Spotlight Interview: Aurora Tights x Anniyah Gillet

We recently had the pleasure of getting to know Anniyah! She is a nine-year-old dancer who has been dancing for seven years and is beautiful inside and out. Here is our interview with Anniyah:

How old were you when you started dancing?

My mother signed me up for dance classes at Danse Xpressions in New York when I was two years old. I took ballet, tap, afro, gymnastics, jazz, and djembe drumming. I moved to Maryland two years ago, and now I go to Ballet Nouveau dance school in Baltimore. I take ballet, jazz, acro, contemporary, and I recently got promoted to demi-pointe.

Has it been hard to keep dancing during the coronavirus pandemic? How have you been training at home?

Before COVID 19, I took classes four times per week. During COVID 19, we had class on zoom calls. My ballet barre helps me to practice during the week. Training at home hasn't been too hard, but I like dancing in the studio better because sometimes there are technical issues and we cannot see the teacher. On Tuesdays, we have field day, so we have the chance to dance outside. 

What is your favorite style of dance? Why?

My favorite style of dance is jazz because I have a lot of fun doing sassy walks and combinations. It's a great way to express yourself.

Anniyah at the Ballet Nouveau photoshoot at Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

Who is someone that inspires you? Why?

My godmother Doreshia inspires me because she helps me practice for recitals and competitions. She comes over and helps me clean up my steps, or we have facetime meetings to practice. She is always there to support me.

Describe how you feel when you perform.

I feel powerful when I perform with my friends because we work so hard to get our dance moves correct, and when we finally go on stage to dance, it feels good. Sometimes I get nervous, but I breathe or talk to an adult about how I feel and feel better.

I saw that you competed in your first competition recently. Congrats on getting 3rd place, that's awesome! Were you nervous about competing?

I was very nervous because it was my first competition and I made mistakes during practice. There were many other dance schools there, but I went on stage and did my best. We ended up getting 3rd place. It was a great experience.

Anniyah at the On Point National Dance Competition where she performed a lyrical dance trio, Laurel, MD.

What is your favorite memory from dance?

My favorite memory from dance was when I had my sixth birthday party at Danse Xpressions because I had cupcakes, pizza, and a dance party with my friends.

I saw that when you grow up, you want to become a doctor and open a dance school. That is very cool! Why do you want to do this? 

I want to open a dance studio so that I can provide classes for less fortunate people. I also want to become a doctor so that I can help to find a cure for cancer.

What do you think will be different about the world when you're an adult?

When I'm an adult, I think people won't judge others based on their skin color.

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Also, check out our Semi-Annual Sale this week and our new Aurora Tights Kids page on Instagram @auroratightskids for our Live Chat with Anniyah and much more!