[ot-caption title=” Sophomore Hannah Burnstein performs a variation. (via Rachel Rutstein, Junior)”]

This week, Type One talked all things dance with sophomore Hannah Burnstein. This dancer opens up on all the knowledge she’s gained from her career and education in dance. We learned about her challenges, favorite memories, and so much more.

T1: How old were you when you started dancing?

Hannah: When I was eleven I started taking classes at school. I was fourteen when I started doing dance intensives during the summer.

T1: What is your favorite genre of dance? Why?

Hannah: My favorite genre would have to be ballet because it’s the most disciplined, and it’s the only one I have been taking for that long. I haven’t been trained in anything else.

T1:  Are you taking classes related to dance?

Hannah: Yes. I take ballet during school, pointe after school, I practice for “Dance Etc” on Tuesdays and Thursdays and an extra class Wednesdays. Also, the ballet has rehearsals every Saturday.

T1: What is your favorite thing about dance?

Hannah: I think that my favorite thing is how much it teaches you. Without dance, I wouldn’t have as much as a handle on my academics. It teaches you time management and other important things that aren’t solely dance.

T1: What is your favorite memory in your dance career?

Hannah: This summer I went to Scotland, and I performed Alice in Wonderland. I stayed in Scotland for two weeks, and it really was amazing.

T1: What is your favorite piece you’ve danced in?

Hannah: My favorite piece would have to be Swan Lake last year.

T1: What is your favorite quote? Why?

Hannah: “I never said ballet was easy” – Brenda Gooden. Enough said.

T1: What are three words to describe yourself?

Hannah: Energetic, happy, and sleepy.

T1: What is some important knowledge you have gained from dance?

Hannah: I think that it teaches you to be respectful. I had one teacher that if you yawned in class would kick you out. It really teaches you that no amount of respect is too much.

T1: How would you describe your creative process?

Hannah: A lot of times when I listen to music for fun I’ll find a song I want to choreograph to. Then I start just dancing around my living room. I don’t really have a creative process. I usually just find a song I think I can dance to.

T1: What is your biggest challenge?

Hannah: Dancers are supposed to have 180 degree rotations in their leg from their hips, but I have very forward hip sockets. So, I basically have no rotation in my hips, and I have to work against that a lot.

T1: How will you use dance for the rest of your high school/career?

Hannah: Like I said, I think it teaches time management which you really need. I’ll use the knowledge I’ve gained throughout the rest of high school. Dance can make you get home really late and all you want to do is sleep, but you still have to do homework. It teaches you that you’re still going to have to pull through if you’re tired, and that’s an important lesson I’ll carry with me.

T1: Are you working on anything currently?

Hannah: It’s too early to start choreographing. However, the dance department is working on A Christmas Carol, which is this week, so I’m kind of freaking out. It’s really fun.

T1: What do you hope people will take away from your work?

Hannah: I hope that people think dance is easy. I hope they think it looks easy. Then, once they ask me or other dancers about it, they’ll realize it’s not. The whole thing about dance is that it looks really easy when it’s really painful.