Jessica Flynn gets her dream: from student to corps member at New York City Ballet - Young Dancer® - excerpts from her journal

Dance Magazine, Sept, 2003 by Jessica Flynn

A radiant dancer with a rock-solid technique, Jessica Flynn caught the eye of many observers at the School of American Ballet Spring Workshop in June 2002. She attended her first summer session at SAB, the official school of New York City Ballet, in 1998, and in 2000 she was asked to stay for the year. Her teachers included Kay Mazzo, the director of the school, Suzi Pilarre, Suki Schorer, Antonina Tumkovsky, and Darci Kistler. Jessica, who just turned 18, kept a journal of her path from student to apprentice to corps member.--Editor

Thursday, June 4, 2002, is a day I will never forget. It was just a few days after the taxing but glorious whirlwind that is the SAB Spring Workshop. Kay Mazzo told me dial at 6:00 P.M. I should come to her office for a meeting. When I, along with several other students, arrived, Suki, Suzi, and Kay were in there as well as Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins. He informed us that we would be apprentices with NYCB starting on October 15. He then asked us if this was what we wanted. and we all giggled. It was what I had always wanted! Suki, Suzi, and Kay gave us all hugs, kisses, and congratulation. This made the occasion sort of bittersweet, as I realized I would miss taking class with the teachers al SAB. After leaving the office, we indulged in some eelebratory screaming and hugging. I called my mom, but I was so excited that l had trouble communicating. Throughout tire rest of the summer, I would have to stifle squeals of joy whenever I thought about it in public places.

On the morning of October 15, I would have been very nervous to take company class if it hadn't been for the other apprentices. They me a wonderful group of people, and it was hard to feel nervous with them by my side. Company class is an amazing experience. "You get to watch and dance with some of the best dancers in the world. The pianists play fun and inspiring music; my personal favorite is the theme song from Harry Potter. The teachers create a laid-back atmosphere, yet the combinations are challenging. It is rewarding when you feel that you've risen to the challenge. Sometimes, company members hoot or holler when their colleagues do something especially well. They welcomed us, but I couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated those First Few weeks.

One day, in Merill Ashley's class, I slipped while taking off for an attitude turn. My feet fell from under me and I crashed to the ground with a sickeningly loud thud. My whole body was contorted and my face was squashed against the floor in such a manner that I could see everyone's horrified face staring at me. Tire pianist stopped playing as I struggled pathetically to stand up. Everyone was concerned and caring, but I blushed crimson and was modified. That stands out as being my worst apprentice moment, seconded by my first Nutcracker performance, when the top of my headpiece came off during Spanish and bobbed tip and down behind my head for the remainder of the dance.

As City Ballet apprentices, we do a lot of understudying. We have to pick up the steps quickly, because we often are "thrown-in" for all injured or sick dancer. A lot of the ballets have complex steps, spacing, and counts, and I go over nay parts before I go to bed. Although I performed frequently throughout the Winter Season, each time was thrilling. Often, I only perform in the last ballet, but we have to be there at half-hour call.

The first ballet rehearsed was Peter Martins's new work, Thou Swell, for the Winter Gala. My fellow apprentice, Sterling Hyltin, and I got to understudy the four cocktail waitresses. The music was some catchy tunes by Richard Rodgers that my friend and I were humming incessantly! During the complete rehearsals, which meant that the principals were there, it felt incredible to he with some of my all-time favorite dancers like Jenifer Ringer and Darci Kistler. Although I wasn't in fire gala performance, I eventually got to dance in Thou Swell. I have also performed in Western Symphony, Symphony in Three Movements, Symphony in C, Ballade, Back Concerto V, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, and Carousel: A Dance, and have understudied Square Dance, Eigh! Easy Pieces, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and Soiree. The vast and diverse repertoire is one of the exciting things about New York City Ballet. Dancing Balanchine's choreography on the New York State Theater stage often gives me chills, because it's exactly what I have always dreamed of doing. It never ceases to amaze me that I am dancing on the same stage as the dancers that I've idolized since I was young.

Apprenticing does not guarantee you a place in the company, which made me a bit anxious. In order to get your corps contract, you must either receive a direct invitation front Peter Martins or perform in nine ballets in one season.

On Saturday, February 22. I thought an easy day was in store for me, since I wasn't scheduled to perform that night. During class, Tommy Lemanski, the City Ballet regisseur told me that I'd be performing the second waltz in Vienna Waltzes because the corps dancer that I had understudied was ill. Before Vienna, Tommy told me that I would be replacing the same dancer in the evening performance of Christopher Wheeldon's Carousel. tie then said, "Mazel tov!" because it would be my ninth ballet! I was excited but shocked, especially since I had never understudied Carousel. After Vienna, Assistant Ballet Mistress Lisa Jackson and Christopher Wheeldon congratulated me on having nine ballets, then proceeded to teach me Carousel. The rest of the day went by in a blur, but somehow the performance went OK. My parents, who had seen almost ever?, ballet I was in, made it in from New Jersey at the last minute.