Lindsay Cregier started dancing at age 3, when her mother enrolled her in ballet classes through the local park district. At age 14, she moved away from home to study dance at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida. Last year, she auditioned - and was accepted - at the prestigious Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts in Torrington, Connecticut.
Cregier is one of 30 residential students at Nutmeg. Her many instructors are all professional dancers. She takes classes in ballet technique, point, and partnering; in addition, she rehearses for upcoming roles. She likes to dance in a variety of roles and ballet styles because she learns something different from each. What she likes best, however, is to perform. All in all, she says, "I dance an average of 36 hours a week."
Cregier attended classes at a regular school while a student at Harid. That meant she was in school in the morning, danced during the afternoon and evening, and then had homework to do every night. She made good grades but found it difficult to study after a full day of work.
Recognizing that her schedule at Nutmeg would be hectic, Cregier decided to complete her high school diploma through distance education. Her family researched a number of different high schools and settled on Indiana University High School because of its academic reputation. "We knew that good academics would help me get into college one day," Cregier says.
Cregier is currently enrolled in four courses. "The main benefits of Indiana University High School are the flexibility and scheduling," she says. "I can study in the morning or at night, in between running errands and doing laundry. There are disadvantages - it's harder to stay focused, and you have to be diligent - but I like it better than regular school."
Now a senior, the gracious and poised 18-year-old looks forward to beginning her career with a professional dance company. In fact, she will spend many weekends during the coming months traveling to auditions throughout the country.
Cregier understands that these are hard economic times for the performing arts and that she is not guaranteed a position. With that in mind, she has applied to several colleges for the coming fall. And even if a professional dance company does offer her a position, Cregier plans eventually to attend college. "When my dance career is over," she says, "I would like to be a psychologist."
In the meantime, Cregier will pour her heart and soul into dancing. "Ballet has always be a main part of my life," she says. "I love to dance!"
