We’re so proud to have five of our beautiful dancers graduating this year. To honor them and their accomplishments, we’ve interviewed them so everyone can get to know them and their experiences, dreams, and hopes for the future. Congrats to these gorgeous dancers—we’ve truly loved the opportunity to teach and grow with you!
Mikayla Small
Have you had any other training outside Studio R (including summer intensives)? If so, where and when?
Joffrey Ballet NYC Summer Intensive, 2023.
How long have you been at SRB? How long have you been dancing altogether?
I’ve only ever danced at Studio R Ballet, and I’ve been dancing there since I was two-and-a-half years old!
What made you want to start dancing?
My mom said even when I was a baby, I would always be moving my feet or dancing in some way. As soon as she put me in ballet, I fell in love with it and haven’t stopped since.
Why do you love ballet now?
Ballet made me who I am. I truly think I cannot live without the love and joy that ballet brings me! Ballet is the one thing that lets me express who I am and brings me so much happiness. I find myself constantly wanting to be at ballet because when I dance it’s like the rest of the world flows away. It’s just me and my teachers and my friends moving in a way that shows our hearts. When I dance, I feel I am showing who I truly am. Nothing in the world brings me the joy I feel when I dance.
What’s your favorite piece/variation to perform? Why?
I think my favorite role I have performed would have to be Kitri (from Don Quixote). I had so much fun performing a role where I could truly have fun and just express myself in so many different ways. I had the opportunity to make the movements my own and I couldn’t be more grateful for that experience! I was nervous to play Kitri, but I found I had really related to that character and tried to give it my all! From the way Kitri acts to the hard steps she performs, that role was definitely one of my favorites!
What’s your dream role?
My dream role is 100% Juliet from Romeo and Juliet. I have such love for that character and feel I relate to her so much! I have watched so many different versions and dancers perform Juliet and I love every single one! From the music to the dancing, Juliet will forever be my dream role in the world of ballet. Her character and her story is so touching to the heart.
What are your plans post-graduation?
I have signed to be a trainee with Nevada Ballet Theater!
Do you have a particular love for any other forms of dance?
I think all my love goes to strictly ballet!
How long does it take you to go through a pair of pointe shoes?
Depends on the pair! Some pairs could last me 2 months, others 2 weeks! Different makers break differently.
What do you like to do outside of ballet?
Outside of ballet, I am studying to become a cosmetologist, so I do hair and nails as a career!
Do you have any special memories or experiences from dancing with SRB?
My first year performing Clara in The Nutcracker, I was very little and only had one show! I had my nightgown on and I was ready for my quick change into the Clara tutu. I had walked off stage ready to change when I realized I did not have my Clara leotard I was supposed to be wearing under my nightgown! I had told one of my friends and she went running to the dressing room! Ms. Robbin was the Sugar Plum Fairy and had made up some improv on stage while I was late to my entrance. I remember Ms. Sarah telling me to go back on in my nightgown, but I insisted we wait until I got my Clara tutu on! I can still picture that whole experience in my head many years later! That was my first “mess up” on stage and will forever be the funniest story I have to tell!
What advice do you have for aspiring dancers?
Stay consistent! The constant days you spend at the studio are 100% worth it! You will grow to never want to miss a day and it will help you gain strength and love for ballet more and more!
Another piece of advice is to show who you are! Dance in a way that shows your true self! I could watch a dancer with many talents and tricks, many abilities to perform hard steps, and a dancer with good feet and legs and be entertained—but it would not come close to the dancer who shows her heart, the dancer who feels, the dancer who dances not only for the tricks but for the love of ballet and cares for every music note and every movement/step. That dancer I could watch for hours!
Anything else you want to tell about yourself?
I love Studio R Ballet with all my heart! I could not find another studio in this world that compares to the love and compassion I feel from Studio R Ballet! Thank you Studio R for giving me what I now can’t live without: dance.
Kambria Rogers
Have you had any other training outside Studio R (including summer intensives)? If so, where and when?
I started dancing at Ballet Etudes when I was four until I was ten. I’ve done a couple drop-in classes with Ballet Etudes and have attended their summer intensives before.
How long have you been at SRB? If you danced at any other studios, how long have you been dancing altogether?
I have been dancing for around 14 years. I’ve been dancing with SRB since 2019 so that’s about five years. I left Ballet Etudes because I wanted to try different styles of dance. For the next four years I went to multiple studios and did all styles of dance: hip hop, jazz, lyrical, tumbling, contemporary, and tap. Some of the studios I went to were Spotlight, Flips, Fuse PAC, and Wendy’s School of Dance.
What made you want to start dancing?
I was first put into dance because when I was little, my parents would always see me dancing around the house on my toes. I quit when I was about 9 and rediscovered my love for the art form after watching Ballet Etudes’ Nutcracker. I wanted to be like the girls dancing on the stage.
Why do you love ballet now?
Ballet is how I am able to express myself and step away from life for a couple hours. When I’m not at ballet, I feel like a part of me is missing. I love the feeling of being able to embody the music I’m dancing with to convey different emotions.
What’s your favorite piece/variation to perform? Why?
I love all variations I get to dance, but if I had to pick my favorite variation it would be Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux or Kitri in Act I of Don Quixote.
What’s your dream role?
My dream role is either Juliet or Giselle.
What are your plans post-graduation?
My post-graduation plan is to attend University of Utah’s summer intensive for four weeks in June and July. In the fall, I will be attending University of Utah and hope to double major in ballet and kinesiology.
Do you have a particular love for any other forms of dance?
Ballet is my first love, but I do love contemporary and jazz.
How long does it take you to go through a pair of pointe shoes?
My pointe shoes last me around three months.
How do you relax and repair your body after a strenuous day of training or performing?
I like to roll out my muscles with a foam roller or my massage gun and stretch or do yoga. I also like epsom salt baths when my body is really tired from all the dancing I do.
What do you like to do outside of ballet?
I love to read books or watch a show.
Do you have any special memories or experiences from dancing with SRB?
YAGP is one of my favorite memories with SRB. I loved having coaching sessions with teachers and working with them to improve my solo. Even backstage at YAGP, everyone is cheering each other on and it truly feels like one big family.
What advice do you have for aspiring dancers?
Try to remember what made you fall in love with dance and don’t forget it. Ballet is hard mentally and physically and it’s easy to get caught up in the need to improve and feeling frustrated because it feels like you aren’t improving. Remember why you dance and take time to dance for you.
Norma Bjede
Have you had any other training outside Studio R (including summer intensives)? If so, where and when?
I have danced at two other places—one when I was very young called Experience Arts School, where I did hip hop. The other did not have an official title and I danced jazz there.
How long have you been at SRB? If you danced at any other studios, how long have you been dancing altogether?
I started a bit late and joined SRB four years ago.
What made you want to start dancing?
I watched the movie I, Tonya about the figure skater, and was very inspired but I knew I would be a terrible figure skater so ballet was the best option.
Why do you love ballet now?
I love ballet because of the mixing of artistry and skill. It takes a lot to do ballet. When you do a move or step correctly is one thing, but when you are able to dance the step it is a wonderful feeling.
What’s your favorite piece/variation to perform? Why?
Nikiya’s death from La Bayadère or Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. Both are relatively easy to understand or learn, but both take a lot of energy and leave a lot of room for artistry.
What’s your dream role?
Juliet.
What are your plans post-graduation?
I would love to join a smaller company somewhere and dance.
Do you have a particular love for any other forms of dance?
I love contemporary and African dancing.
How long does it take you to go through a pair of pointe shoes?
Depends on what type I get, but normally a month and a half.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
I like to focus on breathing and calm myself.
What do you like to do outside of ballet?
I love art. If I were not dancing I would make that my career.
Do you have any special memories or experiences from dancing with SRB?
Too many to count! The staff has shown me so much grace when I started much later than other girls. The people there are so kind and lovable, it’s hard to walk away from that studio and not miss it.
What advice do you have for aspiring dancers?
Please, above all else, stop comparing yourself to other dancers. There are so many dancers that seem like they are better, but they have been where you are, too. Comparison is the thief of joy, so when you are practicing just focus on yourself.
Anything else you want to tell about yourself?
Not myself, but Studio R Ballet. It has been my privilege to be a student there. The staff is incredible, the students are more than attentive and kind. It has been an honor dancing there—I have learned so much from everyone there. Thank you, SRB!
Malia Frazier
Have you had any other training outside Studio R (including summer intensives)? If so, where and when?
I have only trained at Studio R.
How long have you been at SRB? If you danced at any other studios, how long have you been dancing altogether?
I’ve been at Studio R for seven years.
What made you want to start dancing?
When I was about three or four, my mom took me to see The Nutcracker and I stood up in the middle of the theater on my seat and said, “I wanna do ballet!” Ever since then, my mom kept taking me to ballets and I just loved how elegant and effortlessly beautiful it is.
Why do you love ballet now?
I love the hard work that you have to put it into ballet and how you get to make it your own. When you’re younger, you focus a lot on the technique, and as you get older you get to add the artistry to it and I love that.
What’s your favorite piece/variation to perform? Why?
My favorite variation is probably Kitri Act I from Don Quixote. I love how fun it is and how you get to be all sassy and flirty. I also like how fast it is.
What are your plans post-graduation?
I plan to go to Grand Canyon University to study Nutritional Sciences.
Do you have a particular love for any other forms of dance?
I enjoy character and how fun it is to exaggerate everything.
How long does it take you to go through a pair of pointe shoes?
It takes me about two to three weeks to go through a pair of pointe shoes.
What advice do you have for aspiring dancers?
Show up. The most important thing you can do if you want to get better is to show up and try. And don’t get discouraged. There are so many different paths you can take in dance.
Ava Kelsey
Have you had any other training outside Studio R (including summer intensives)? If so, where and when?
Yes! I trained at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City for 3 weeks over the summer!
How long have you been at SRB? If you danced at any other studios, how long have you been dancing altogether?
I have been at SRB for 15 years. I started when I was 3 and haven’t stopped since.
What made you want to start dancing?
My parents originally put me into ballet because they thought I would enjoy it. It clicked for me pretty fast and I started to love it a lot!!
Why do you love ballet now?
I love ballet more than anything because of the beauty it shows. The movement tells such a detailed story and portrays so much emotion. Ballet is both the most intense and wonderful art form there is.
What’s your favorite piece/variation to perform? Why?
My favorite piece to perform is the Kitri solo in Don Quixote. I love this variation because it’s so sassy and so much fun to perform, and you can really show off your personality while dancing.
What’s your dream role?
My dream role is both Kitri in Don Quixote and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
What are your plans post-graduation?
I will be joining the ballet company Ballet Frontier in Fort Worth, Texas, as a trainee in their professional ballet company.
Do you have a particular love for any other forms of dance?
I really enjoy doing jazz and contemporary! Jazz is so much fun and it allows me to show a whole other side of my dancing abilities. And with contemporary, it is similar to ballet, but it requires a lot of freedom in the movement and body.
How long does it take you to go through a pair of pointe shoes?
It takes me about 2 weeks for my shoes to be pretty dead, but I usually wear them for 4 weeks.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
I like to stretch while listening to music that calms me down. The studio also does a group prayer before our performances that will always stick with me.
How do you relax and repair your body after a strenuous day of training or performing?
I sleep a lot!! I also ice my body and wherever is hurting at that time. Epsom salt baths help a lot!
What do you like to do outside of ballet?
Outside of ballet, I like to hang out with my family and friends and just spend quality time with the people I love.
Do you have any special memories or experiences from dancing with SRB?
I have so many memories with SRB considering I have been there since I was 3. A super special memory to me was when my ensemble first got invited to the YAGP finals in New York City! I was in 7th grade and it was my first year doing YAGP. Robbin pulled us all into the studio and told us we had been invited and I have never been more excited. We all jumped and cried together and we knew all of our hard work paid off. I will never forget that memory!
What advice do you have for aspiring dancers?
The advice I would tell aspiring dancers is that it’s okay to feel burnt out and tired sometimes. You will constantly be busy and doing so many intense things on your body, so it’s normal to feel more burnt out from what you are doing. But the most important thing is to always come back and find your love for it again. Take a break and come back with an even better work ethic and attitude. Aspire to be great and don’t let yourself back down from any challenges or competition you may face. If you are always coming back to the studio with love and hard work, all of your efforts will show and you will be appreciated.
Anything else you want to tell about yourself?
I’m just so grateful that I was able to be a part of this amazing studio for so long. I have never been anywhere else where there is that much of a sense of love and gratitude for the art of ballet. The teachers and instructors at SRB have taught me more than I could learn in a lifetime. I want to say thank you to Ms. Robbin especially. She has been a second mother to me my whole life. Robbin deserves so much credit because she is the most hard working and dedicated woman I know. She does so much for us and never complains. She is an angel and a blessing in my life and I will forever love her.
