“Five, six, seven, eight,” counted dance choreographer Seda Abay, to a group of girls in black and blue spaghetti-strap leotards with pink tights rolled up to their shins.
In synchronized steps, the girls repeated a short section of choreography involving leg extensions and jumps, part of Abay’s contemporary ensemble dance piece, “Dokooz.”
“Reach up, drop your head, reach tall, reach, lift,” Abay said, directing the room of dancers, as a cluster of parents watched through a viewing window in the hallway.
“She’s giving them a lot of really good tips,” one parent said.
In August, Abay began choreographing “Dokooz” at Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet in Venice. Eight girls have been rehearsing twice a week since, with the hopes of performing the dance for an audience. Three of them, Teryn Colmery, Amber Ray and Ana Thue, are from Manhattan Beach.
Recently, the group performed in front of a panel of judges at the regional Youth America Grand Prix student dance competition. After finishing in second place, Abay’s dancers were invited to compete in the finals in New York in April, where student dancers from around the world – France, Denmark and Japan, to name a few – will compete for more than $250,000 in scholarships.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for them to get out there and see the real world of dance,” said Abay, who’s been teaching dance for more than 10 years. “My expectations are high, because I know they can do it. My goal is to keep them pushing forward, get them to their best potential.”
Dance company recruiters will also be watching the competition to scout young talent. “I’m really excited,” said Colmery, a 12-year-old student at Manhattan Beach Middle School who has been dancing for seven years. “I just feel like, in that moment before we go on stage it’s going to be like, we were nervous in LA, and then we’re going to be in New York and be like, oh my gosh, our career depends on this.”
More than 200 dancers who’ve competed in the competition in its 13 years are now dancing for more than 50 companies worldwide. “I want to be a professional dancer, so I always try to keep that in my mind when I feel like I’m tired or I just want to go home and sleep,” 12-year-old Ray said.
For 15-year-old Thue, an aspiring dance studio owner, the pressure is what keeps her going. “The pressure makes me a better dancer, the adrenaline gives me more energy,” she said.
While the girls have each been dancing since they were toddlers, they just joined Grigoriev’s school this past summer. “(Yuri) views all three girls as extremely focused, very disciplined,” said Alexandra Grigoriev, translating for her husband.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Yuri Grigoriev opened his ballet school in 1997, after a successful career dancing for the Bolshoi Ballet and the Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet. “(Yuri’s) very impressed with how quickly they’ve been able to assimilate,” Alexandra continued, about the three dancers. “They take all the classes that we offer for them and manage to do all their homework and excel, I’m sure, in their school work as well.”
Thue, Ray and Colmery each take about 20 hours of dance classes each week, including ballet, modern dance and character.
All of the hours of rehearsal culminate into one performance onstage, the girls said.
“It’s hard to think it’s a one-shot deal,” said Jackie Ray, Amber’s mom.
“After all this time and preparation,” added Jeanie Sauder, Teryn’s mom.
While they’re excited about heading to New York, each girl’s passion for dance extends far beyond the competition. “I’m able to express myself without talking, I can express myself through dance and through moving,” Thue said. “When I succeed at it, I feel good about myself.”
For more information, or to contribute to the group’s trip to New York, email ygsb.yagp@gmail.com.
