The Dancer's Journey: Pre-Professional Training
- Cindy Case
- Jan 12
- 7 min read
One of the most common questions that professional dancers get asked is how we became professionals. We've previously discussed the entire journey to becoming a dancer, but let's zoom in on one critical period: the pre-professional training phase.
Although dancers have typically tackled several years of ballet classes by the time they decide to pursue it as a professional career, they are usually quite young when they and their parents make that important commitment to pursue vocational training. Because ballet is such a stereotypically youthful career, the clock is ticking for dancers to start young in order to prepare for company life.
As a result, young dancers are frequently ahead of their non-dancer peers when it comes to their maturity, independence, and personal responsibility. Some dancers may enter serious training programs, move away from home, and independently manage their academics--all before they learn to drive or graduate high school! Fortunately, the right program and teachers can make all the difference in helping dancers navigate this important time.
No matter at what age a dancer enters a rigorous training program, that decision shapes their lives in the following years. I caught up with BTM dancers Sarah Jung, Brayden Page, and Mimi Hardin to learn more about their pre-professional training and how it has influenced their careers.
Sarah Jung
Soloist dancer Sarah Jung spent two years attending the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. There, she was able to pursue serious training while also completing her high school education.
Sarah says, "The school offered a unique experience that blended rigorous academics with intensive arts training, giving high school students a taste of a college-style environment. As a boarding school, we lived on campus and had both our academic and artistic education fully integrated into our daily lives."
Their academics ran from 8:30 to 1:30, followed by dance classes and rehearsals until 5:30 or 6:30. Sarah adds, "Dancers selected to compete at Youth America Grand Prix had additional rehearsals in the evenings after dinner, often working until around 8:30 p.m. After that, we returned to our dorm rooms to complete homework and prepare for the next day!"
This intensive schedule was not without its challenges. Sarah explains the sacrifices she had to make:
"Because I attended a boarding school in South Carolina while my family lived in North Carolina, I spent much of the school year on campus and was not able to see my family as frequently as I would have otherwise. With a demanding schedule that included dance training Monday through Saturday and academics Monday through Friday, Sundays were my only day off. While I always went home for holidays, most of the year was spent fully immersed in the school environment. This experience taught me independence and helped me learn how to stay focused, grounded, and connected to my goals while balancing the personal sacrifices that come with high-level training."
Ultimately, Sarah attributes her high school experiences to helping her develop discipline, good time management, and other important skills that have served her well in her professional career.
"Because my academic and dance training were fully integrated into the school day, I was able to receive significantly more hours of daily dance technique than what is typically offered in ballet school programs. Not only did this extended training time allow me to dig more deeply into both my modern technique and classical repertoire, but it also gave me a better understanding of how to take care of my body, preparing me for a professional company schedule."
Brayden Page
Company soloist Brayden Page was able to pursue his pre-professional dance studies at Anaheim Ballet School while attending the University of California, Irvine as a BFA student.
He says, "It was a unique experience for me, as I was able to work in a semi-professional setting in school and at a company, get to know and talk to a lot of amazing teachers and dancers, and still get stage experience."
Brayden speaks positively of his experiences at Anaheim Ballet and UC Irvine, but he acknowledges that it came with some important and sometimes challenging lessons.
"There were definitely some sacrifices I had to make. Training at a high level is never easy. For me, sometimes I missed a birthday, sometimes I sacrificed extra time relaxing to get some extra practice in, or even going in on a weekend for a rehearsal and not ending up dancing. That last part was definitely challenging. I was also battling injuries constantly. I would try to push through discomfort, and would end up hurting something a little more. Overcoming overworking is one thing that I thankfully learned because of one teacher."
Although there were challenges, Brayden found that his training helped prepare him for his professional career:
"I would say that I greatly benefited from my training. Being able to think quickly on your feet or remember something like a combination that has seven parts really has an impact on helping me learn choreography more easily than before. I also benefited from the endurance aspect of having to continue going in rehearsal without a break, even when tired, or the endurance to go for an hour, take a long break, then start again from the top while exhausted. The training I received pre-professionally benefited me in many, many ways, but it has always taught me the effort of putting yourself out there while still being modest, as that goes a long way."
Brayden had this advice to offer aspiring dancers: "I think that all dancers should really try not to focus on just being the best in ballet. What we want to focus on is just being your better self, doing the work and taking class whether you want to or not. Sometimes you don’t feel like it, but just going that extra step and getting yourself there will make you slightly better each day, even without you noticing. I never thought the little days in and out would show, even when you don't feel like taking class, but in the end they do."
He adds, "Finally, remember that you need to be your own person when you dance. Yes, you might need to dance like everyone else, but if you can bring yourself through and try to find yourself in whatever you’re doing, even in class, people take notice. It makes you genuine as a dancer and artist."
Mimi Hardin
Mimi Hardin started her journey extraordinarily young: she was only thirteen years old when she joined Colorado Ballet's pre-professional program.
She says, "Our training extended well beyond a traditional ballet class. Alongside daily technique, we studied Variations, Pas de Deux, Pilates, Gyrokinesis, Modern, and participated in specialized workshops with guest instructors—including music theory sessions led by the conductor of the Colorado Symphony. We also competed at Youth America Grand Prix, where we were honored as finalists, an achievement that affirmed the rigor of our training. The year concluded with the academy performing Swan Lake on the same stage as the professional company. I had the privilege of dancing both a Little Swan and a Princess."
"Artistically, I grew tremendously; however, the experience also challenged me in unexpected ways. At just thirteen, I was the youngest dancer in the room, and navigating relationships with older peers was not always easy. Those early days taught me resilience and how to exist in a competitive, professional environment—lessons that would follow me throughout my career."
Next, Mimi spent a year training with mentors in New York City and was accepted into Steps on Broadway's pre-professional program, which marked a turning point for her training.
Mimi says, "While performance opportunities were fewer, the emphasis was clear: to show up fully and perform in every class, every day. I learned how professionals learn, work, and carry themselves, and I quickly integrated those standards into my own approach. Working with experts to hone my dance craft in Hip hop, theater jazz, Horton, contemporary dance, along with ballet training under Met Opera’s Dance Director, Linda Gelinas, and New York City Ballet’s Kurt Froman expanded the breadth of my training."
It was also an opportunity to expand her horizons after focusing primarily on ballet and modern dance. She attributes this to her becoming more versatile and expressive as a dancer, as she learned to translate her skills across disciplines.
When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered dance studios, Mimi continued to study with Steps; over Zoom, she felt the same sense of community as she continued training with others around the world, including time spent training online with the Danish National Ballet and Vaganova.
She says, "At the end of the year, I was invited to perform a senior solo in New York. Performing in person again--and feeling the unwavering support of the faculty--was profoundly meaningful."
"My pre-professional years were marked by extraordinary highs and deeply challenging lows. There were many moments when I felt I had to re-earn my worth daily, and as a minor, I was unfortunately subjected to negative commentary about my body. My generation of dancers should be the last to be told to 'lengthen their line' as a euphemism for shrinking themselves. Instead of focusing solely on what is wrong, we must lead with kindness, patience, and encouragement. Every student—regardless of age—deserves to hear what they are doing right, while being guided thoughtfully toward growth."
"Ballet changes you. It shapes not only your technique, but your character. While there were painful moments in my journey, none of them outweighs the joy, growth, and fulfillment I found through my training. I forged my own path, met extraordinary artists who genuinely cared for my development, and learned invaluable lessons doing what I love most… dance."
Excited to see these dancers in action? Join us on February 13 and 14 for Momentum: A Mixed Bill. You can catch all three dancers in the show and also witness Mimi's choreographic debut at BTM!
