Congratulations to our 2023 Graduate, Valerie Lin for receiving her first professional dance contract with HNK Split Balet / Croatian National Theater!
Graduate Interview:
Graduate Name: Valerie Lin
Year Started at Bayer Ballet: 2016
Bayer Ballet Graduation Year: 2023
Professional Contract: HNK Split Balet / Croatian National Theater
Biggest dance achievement(s):
Dancing lead roles in Bayer Ballet’s Snow Queen, Rose and the Butterfly - A Love Story, and Esmeralda Suite
2nd Place at YAGP San Francisco
1st Place at California Dance Classics
What did dance teach you?
Discipline–There’s a lot of etiquette involved like knowing when and how to show respect to your teachers, partners, etc. but also respecting your body, like keeping up with your routines and knowing when you should rest.
What has the school given you beyond ballet?
I met my closest friends at Bayer Ballet. We all probably spend more time together at the studio than at school or at home, so we’re all very good friends and I’m super thankful for the support system I have with my friends and teachers. No matter what happens, I’ll always have a family here at Bayer Ballet.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame through the study of ballet?
Learning how to get better and improve? (I think I’m still in the process of overcoming it hahaha) There are always things to improve and do better next time. Dance taught me how to recognize your own mistakes in order to improve, since you have to know what you’re doing wrong in order to do it right. And, in addition to knowing what is incorrect, you have to remember those corrections and apply it to your dancing to make it better. The application part is what makes dance difficult, because oftentimes remembering things is easy, but getting your body to cooperate with you is another story.
Your fondest memory at Bayer Ballet?
Master Classes with Ms.V and dancing Esmeralda last summer intensive (2022)!
How do you feel about the teachers at Bayer Ballet Academy?
It’s still mind-blowing to me that I got to work with these ballet masters from all over the world. I’ve learned a lot from everyone that Ms. Inna has invited to teach either for the school year or just a master class. It’d be hard to find somewhere else with the same level of care for students and attention to detail that we get from the teachers.
Do you plan to keep dancing?
Yes, I really want to keep dancing. I also hope I can return and continue dancing with Bayer Ballet in the future.
Dream for your future?
Being able to dance a lot, everywhere!
READ MORE GRADUATE PROFILES
ABOUT BAYER BALLET:
Founded in 2005, Bayer Ballet has gained international recognition for artistic excellence, as an educator of the Vaganova Method and producer of world-class performances.
Bayer Ballet Academy is the Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding School , Outstanding Organization - Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, Partner School of the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography, Nikolay Official Partner School. Our award-winning faculty directly hail from the Vaganova Academy and Bolshoi, where they received their training, teaching credentials and advanced graduate degrees in pedagogy. Graduates of the Academy have been accepted into prestigious programs, including those of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, Paris Opera, American Ballet Theatre, Royal Ballet, Princess Grace Academy, and Bolshoi Ballet. Students of Bayer Ballet, have danced in European and American professional dance companies such as: Mariinsky Ballet, Eifman Ballet Saint Petersburg, Atlanta Ballet, Hrvatsko narodno kazalište HNK Split Balet / Croatian National Theater, State Ballet in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria and more. RECENT HONORS: Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Outstanding School (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), Grand Prix (2020), Youth Grand Prix (2022, 2023), Hope Award (2023), Natalia Makarova Award for Artistry (2022); World Ballet Competition (WBC), Gold Medalist; Prix de Lausanne - 2 participants (2020).
Bayer Ballet Company, the 501(c)3 public charity organization, is dedicated to enhancing the cultural well-being of our community by contributing enriching cultural experiences and equitable accessibility to the art of classical ballet (Vaganova Method), through educational and interactive events and world-class performances.
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