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Ballet Mistress – Miss Gladysue Hovis

Transcript:

My name is Gladysue Hovis. I have been asked to be the Ballet Mistress for Move Dance and Fitness.

A Ballet Mistress is one who organizes a dance program, oversees curriculum, and runs rehearsals, and just generally helps dance directors keep everything going.

My philosophy regarding ballet is it should be taught well. It is your dance technique and I believe the students should take time to learn it properly.

What is going to be different?

We’re going to emphasize technique even more, working on the technical aspects of proper execution and form.

Tell us about your dance background.

Started in Los Angeles when I was eight years old. I went to a parks and recreation ballet program and the teacher there said she needs to go somewhere else, which delighted my mother.

So we went to a teacher who was formally with New York City Ballet, Mary Claire Sale and I danced with her till I was 12 and then I started working with Los Angeles Junior Ballet with Irina Kosmovska, who was also a former Balanchine dancer and so I worked with Los Angeles Junior Ballet and then when it became Los Angeles Ballet, I worked with them under John Clifford. I did that for five years. Then I went to college and got a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in dance, moved down to Houston, worked with the Jewish community center of Houston, their dance program, and worked there for five years. Then went down to Galveston, work with Galveston ballet, then moved out to Columbus, Texas, and ran my own studio for 16 years and then moved to Katy and ran a studio for six years.

What has dance done for you?

I’ve been teaching all ages, ages three to adults, for about 30 years. Dance has been a huge blessing in my life. It’s given me, as a performer, confidence, the ability to learn that I can push my limits. I can push myself beyond what I think I can do, and then just given me the opportunity to be a teacher and to help children and adults learn this beautiful art of dance ballet.

I am excited to be the new Ballet Mistress for Move Dance and Fitness. I’m excited to have a great year and to work with all these dance students.