At studio, Chicago

Most little girls dream of being a ballerina when they grow up. But let’s face it, girls today are more likely to grow up and work in an office. The truth is that a career in dance is taxing on the mind and body. But Samantha Gullace is a twenty year old ballet student at the Joffrey School of Dance who doesn’t let broken bones and empty wallets stop her from moving forward.

Sonic Eclectic: How long have you been dancing?

Samantha Gullace: Since I was two. But it wasn’t until I turned eight that I started getting serious about ballet and realized that I wanted to actually pursue it.

SE: So tell me about the Joffrey School.

SG: I’m gonna say it’s one of the top 5 ballet companies in the US. Joffrey is known for its classic “American” repertoire and high-energy ballets.

SE: Did you apply to other schools?

Gullace: in rehearsal

SG: I did, to a few other arts schools. But many of them had dance programs that weren’t challenging enough. And that’s when I realized that as a ballerina, formal college is less of an option. Because, in reality, the average time for dancers is age twenty to thirty five. Maybe forty if you’re lucky! The window of opportunity is so short.

SE: How does a dancer get a job?

SG: The “job interview” is an audition. We call them cattle calls because there are so many people. Sometimes up to three hundred. What’s worse is the directors only observe you for a brief moment, and if you don’t capture them in those few seconds, you get cut. Sometimes you don’t even get to dance if they cut you for weight, height, hair color, leg length, feet, whatever. No joke. It’s sick, almost.

SE: What financial difficulties have you faced as a dancer?

SG: The biggest thing is the inability to work. Besides the expenses for school, a side job is almost impossible because our schedules are that unforgiving.

SE: How frequent are injuries?

SG: I can have a different injury every week, every month, or have the same one for years. I actually had hip surgery last year because I’ve dealt with torn cartilage for three years. It sucks how sometimes you need to hold back because you don’t want to injure yourself more…but that’s when directors may or may not decide to replace you in a performance.

SE: What’s the payoff for dealing with all of this?

SG: The same feeling an artist gets, I think. My body’s a paintbrush and the stage is a canvas. It’s so rewarding to show everyone what I’ve worked so hard on for so long. Underneath the lights, in costume and makeup—not to mention the feeling of showing off knowing that I’ve earned the right to.

SE: How can the current dance industry affect a ballerina’s career?

SG: It’s a vicious cycle right now. Dancers are being paid less than they used to because companies can’t afford it, so they increase the ticket prices, but then the public doesn’t feel like paying for expensive tickets, so the companies don’t make money and can’t pay their dancers…and then over and over again.

Posing at a photo shoot

SE: Five years from now: worst and best case scenarios for your career?

SG: Worst case scenario: my plan B. I would go back to school for physical therapy—to help dancers mainly. But still dancing on the side, still going to auditions. Best case scenario? Being hired by a company in NJ where my family lives, being one of the principal dancers—lead dancer who gets paid the most—and maybe having a boyfriend or husband who supports me entirely for what I do for a living!

SE: What advice would you give to young dancers who are just starting out?

SG: Keep the love of the dream alive. If you want it that badly, then don’t let anything stop you. You might have to make adjustments along the way, but don’t ever stop loving it.

After training, the average dancer may go on to be hired by a company and perform in local events as well as those on national tours. The life of a dancer may be demanding, but Samantha Gullace is just one of many dancers who place the love of those little pink shoes over the paycheck.

Visit the Joffrey Ballet Company’s website at www.joffrey.com for upcoming events and performances.