Freshman Greta Pilgreen tightens the ribbons on her shoes and rolls her shoulders back. When the classical ballet music begins, she transforms, moving across the floor in a blur of turns and jumps.
As she lands her jump, she feels her toe snap.
She has just sprained it.
After visiting the emergency room, she was told she “would never dance again.” But that didn’t halt Greta’s determination.
Ballet has been part of Greta's life since she was 3 years old.
Now a freshman, Greta trains at the Kansas City Ballet School, where she dances in the second-highest level of the program, a placement reflecting years of training five days a week, for multiple hours a day, with extra private training to refine technique.
During the school year, she attends ballet classes, rehearsals and conditioning.
“On the days I end earlier, I go straight to homework and try to finish as much as I can,” Greta said. “On days that I end later, I have to drive home and try to work for as long as I can before I need to go to bed.”
But the work doesn’t stop when the school year ends.
For the past three years, Greta has attended summer ballet intensives, a competitive program where dancers train for one to four weeks with professional instructors. A typical day at an intensive can begin in the morning with technique class and continue into the evening with pointe work, variations and choreography.
“You’re basically dancing all day,” Greta said. “It’s exhausting, but it’s also really exciting
because everyone there loves ballet as much as you do.”
Getting into those programs requires an extensive audition process, according to Greta. Many dancers attend a combined audition, where representatives from multiple ballet schools watch a single audition and decide which dancers they want to invite to their summer programs.
This year, Greta is going to the School of Philadelphia Ballet for three weeks, while also receiving invitations to Nashville, Sarasota, Cincinnati and Sacramento.
This year, however, will be different for Greta after loss of practices for the auditions due to her toe sprain.
“I’m injured, so it was kind of stressful to think about, like, what if I don't get into some of the intensives that I would like to go?” Greta said.
Instead of focusing on the pressure of her injury, Greta said she tries to concentrate on the dance classes themselves, distracting her from school and social problems.
Sophomore Caroline Kruse, who trains alongside Greta, said: “Greta’s work ethic stands out through her love of dance.”
“Greta works really hard,” Kruse said. “I was really bummed when I saw she was injured, but I know she’ll work hard to regain her health.”
Behind the scenes of dance classes and constant homework, Greta has another strong supporter: her mom, Katie Pilgreen.
From supplying food, driving to classes and taking Greta to recent physical therapy appointments, Katie seems as if she does it all, according to Katie.
While Katie helps with the physical needs, she’s also one of Greta’s biggest supporters.
“She’d been doing ballet for so long now [that] I've seen her ups and downs,” Katie said. “I know how to support her physically and mentally by talking her through her problems and maintaining discipline.”
Caroline said that discipline carries into the studio as well.
For now, Greta isn’t looking too far ahead. Instead, she focuses on improving each day she steps into the studio.
“She’s really focused when we’re working,” Kruse said. “But she also keeps things positive. If something is hard, she’ll stay focused and keep pushing.”
As rehearsals end, the dancers pause before the teacher calls them back to the stage. Greta adjusts the ribbons on her shoes and steps into line again.
The music starts.
And before the first count finishes, Greta is already moving across the floor.
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