I’ve always loved ballet.  I never joined a dance academy myself, but I remember how the stories of learning to do splits or some other choreography always sparked my interest in elementary school.

I didn’t give much thought to dance until I was in high school, where there were choreographed performances done by the different dance classes. I remember sitting and watching the performances and thinking that ballet was truly a work of art. It’s incredible what people can do with their bodies, but to see and experience an entire story comprised of only body language is incredible.

When I found out that one of our options for a compensated performance at Stockton was a ballet, the choice was ridiculously easy – I didn’t even have to look at what play or story they were doing. It would be the first official ballet I would ever attend, and I was extremely excited!

On Wednesday, October 24, 2012, I arrived at the PAC to watch the Atlantic City Ballet Company perform Dracula. My expectations were pretty high, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was able to follow the whole story without getting lost. The dancers, coming from 9 countries across the world from each other, were able to work together effortlessly. Everyone, from the set makers, the costume designers and the make-up artists were just as talented.

The ballet told the story of Dracula, a story I wasn’t 100% familiar with, in incredible detail. The most impressive part of it was that there were no words spoken, and story relied solely on the movements of the dancers. It was amazing – the costumes, the dancers, and the set. I’m extremely glad I went, and it has furthered my respect for professional dancers. I’d love to go again next year!