Melanie Rodrigues | Pursuing Dance Professionally

What do you want to do when you grow up? Hear the stories of some Ballet 5:8 dancers and their journey to pursue dance professionally.

Senior Apprentice, Melanie Rodrigues

Q. When did you start training in dance?

A. I was 5 years old. 

Q. When did you know you wanted to dance full time?

A. Sometime in junior high or the beginning of high school.

Q. What are the first steps to a career in dance?

A. I highly recommend joining a dance studio that will build a solid foundation for your technique. As far as after high school, I think you should decide if college is right for you. I think it is great option to continue training especially if you can double major! I decided that joining a trainee program would be the best route for me after high school. Also don’t be afraid of taking a gap year to give yourself time to research and audition. I took a gap year, and it turned out to be such a blessing! 

Q. What was the most challenging part of building a career in dance?

A. For me the most challenging part was not comparing my journey with someone else’s. And not being discouraged if someone else excelled faster than me. 

Q. What do you enjoy most about being a professional dancer?

A. I absolutely love the beginning of the creation process of new works! Being able to create something new with a choreographer is so much fun!

Q. What valuable skills have you seen yourself develop through dance?

A. Learning to give myself grace when things don’t go the way I want them too. And also having a healthy confidence to dance with boldness while maintaining humility to hone my technique.