Lindsay Davis has been taking ballet lessons since she was three years old. But when she came to Duke, Davis was not sure that ballet would play a major role in her life. "I was burnt out," said the senior. "I wanted a normal life."
As a young girl, Davis often went to see the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet in her native Ohio. Even at her young age, Davis said she knew she wanted to be a part of the company. She then joined at age seven and danced with the group until she graduated from high school.
"Ballet was pretty much my life," Davis said. She practiced for hours every day and spent her summers participating in different intensive programs all across the country.
As she neared the end of high school, Davis was unsure about her dancing future. She decided to go to college and forgo the chance to audition for professional companies.
While Duke's dance program was definitely an appealing factor, Davis said she did not use dance to determine which school she would attend.
"I thought I'd be able to walk away from ballet, but I couldn't," said Davis. She began taking classes a few times a week and soon found herself dancing every day at Duke.
Davis said she gives a lot of credit to the structure of Duke's dance program. While her old ballet school was very strict, the Duke program is more flexible.
Duke Dance has allowed her to thrive, according to M'Liss Dorrance, director of undergraduate studies for the dance department. "As a dancer she has the long-legged line and quicksilver speed of a New York City ballerina and the wit to match," Dorrance said.
Although she will graduate with a degree in history and is finishing up her thesis, Davis says her plans have changed, and she will pursue dancing after graduation.
Since January, Davis has been away from Duke every weekend auditioning all over the country. She has received a few offers and is waiting to hear back from a few more companies.
Davis said the process is very frustrating because it is so competitive, but Dorrance believes she can succeed. "Lindsay can carve a space out for herself in the very competitive professional arena," she said.
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