Lezlie Gray | Pursuing Dance Professionally

What do you want to do when you grow up? Hear the stories of some Ballet 5:8 dancers and their journey to pursue dance professionally.

Senior Apprentice, Lezlie Gray

Q. When did you start training in dance?

A. I was 2 when I started. 

Q. When did you know you wanted to dance full time?

A. I knew I wanted to dance full time when I was 8 after seeing my first ballet, The Nutcracker.

Q. What are the first steps to a career in dance?

A. Seeking good training. Private lessons were a huge help to me as well. 

Q. What was the most challenging part of building a career in dance?

A. Auditioning a lot. It’s hard to schedule and manage your time especially when you have all of your other current commitments to still be a part of.

Q. What do you enjoy most about being a professional dancer?

A. I’m so blessed I get to do my dream job and share my passion for dance with others. Performing is definitely my favorite thing about the profession.

Q. What valuable skills have you seen yourself develop through dance?

A. I’ve grown so much as an artist in my dancing and am always striving to grow more and more. Besides skills that relate to dance itself, some life skills I’ve developed through dance are time management, etiquette, and how to work well with a team.