By Elizabeth Goldman
Sports Editor
Senior Shannon Farrell teaches private ballet and hip-hop lessons to elementary school students.
Farrell has trained in every style of dance, from ballet, jazz and hip-hop to bollywood, African and tap, since she was three. She ascended levels quickly and by sixth grade, she was part of her studio, Fifth Row Center’s elite jazz team, dancing 18 to 22 hours a week. Sophomore year, however, she decided to prioritize academics and now focuses primarily on ballet and pointe. Farrell currently only spends five to six hours a week in the studio.
“Ballet is my favorite type of dance because it’s the hardest,” Farrell said. “It requires so much self-discipline, and the amount of technique that goes into it is so complex. I just fell in love with how you can be striving for perfection but you can really never obtain it.”
Farrell’s first experience teaching dance was in seventh grade with her studio’s outreach program, Brightest Hour, where she taught hip-hop to underprivileged kids. After realizing her passion for teaching, her sophomore year, Farrell began giving her own private and group lessons.
“I’ve always been a natural leader and love sharing my knowledge with other people,” Farrell said. “This summer too, I got into the Long Beach Ballet Intensive, [which] strengthened my passion for ballet so much, and I got so excited about taking on new clients and [spreading] information with new girls.”
Farrell’s lessons range from teaching kindergarteners basic ballet technique to teaching fifth graders more intermediate level skills. Farrell focuses on teaching engaging dances and moving around with her hip-hop lessons.
“Building technique from a young age is important because when you get to my level, that’s where you really see it shine through,” Farrell said. “With my hip-hop classes, it’s also [about] having fun and [giving kids] a creative outlet.”
For some kids, Farrell’s lessons are for extra practice on technique, while for others, her lessons provide a private, commitment-free, and COVID-friendly space to enjoy and learn how to dance. According to Farrell, being able to share her knowledge and passion for dance with younger girls is a really rewarding experience. She loves knowing that she is building personal connections with students as not only a teacher, but a friend.
“Dance is such a foundation and a backbone of who I am, not just because of the self-discipline that goes into it, but all of my experiences involving dance have taught me so much about myself and connected me to my body,” Farrell said. “It’s such an amazing feeling to watch [these kids] and know that [I] had a positive impact on not just their dance journey, but their childhood.”
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