, and you would look over at the teachers’ face, and you would know that you really didn’t do a good job,” she said.

Although Ridings has participated in several summer programs before, her six weeks in New York City were definitely her favorite.

“I went to Interlochen Arts academy for two summers, Ballet West for another, and last summer at Bolshoi Connecticut, but this year in New York was the best so far,” Ridings said. “There were people from all over the world there! Costa Rica, Mexico, Israel, definitely Russia, London, Germany, a lot of people from Canada and China, and I think there was one more…maybe Norway…”

Ridings stated that she most definitely would like to pursue a career in dance, and hopefully dance this intensively for a good part of her life, and with preparation like this past summer (among others) she is on the right path to achieving her dreams and staying free.