Espressos and Entrepreneurs: Dancers' Summer Passions
Updated: 2 hours ago
From the time our season ends in late April to our return to the studio at the end of August, the dancers' summer break can feel like a long time.
Having the summer off is important for dancers to rest, both physically and mentally, after the rigors of a full season. It's also a wonderful time to pour time and energy into their passions outside of the studio.
Given the nature of what we do, it's not surprising that dancers are creative, resourceful people. Whether they're pursuing a hobby, a small business, or a future vocation, our dancers are up to some amazing things!
I chatted with three BTM dancers about the labors of love that keep them busy, especially in the summer. Lauren Anderson, a corps de ballet dancer, loves to design and paint custom nail art. Clara Atsinger, an incoming company apprentice, recently reignited her love for sewing by making custom dancewear. And, perhaps most deliciously, corps member Madeline Jones is a passionate (and original!) member of the team at Black Market Bakers' Edgewater location. Read on to learn more!
Lauren Anderson
Lauren is entering her third season with BTM after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Point Park University. She previously appeared on the blog to share her journey to becoming a professional dancer. About her nail art, Lauren says:
I first started getting into doing my own nails during COVID. I needed something to keep me busy at home, and I thought nails would be a fun creative outlet, so I ordered a bunch of supplies online to get me started. It began simply with solid color nails and gradually progressed into more detailed designs. I'm constantly learning new techniques and finding inspiration from nail artists online. It is an easy way to discover new techniques and better ways to do things.
I like challenging myself to see how far I can push my creativity by trying new styles, products, and techniques. Every design I do is hand-painted, and I even paint my dominant hand with my non-dominant hand.
I've mostly been doing my friends' nails for fun, which has also given me a great opportunity to practice and continue improving. Every person and every set of nails presents a new learning opportunity. There's definitely always room for growth, and I'd love to continue developing my skills.
I've been looking into getting my nail technician license, and it's something I want to pursue in the future. I feel that I will dive more seriously into the business perspective once I retire from my professional dance career. For now, I'm really enjoying having nail art as a creative outlet outside of ballet and seeing where I can take it!
Clara Atsinger
Although Clara is joining the company this season, she trained as a Conservatory student for many years. At 16, she pursued dance at Orlando Ballet School for several years before performing professionally in the Orlando theme parks. She's excited to return to BTM while also building her own brand, C.K. Dancewear. The name comes from her first and middle names, Clara Kay. Clara says:
I used to love sewing when I was younger, and then ended up stopping for a while. One day, though--about six months ago--I was shopping for ballet skirts online and was really frustrated because everything I liked was so expensive! I then just decided to go to the nearest fabric store, find some mesh, and see if I remembered how to turn on my sewing machine. And then I got addicted!
After a few months of selling skirts to my friends and a few people online, I decided to also try my hand at leotards and surprised myself! I now specialize in making super fun, custom, patterned leotards.
I only recently started putting more effort into the entrepreneurial side of things, once I realized that people out there actually want what I have to sell! I'm currently working on a website and hope that it will help continue to improve my brand and its image. But ultimately I just love making beautiful, fun, cute things to wear and see others wear in class. I think if you feel pretty, you dance better!
In the short term, I hope to create a professional website that people can order from directly. I would also love to work with fabric designers one day to create my own custom patterns for leotards.
I just love knowing there are people out there wearing my leotards and skirts, so I hope that people will keep loving them and wearing them, and that my dancewear helps bring some fun and whimsy into dancers' lives.
Madeline Jones
Madeline grew up dancing at a small studio in Williamsburg. After graduating from University of Utah with a BFA in Ballet and a BA in English in 2019, she joined BTM as a trainee. Now a corps de ballet member, she is entering her eighth season with BTM.
When she's not dancing with the company or teaching in BTM's Conservatory, you'll find her working behind the counter at Black Market Bakers. She's been with their original Edgewater location since they opened in 2022! She explains:
Black Market Bakers started in 2020 when the O'Leary family began selling sourdough to their neighbors and then grew into a food truck in the Chevy's parking lot. By early 2021, tales of the tasty treats had spread to BTM dancers, and a group of us would go regularly on Saturday mornings before our 11:30 ballet class. The staff working the truck knew us as their "dancer girls," and we were so excited when we heard they were finally opening a brick-and-mortar shop in Edgewater. They posted about hiring staff as we were finishing the 2021-2022 season, and I applied as soon as I could.
I'd never worked in food service before, but I knew the environment and community BMB had cultivated was unique. They cared about not only the quality of their food, but also prioritizing their connections to their customers, and I wanted to be part of their welcoming team. (And have easy access to the pastries!)
I have been working at Black Market for four years now, so you can find me all over the building doing many jobs: playing Tetris to fit croissants neatly in boxes, convincing people to try one more new pastry while checking them out at the register, complimenting sandwich choices while handing people their order, or even toasting sourdough for your avocado toast. Most often, though, you'll see me in my favorite spot behind the espresso maker. As a barista, I not only make the drink orders that come through, but I either arrive early (6 am!) to prepare necessary ingredients for the day, or I stay late to clean the machines and coffee corner.
As a girl with a sweet tooth, I love the delicious food we serve, but my favorite part is the community I've become a part of while working here--on both sides of the counter. Coworkers have become true friends, small children have grown up and become my ballet students at BTM, repeat customers have become patrons of BTM's performances, and one Sunday morning regular customer even got close enough to become my boyfriend. Ballet companies like BTM often feel like a family of friends; BMB has become another family for me, and I love having two homes in Annapolis.
I have no idea what the future holds for me, but Black Market isn't getting rid of me very easily! My bosses have been so supportive of my career with BTM, including working with our hectic schedule around the holidays and even donating food for the Sugar Plum parties during Nutcracker. As long as I'm in Annapolis, I hope to be part of the BMB community.
It's wonderful seeing the dancers of BTM explore their interests and achievements outside of ballet, especially as we look toward the beginning of our season.
As our summer break comes to an end, we're excited to return to the studio for our 2026/2027 season. You can catch us at the Maryland Renaissance Festival on September 5-7, 2026, and then again at Ballet in the Garden on September 19, 2026.
This exclusive VIP performance is not to be missed! Join us in the garden at Hammond-Harwood House for a curated performance of classical works and captivating excerpts.
