Alexis Schriock hopes to make ballet her career. She's been accepted to a summer intensive program at Ballet Magnificat, one of the top ballet companies in the country, and hopes to eventually have a chance to join the company and tour the world.
"I love it a lot," said Schriock, who has been a student at Rinat Mouzafarov's Institute of Dance and Ballet Theatre since the age of 4 and will be graduating from both Minot High School and Mouzafarov's ballet school in May. "It's kind of an escape for me. It's taught me so much."
Mouzafarov has been like a second father to her, said Schriock, who like other senior dancers at the school takes 25 to 30 hours a week of ballet classes.
Article Photos
Andrea Johnson/MDN - - From left are Brianna Berg, Laurel Collins, Macy Christianson, Chloe Ondracek and Alexis Schriock, with instructor Rinat Mouzafarov. The students were selected for different summer ballet intensives around the country. All are students at the Institute of Dance and Ballet Theatre in Minot.
She's also a top student academically, like many other of Mouzafarov's students. Dance has instilled a discipline that carries over into other areas of their lives. In his instruction, Mouzafarov emphasizes respect for parents and the sacrifice in time and money that families must make to help young dancers pursue their dreams.
The young dancers also perform at community events such as the Norsk Hstfest and gave a special performance for residents at a nursing home who couldn't attend the Hstfest last fall. Schriock will be dancing the role of Anne Frank in the ballet school's production of Anne Frank and Hatikvah at Minot High School-Central Campus May 6-8. The last time the company performed "Anne Frank," was a few years ago, when Schriock danced the role of Anne's sister Margot.
Five of Mouzafarov's students were accepted to summer ballet intensives at ballet companies across the United States, which required students to submit DVD auditions. Some of the girls were accepted to multiple summer intensives and will have to choose just one to go to.
Schriock was also accepted to the summer intensives at the New York City Joffrey Ballet Company, and to training at the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company.
Brianna Berg, Bottineau, was accepted to the summer intensive at the Ballet Theatre of Maryland and the Atlanta Ballet and will choose Maryland. Chloe Ondracek was accepted to the ballet intensives at both Indiana University and the Colorado Ballet.
Laurel Collins and Macy Christianson were both accepted to the summer intensives at Ballet West in Utah, the Bolshoi Ballet in New York City and Tulsa Ballet and will be going to the summer intensives at Ballet West.
"This is the best for me," said Mouzafarov, who loves seeing his students succeed.
Mouzafarov himself will be spending his summer as a master teacher for the Danish Royal Ballet.