STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Charlotte Ford
Where do you go to school? What grade are you in?
Charlotte is in 5th grade at UMS.
Do you remember your first ballet class? What was it like?
Charlotte's first experience with ballet was when she was 4 years old and living in the small village of Kaiserwerth, a northern suburb of Düsseldorf, Germany. Charlotte was strong willed and hated trying new things. She wouldn't do anything that she couldn't do perfectly the very first time. Out of frustration, her mother searched for some activity to enroll her in. Soccer and swimming and music lessons were too far from our home to get there by train and the Fords didn't have a car in Germany. BUT there was a ballet school in the center of the village, across from the grocery.
Charlotte’s mom, Christine Ford, called and in terrible German asked about classes. The lady who ran the school was named Frau Grobstas-Mayer (“Frau” is the German equivalent of “Mrs.”). She gave the Fords a date and time to bring Charlotte to the ballet school. Christine thought it was for her first class - but when they got there, Frau Grobstas-Mayer took Charlotte into the ballet studio for a short tryout - mostly to make sure Charlotte was interested, coordinated and could follow instructions. The Fords didn't realize it had been an audition until Frau Grobstas-Mayer contacted the Fords a week later to let them know that Charlotte had been accepted into her school.
After both the tryout and her first class, Charlotte was stary-eyed. She loved every minute of every class after that! She ballet-skipped and danced everywhere she went (which was everywhere because, remember: no car). After several months in Frau Grobstas-Mayer's class, Charlotte asked how ballerinas danced on their toes. Her teacher took down a pair of pointe shoes for Charlotte to see and explained to her in a very stern tone how special they were and how hard someone must work to be able to dance in them and that not every dancer gets to dance in pointe shoes. THAT was the moment that Charlotte, the girl who wouldn't try anything she couldn't do perfect the first time, set her mind on dancing in pointe shoes. She's worked hard at getting to those pretty pointe shoes ever since!
What brought you to Classical Ballet of Mobile?
After moving back to the U.S., the Fords tried another ballet school but Charlotte didn't get the kind of teaching and personal attention that she was used to in her German ballet school. We heard from a school friend about Classical Ballet's emphasis on ballet and the great teachers and smaller classes and we switched. It has been the perfect place for her!
What has been your favorite part of dancing Classical Ballet of Mobile?
The teachers are committed to helping their students grow as dancers and as young ladies. Each girl gets the personal attention they need.
What's the hardest part about ballet?
Posture
What's your favorite ballet?
The Sleeping Beauty
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Charlotte wants to be a geneticist!