As I sit in front of my computer pondering what I would like to share about my class, I’m struck by the abundance of options. Perhaps I could write about how we are enjoying our last semester together or I could give an update on the process of Senior Production. Maybe I could write about the overwhelming feelings of excitement, anticipation and occasional doses of fear that are saturating the school hallways as we think about how we want to shape our artistic careers after we walk across the stage in a cap and gown. But as each new topic pops into my head, I can’t help but wonder how we got to this point. How did we become seniors in the blink of an eye? What were the last three and a half years like? With our relentlessly busy schedules it’s rare when we get the opportunity to sit and reflect on our time at Juilliard, but I was able to reconnect with some of the many feelings and memories we’ve experienced here using the help of a few of the faculty members. Our teachers have arguably been the most influential aspects in developing us as artists and they have expressed what it was like for them to help guide us through these four years.
FIRST YEAR: A Fresh Start!
The first year at Juilliard felt like being on one exhilarating roller coaster ride lasting nine months long! New city, new friends, new teachers, and a whole new life we were creating for ourselves. We were the fresh faces of the dance division and everything was ten times the normal level of excitement. According to Lawrence Rhodes, artistic director of the dance division at Juilliard, the school and faculty were just as excited at the beginning of our freshman year. He mentioned the long process of auditions and how “the real delight, excitement, and happiness comes when people enter the school. Certainly when this class arrived at the school, we were all very, very thrilled.”
SECOND YEAR: Going Back For Seconds
Our second year was the first year of feeling officially initiated into Juilliard. We knew our way around the school (at least the third floor) and we were finally able to dance with the upperclassmen in our first Spring Dances Repertory concert.
Second year was aptly named because it was quite literally the year of seconds. It was our second year taking music and dance history classes as well as Graham technique class from the inspiring Terese Capucilli:
“There was, in this class as Freshmen, a vibrancy and hunger that permeated the room when I walked in to teach. Embracing curiosity to the ever-inspiring depth of Martha Graham's physical language, each dancer, no matter their background coming into Juilliard, discovered a sensation, an enlivening of their expressive capabilities. Sophomore year brought with it a maturity of being, pushing physical and expressive boundaries and the realization that they owned the work they did in this two year journey. As they moved forward, what they would do with this gift that they had given themselves through their work, would be entirely up to them. It is a great responsibility.”
THIRD YEAR: Half Way There!
There was a turning point by the time our third year rolled around. We realized that our aspirations of being professional working artists were soon going to become a reality. The beginning stages of transitioning from a group of dance students to independent, professional artists was underway. We were upperclassmen now, having accumulated a wonderful amount of knowledge and continued to learn new things, some from faculty members we had in our first year and worked with again during our third year, like our Limon and contact improv teacher, the wonderfully insightful Laura Glenn:
“Meeting all of you in your first year was meeting young dancers full of the ‘Wow, I got into Juilliard,’ working hard, but without a sense of the awake, focused, grounded dancers I re-met in contact improv... from the "wow" to the sense of purpose and goal and a weave of a class/team. Focused and grounded and deeply supportive.”
FOURTH YEAR: The Final Chapter
We made it!. . . almost. At this point, we are beginning to see something on the horizon, but still can’t quite make out what is waiting for each of us at the end of this exhilarating journey. . .well, the end of a very thrilling beginning! This year has been dedicated to paving our own paths for our professional careers and trusting the immense experience and knowledge we’ve gained here while also fulfilling our final responsibilities as students. As we step into our futures, our associate director, amazing teacher, and dedicated Senior Production mentor who has seen us through our journey at Juilliard, Risa Steinberg, shared a few words of wisdom to send us off into the professional world:
“I am finding that every time I try to remember the class as freshmen, I can only see who you are now; a strong collective made up of unique, passionate, gifted and compassionate young adults. What words can I offer you at this juncture? Breathe, there is no one time line for anything. Be true to yourselves; stay focused on the process of living and working and be open to the ideas you have not yet thought of.”
This is just the main goal I have for myself this closing semester - keep breathing. Keep breathing through all the auditions, the exciting moments, the hardships, everyday in class, every new adventure, the cherished moments with my incredibly talented classmates, and everything in between. We will keep breathing and looking ahead to see what the next four years of our lives will hold!
Written by: Tiare Keeno
FIRST YEAR: A Fresh Start!
The first year at Juilliard felt like being on one exhilarating roller coaster ride lasting nine months long! New city, new friends, new teachers, and a whole new life we were creating for ourselves. We were the fresh faces of the dance division and everything was ten times the normal level of excitement. According to Lawrence Rhodes, artistic director of the dance division at Juilliard, the school and faculty were just as excited at the beginning of our freshman year. He mentioned the long process of auditions and how “the real delight, excitement, and happiness comes when people enter the school. Certainly when this class arrived at the school, we were all very, very thrilled.”
SECOND YEAR: Going Back For Seconds
Our second year was the first year of feeling officially initiated into Juilliard. We knew our way around the school (at least the third floor) and we were finally able to dance with the upperclassmen in our first Spring Dances Repertory concert.
Second year was aptly named because it was quite literally the year of seconds. It was our second year taking music and dance history classes as well as Graham technique class from the inspiring Terese Capucilli:
“There was, in this class as Freshmen, a vibrancy and hunger that permeated the room when I walked in to teach. Embracing curiosity to the ever-inspiring depth of Martha Graham's physical language, each dancer, no matter their background coming into Juilliard, discovered a sensation, an enlivening of their expressive capabilities. Sophomore year brought with it a maturity of being, pushing physical and expressive boundaries and the realization that they owned the work they did in this two year journey. As they moved forward, what they would do with this gift that they had given themselves through their work, would be entirely up to them. It is a great responsibility.”
THIRD YEAR: Half Way There!
There was a turning point by the time our third year rolled around. We realized that our aspirations of being professional working artists were soon going to become a reality. The beginning stages of transitioning from a group of dance students to independent, professional artists was underway. We were upperclassmen now, having accumulated a wonderful amount of knowledge and continued to learn new things, some from faculty members we had in our first year and worked with again during our third year, like our Limon and contact improv teacher, the wonderfully insightful Laura Glenn:
“Meeting all of you in your first year was meeting young dancers full of the ‘Wow, I got into Juilliard,’ working hard, but without a sense of the awake, focused, grounded dancers I re-met in contact improv... from the "wow" to the sense of purpose and goal and a weave of a class/team. Focused and grounded and deeply supportive.”
FOURTH YEAR: The Final Chapter
We made it!. . . almost. At this point, we are beginning to see something on the horizon, but still can’t quite make out what is waiting for each of us at the end of this exhilarating journey. . .well, the end of a very thrilling beginning! This year has been dedicated to paving our own paths for our professional careers and trusting the immense experience and knowledge we’ve gained here while also fulfilling our final responsibilities as students. As we step into our futures, our associate director, amazing teacher, and dedicated Senior Production mentor who has seen us through our journey at Juilliard, Risa Steinberg, shared a few words of wisdom to send us off into the professional world:
“I am finding that every time I try to remember the class as freshmen, I can only see who you are now; a strong collective made up of unique, passionate, gifted and compassionate young adults. What words can I offer you at this juncture? Breathe, there is no one time line for anything. Be true to yourselves; stay focused on the process of living and working and be open to the ideas you have not yet thought of.”
This is just the main goal I have for myself this closing semester - keep breathing. Keep breathing through all the auditions, the exciting moments, the hardships, everyday in class, every new adventure, the cherished moments with my incredibly talented classmates, and everything in between. We will keep breathing and looking ahead to see what the next four years of our lives will hold!
Written by: Tiare Keeno