Among the talented artists at San Luis Obispo High School, we have many people involved in dance, either through a company in the community, our own school’s Twinkle Action Dance Team, or in some cases, both. Expressions went out and interviewed senior Molly Moore to get some further insight into the world of pirouettes, grand jetes, performances and more. Molly has been dancing since she was very young and although she says “[dance] is an exhausting and stressful” experience, she feels that it is “completely worth it.”

Expressions: When did you start dancing?

Senior Molly Moore: I started dancing when I was 3 years old so I’ve been dancing for almost 15 years.

Expressions: What do you like about it?

Moore: Nothing beats performing in front of a full house. It’s an amazing feeling to be in the middle of dance completely absorbed in the song and the movement and forgetting about the outside world. Plus I’ve made some of my closest friends through dance.

Expressions: What is your favorite style?

Moore: My favorite style is contemporary because it leaves room for a lot of creativity.

Expressions: Do you plan on pursuing dancing as a career, why or why not?

Moore: I don’t plan on pursuing a career because a dancer’s career is typically very short and it’s really difficult to find jobs.

Expressions: How has dance shaped you as a person?

Moore: Dance has forced me to be able to handle a lot of stress and be able to prioritize. I take a lot of AP classes and we don’t usually get home from dance until 9:30 or 10:00 so I’ve had to learn to make adjustments in my schedule.

Expressions: What studio do you dance at?

Moore: I dance at the Academy of Dance with the Civic Ballet.

Expressions: Where can people come see you perform? What future shows will your company be doing?

Moore: We’re performing The Crucible with La Fille Mal Gardee on April 15 and 17 at the Spanos Theatre (Tickets are available now at pacslo.org). You can also see me dancing at rallies with the Twinkle Action Dance Club.

Expressions: What is the hardest part about dance?

Moore: The hardest part about dance is the rigorous schedule it requires. I’m typically at the studio 15-20 hours a week.