Junior Claire Bauman’s day consists of more than school and the occasional drama rehearsal. Every day after school, she dances.

Most girls try ballet when they are little for about a year but soon give up—Bauman was different. She began lessons at age seven, and aside from a brief hiatus has never stopped. As in most sports, she has progressed and improved over the years and is now at the highest level in her dance studio, called “company.”

To get to this point, Bauman has given up much of the free time other teenagers take for granted—the time for watching TV, using the computer, or just plain slacking.

But with practice six days a week, two-and-a-half hours a day, slacking is not a possibility.

It’s not just time management that’s difficult. Bauman, being at the level that she is, has been en pointe since eighth grade. This means that she wears the traditional toe shoes and stands on the knuckles of her toes during practices and productions.

“Most girls go en pointe when they’re 12 or 13, though some go as early as 9. They tend to injure themselves more because they don’t have the strength to go en pointe–– it requires tremendous balance and control,” Bauman said.

“You can’t slouch, you can’t rest on your feet; otherwise you will fall. You have to be completely balanced and poised on your toes.”

Stories of bloody and mangled toes from being en pointe are infamous. Bauman said, “It is difficult. When I first went en pointe, my toenails bruised and two of them fell off. But you get used to it.”

Bauman participates in her studio’s productions, including “The Nutcracker” and a summer ballet. But she also does bal



let-free theatre. She is currently in the Broadway show “Swing,” by River City Theatre Company, March 7-8 and 14-15.

Bauman said drama is even more of a passion for her than ballet.

“I probably won’t join a company or go to a dance college,” she said, “I’m probably not g0od enough and they really don’t pay well.”

A professional ballet dancer in New York makes $500-1500 a week, depending on their rank and company.

Why put so much time into something she doesn’t want to pursue as a career? Bauman explained that ballet will give her a “leg up” on other aspiring actresses.

“Theatre has so much dance in it and ballet is such an advantage. Most dancing is based off ballet.”

When it comes to school, ballet has been as much of a learning experience as any of Bauman’s other classes. Because her life is so regimented, she has had to learn time management.

“I know I have to go to practice at six, and that I get home at four, so then I have to eat dinner and start my homework in between then. I know when I have to do everything.”

Despite her busy schedule, Bauman says dance doesn’t affect her schoolwork.

It does affect her friendships though—in a positive way. Although none of them go to the same schools, Bauman and the other girls in her studio are good friends. All the practicing and performing has brought them close together.

“Luckily, we all get along really well. It would be awful if we didn’t,” she said.

Aside from all the time they spend together, the girls also bond over the productions, which add even more rehearsal time to their busy schedules.

Before each production, dancers arrive two hours ahead of time to warm up and do hair and makeup.

“Getting made up is a big deal,” Bauman said. “We have extreme stage makeup: concealer, lipstick, tons of eyeliner, even fake eyelashes. We have competitions to see who can get the biggest eyelashes—mine were about an inch long.”

Costumes and shoes take time as well. Shoes must be clean, a difficult feat as the floors are often dirty. And costume changes are often hectic.

“I remember two years ago [in ‘The Nutcracker’] this girl and I had exactly a minute and 30 seconds to go backstage, change from an elaborate Chinese costume to a Russian one, and then run back on stage,” Bauman said.

For Bauman, ballet is a passion as well as a lifestyle. She regrets that many people don’t know enough about it—that the point is to tell a story, that it is both a sport and art, and that it is not only beautiful but very athletic.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “No matter what you do, you have to make it look easy, graceful, beautiful.”

Even more amazing, perhaps, is how Bauman does it all and still keeps up with six classes, including two APs—just like any top student.