Ballerina set to take the stage at America Dance Awards
Fairhurst will perform four routines: Giselle, Swanhilda, a trio called Ice Castles and a group dance called Sundown
LOCAL ballerina Melissa Fairhurst (13) is set to dance her heart out at the upcoming American Dance Awards.
The young ballerina is one of the many dancers from all over the world who has been handpicked as a finalist to perform at the dance awards.
The grade 7 Shangri-La Academy learner will fly out to the United States on Thursday (July 7) for the awards, which which take place from July 10 to 14.
Speaking about the competition, the Kempton Park dancer says she is feeling “nervous but excited at the same time”.
Fairhurst will perform on July 12 and has prepared four routines: Giselle, Swanhilda, a trio called Ice Castles as well as a group dance called Sundown.
Each routine is adjudicated by three judges, plus one designated special awards judge who recognises special qualities in the dancers.
All her dance outfits have been custom-made, which Fairhurst together with her mother Sarah helped design.
Fairhurst fell in love with ballet at the tender age of 10 and has never looked back. She trains from Tuesdays to Saturdays at the Wells Studio of Ballet in Edenvale.
Each session is never less than an hour – now that’s some serious dedication and passion, which is why she was named as the best competitor in the 12 years and under category at the East Rand Dance Festival in September last year.
She also participated in the Dance World Cup qualifiers held in Pretoria in March this year.
She hopes to be a professional ballerina one day and might just consider branching out into contemporary dance.
But for now, her first love is ballet.
“I love the way ballet calms and relaxes me, and I get into my own world when I dance,” Fairhurst says about ballet.
