The Baird Sisters- Emily and Ellen- know a good deal when they see one. That’s why both applied for and received APEX (Advising, Planning and Experiential Learning) Fellowships. Emily, a junior theatre and dance major from Steubenville, Ohio, spent her summer as a student of the Six Week School at the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC., where she familiarized herself with different dance styles and benefitted from the exposure to other students with the same passions.“It’s really quite amazing to be surrounded by so many people who love to dance,” she said.
In addition to taking classes with the entire faculty and learn different styles of dance, Emily, whose sister (Ellen) received an APEX Fellowship last year, also had the chance to watch performances by three professional dance companies. “A summer experience like this is the perfect opportunity to study dance intensively in an environment that allows me to completely immerse myself in the field,” she said.
Emily recognized the imperative support that her APEX fellowship provided her with to attend the American Dance Festival (ADF). “ADF always seemed more like a dream than a real possibility,” She said. “I never expected that I would be lucky enough to be admitted to the school. But here I am, thanks to APEX.”
By Kanika Issar ’15