THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 23, 1994 TAG: 9411220089
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Amy Roither, 17, of Williamsburg will graduate in January from Lafayette High School and has been accepted by the Boston School of Ballet.
I kind of decided I wanted to dance professionally when I was 12 years old. If dancing doesn't work, I've got back-up plans and other options, but dancing is my first choice.
I'm not a big bunhead. I have devoted a lot of my life to ballet, but I like other forms of dance, too.
Will I be a starving artist? That all depends. You can survive off it. I'm not expecting great riches.
I've never really taken off enough time where I'm not limber. It's something you have to work at every day. There's a silly saying in ballet: Take off one day, you'll notice the difference. Take off two days and the teacher will notice the difference. Take off three days and everyone will notice the difference.
You have to be serious about it. It's something you have to do every day. I wouldn't put myself through it if I wasn't serious about it.
I work two jobs. I don't sleep a whole lot, about five hours a night. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing I'll graduate in January. I don't think it's quite normal. I don't think it's the average dancer's life.
If dancing doesn't work out, I'm planning on going to college and studying foreign relations, particularly with Russia.
It seems like a really good opportunity to put on a resume that we danced with the Moscow ballet. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by BILL TIERNAN
Amy Roither
by CNB