Colorado Springs Dancer Shines at London's Royal Opera House A student of the Ballet Society, Angela Wood, 18, begins her professional career with one of Great Britain's leading companies: the English National Ballet.
Colorado Springs Gazette July 30th, 2010 Photo by: Johann Persson
By Donna Lorrig
The Royal Opera House is packed. Even standing-room-only spaces for The Royal Ballet School's season ending performance have been sold out for weeks. As the lights dim, the vocal hum is silenced by the curtain rising. For this afternoon is all about dreams being realized. It all began with the dream of Dame Ninette de Valois the visionary, who established a school to train the best ballet dancers in the world from which arose great ballet stars, including Margot Fonteyn. Then there are the shared dreams of the graduating students on stage today who will begin professional careers upon completion of this performance at some of the most prestigious dance companies in the world.
Yet, even amidst this display of quality and grace there is a particular standout on stage. Cast as the lead in two of the show pieces is Angela Wood, an 18-year-old who hails from Colorado Springs. Her pirouettes, partnering and leaps receive admiring appreciation from the audience and each bow is greeted with more enthusiastic applause. The accolades will no doubt continue as Angela now begins her professional career with one of Great Britain's leading companies-The English National Ballet.
Having begun her dance training here in Colorado Springs at age 10, Angela enjoyed plenty of local success. "I had a tremendous opportunity through my training at Ballet Society (of Colorado Springs) to develop my artistry through some incredible experiences," said Angela. "Starting when I was twelve I was given the chance to dance some leading roles including, Swanhilda in the ballet "Coppelia," Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty," Odette in "Swan Lake," Cinderella, Firebird, Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy in "Nutcracker." I can never say enough for how the time I spent at Ballet Society changed my life."
During her 7 years at Ballet Society, Angela earned numerous dance scholarship awards including multiple Colorado Springs Dance Theatre's Esther Geoffrey Awards and Denver Ballet Guild Scholarship Competitions. She also attended summer intensives at Ballet Magnificat! in Jackson, Mississippi; Kaatsbaan International Dance Center in New York; Ballet Austin in Texas, Canada's National Ballet School in Toronto. In the fall of 2008 she also toured briefly with the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet's Nutcracker. Clearly, here was a rising star in our midst.
"In all honesty I'm not surprised at all that Angela has achieved this extraordinary level of success," said Patricia Hoffman, the Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Society of Colorado Springs who attended the Royal Opera House performance. "From the moment she stepped into the studio, it was obvious that she was a special talent. When it became evident that she had the work ethic to match, I knew that she would one day have the chance to dance onto the world stage. But I would be lying if I didn't admit how thrilling it was to see her in the limelight in London."
It was January 2009 when Angela, at age 17, leapt from the local into the international dance scene. Within hours of her first class at The Royal Ballet School she was accepted into their program. From that moment on Angela has been realizing her dream. Over the last 18 months she has performed several times with The Royal Ballet School, including a special performance before Prince Charles and his wife Lady Camilla, and touring to Japan; receiving prestigious scholarships and awards; and before graduation signing her first full-time working dance contract with The English National Ballet.
"In December of 2007 I'm teaching a Master Class in Colorado Springs at Ballet Society when I see this girl stretching on the bar," said Estonian Meelis Pakri, a faculty member for The Royal Ballet School's upper division. "I'm thinking, she must be a professional dancer in to take class. "I watch her, give a few corrections, and talk with her afterwards." Pakri felt she not only had the talent and training needed to be a professional dancer, but also all the tools necessary to make ballet into a successful career. "Angela is special. Even in class it is like she is onstage already."
Even with this tremendous recommendation, Angela didn't immediately head to London. "We really wanted Angela to stay reasonably close to us if possible," said Tricia Wood, Angela's mother. "She spent a month-long audition at Canada's National Ballet School and went to New York City for a special audition with the Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis School, the training program for American Ballet Theatre. But it was not until she submitted an audition DVD to the Royal Ballet School, almost exactly one year after first being seen by Mr. Pakri, and was invited to attend a one week audition at the Royal that we felt real peace about her direction. Although we loved that we had been able to have her train right here in town for so many years, Patty (Hoffman) urged us to give her the chance to be seen internationally."
"We have a philosophy at Ballet Society to help our students achieve their dance dreams," said Hoffman. "Angela dreams big and really is the 'whole package' for a dancer: talent, determination, focus, dedication and stage presence. I felt a huge obligation to help her succeed and knew she was prepared to have her career launched from an international venue. It certainly seems our prayers were answered." This young dancer is now to be found in the Corps de Ballet of the English National Ballet.
"I'm just taking it one day at a time," said Angela. "There is still so much I have yet to learn, and I'm looking forward to working with some truly great artists. I'm so blessed that some of my dreams have turned into reality."
Don't be surprised to find her name on the marquee in the coming years.
Please Note You will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view these documents.
