The official site of the Torch, the student-run newspaper at Glenbrook North High School.

Torch

The official site of the Torch, the student-run newspaper at Glenbrook North High School.

Torch

The official site of the Torch, the student-run newspaper at Glenbrook North High School.

Torch

Student accepted to Joffrey Ballet School

Sophomore Ava Izenstark dances a jazz routine at DancEd. Dance Centre. She started taking dance classes when she was three years old, and now also dances at Driven 2 Dance, Soul 2 Sole Dance Inc. and the North Shore School of Dance. Photo by Morgan Berg
Sophomore Ava Izenstark dances a jazz routine at DancEd. Dance Centre. She started taking dance classes when she was three years old, and now also dances at Driven 2 Dance, Soul 2 Sole Dance Inc. and the North Shore School of Dance. Photo by Morgan Berg

Sophomore Ava Izenstark broke into a dance of celebration in the middle of Steak ‘n Shake on the Friday night after the Variety Show. Since Ava did not have her phone, one of her friends had relayed the message from her mom: “Congratulations on New York.”

That night, Ava found out the Joffrey Ballet School in New York accepted her into its summer program, NYC Jazz Intensive. Joffrey also offered her another opportunity.

Ava’s mother, Kris Izenstark, received an email which she thought was for the summer program, but was confused when she could not find the registration online. When she called Joffrey, the school explained to her that the email offered Ava a chance to become a Jazz and Contemporary Trainee, meaning she could attend school at Joffrey in New York this upcoming fall.

According to Kris Izenstark, her daughter only auditioned for the summer program. She scored so high in the audition that she not only made the summer program, but Joffrey also wanted her to continue training there full-time as a student.

Lena Lauer, program coordinator at Joffrey, said, “Being a Trainee is tough, and certainly not for every young and aspiring dancer. The dancer needs to be strong virtuosically and mentally, as well as bring a powerful presence to class.”

Ava and her mom visited Joffrey in New York this past February for a tour to learn more information about being a student there. They went to Stepping Out Studios, where Joffrey students practice and where professionals like Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez have choreographed their dances, according to Kris Izenstark.

At the studio, Ava participated in a Street Jazz class, a mix between jazz and hip-hop, which she considers to be her strongest dancing style. In New York, Joffrey’s primary focuses are jazz and contemporary, whereas the Joffrey studio in Chicago is more focused on ballet.

“It was really cool to take classes with people who were going to be professionals,” said Ava. “A couple of the teachers are on Broadway right now.”

Kate Patterson, Ava’s dance instructor at DancEd. Dance Centre for 12 years, said all of the teachers have tremendous backgrounds in musical theater, film and dance companies around the world.

Ava said if she accepts this offer, she would be able to audition on Broadway in two years and potentially become a professional dancer, but she would have to drop out of high school to attend Joffrey. She would then move to New York and live in dorms with the other students, who are mostly under 20 years old, and dance seven hours a day.

During her trip in New York, Ava said she met another student her age who had flown to New York by herself, unpacked by herself and was visited by her parents every two months.

“I don’t know if I’d be ready for that,” Ava said.

According to Ava, Joffrey students only receive a General Educational Development, which is not a full high school diploma.

“To go from Glenbrook North to dancing full-time, [Ava has to know, does she want] to be a professional dancer?” Kris Izenstark said.

Ava said she has always wanted to be a doctor, so she is leaning toward staying at GBN and when she graduates, she could go to Joffrey and then attend college after her dancing career.

“I would love to do [both careers], especially because it’s really hard for me to give up something I really love to do,” said Ava. “I have to find a way to do both.”