Rising star Alexis was born to dance
Alexis Davis Smith could be a star in the making.
Watch her as she takes centre stage as part of United Dance Productions’ Recital 2015 this weekend. It’s one of the last times the 18-year-old will perform with the local company before she departs for the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in September.
The Saltus graduate has a scholarship with the renowned school; she’s especially proud to follow in the footsteps of her mentor, UDP founder Suzette Harvey.
“People always ask me why I look up to ‘Harvey’,” she said. “It’s because she lives her dream.
“She pursued what she wanted her whole life. I look up to her for that, I think it’s phenomenal. I hope to one day do the same, to be able to say, ‘I love my job’.”
Alexis began with UDP at the age of three. A combination of hard work and talent gained her admission into its Junior Company [see sidebar]; she’s also been recognised by Teen Services with an Outstanding Teen Award for Performing Arts.
She’ll study dance at UArts, one of the oldest universities in America dedicated to visual and performing arts, design and writing. She hopes the opportunity will land her a spot with a professional dance company.
At the moment her sights are set on another institution Ms Harvey was part of, Philadanco! The Philadelphia Dance Company.
She’s grateful for the foundation she got from UDP.
“I started at three and I’ve been there my whole life,” she said.
“They’re like my family. I used to call ‘Harvey’ my mummy.
Everyone is so connected, it’s such a family environment. Nobody’s left out.”
What most impressed her during her 15 years at UDP was how dedicated all of her teachers were, she added.
“I’ve had teachers brought in from the States — Virgil Gadson of [popular television show] ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, was a teacher at UDP for a year. I had a teacher Keira Martin, I was young when I had her, but I always remember her as being so articulate in her movements — and there was always lots of humour. My teacher at the moment is Carling Ray, who is a cousin of mine. She’s a phenomenal teacher but any teacher there is just so dedicated to the kids. They get out of their beds every Saturday morning just for us and they stay til five just for us. That dedication is what made my experience a great one.”
Alexis beat out 30 dancers vying for the UArts scholarship. The accomplishment came as no surprise to Ms Harvey.
“When it comes to scholarships, they’re usually give to males before females because female dancers are a dime a dozen,” she said. “She’s a very talented dancer. I know that I will see her on the international stage.”
Alexis will next dance as Anna, one of the leading roles in UDP’s ballet recital of the hit movie Frozen. The show takes place at Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday at 7pm. Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com or directly from UDP, 541-9933.
Alexis Davis Smith is one of many dancers who have benefited from a special programme at United Dance Productions.
Teachers there offer free lessons to gifted students every Saturday.
The rules of the Junior Company are strict: no skipping rehearsal, no wasting time.
“It gives them the opportunity to learn at an advanced level,” said UDP founder Suzette Harvey. “It’s a free programme that has good results. [Our teachers] give up that time each week because they’ve had training as a young person in Bermuda. It’s all about passing the torch.”
The students are divided by age for the “intense training” classes.
“We’re blessed to have three studios so they can break into age groups and teachers work with each age group on different things,” Ms Harvey added.
“It helps build different techniques and it’s [especially useful] for dancers who are interested in college-level dance.
“All our dancers who have gone through the programme have gone off and made dance careers. Eric Bean, Rikkai Scott, Dawnita Smith — they’ve all come out of that programme. And that’s what I think has made our dancers. We’ve done it over ten years.”
About 30 students are currently enrolled in the programme. Each was required to audition; all train for free.
Dance institutions abroad have noted how the students have benefited, Ms Harvey said.
“My alma mater [University of the Arts] would say that our students were coming in looking like kids from performing arts high schools. They were wondering how we were keeping them [at that level] when we only have one hour practice every afternoon. It’s the junior company that’s kept them at that level.”
