Get to know Batavia area dancer Madeline Howard
BATAVIA, Ill. — While 16-year-old dancer Madeline Howard loves the joy her dancing brings to others, it’s ultimately for herself that she says she dances. “I love dancing because you can make it your own in any way you want,” she shares. “It’s something I’ve always used to escape in the sense that no matter how my life or relationships are going, I know I can always go to the studio and put my mind at ease with taking a class or even just putting my earbuds in at home and dancing on my own.”
Madeline, who is a sophomore at Batavia High School, has been dancing for as long as she can remember, but she says she started taking it more seriously around age 7 or 8 when she began attending a lot of ballet classes and participating in different performances. She has trained at a number of different studios over the years, including at Ballet 5:8 in Orland Park, which is a professional company that trains pre-professional dancers. She currently trains in ballet at Elise Flagg Academy of Dance in Geneva where she is at the most advanced level. She’s also a member of the Batavia High School dance team.
And although Madeline has participated in many different styles of dance over the years, it’s ballet that drew her in, given its uniqueness in the world of dance compared to the other styles. “I think I was mainly attracted to ballet the most because of its structure and the beauty of the music mixed with the elegance and gracefulness of the movements,” she explains.
As in many sports, excelling in the world of dance requires a strong commitment. Between dancing with the Fox Valley Ballet program, taking classes, and dance team practices and competitions, Madeline spends countless hours honing her craft. “I’ve always thought you get out of it as much as you put into it, and that becomes very evident with being a dancer because if you are serious about your training, you have to put in lots of hours of practice.” And those hours of practice come at the expense of other things, such as family gatherings or weekends out with her friends. Additionally, dancing so much can be hard on the body, and Madeline knows this firsthand, as she’s been injured many times throughout her dance career. “I tend to push through and not in a good way,” she shares.
She says she’s getting better at listening to her body and giving herself a break when needed. She also says sometimes she falls into the trap of comparing herself with other dancers and becomes discouraged. It’s at those times that she remembers what her mom has always said to her: “You dance only for yourself, and comparing yourself to others isn’t going to make you a better dancer. Remember how much you love to do this.”
When she’s not dancing, Madeline likes to hang out with her friends, listen to music by Taylor Swift, read, and volunteer throughout the community. She says she does not plan to pursue dancing as a career but would love to continue dancing in college by either taking classes or minoring in some sort of ballet style.
Unlike some dancers, Madeline says she doesn’t often get nervous before performances but instead feels excited. “I’m usually not the type of dancer who is super nervous for performances, and I think it’s because I am always so excited that I don’t have time to be nervous.” She especially loves participating in the community’s performance of The Nutcracker every season, which she has done since she was about 7 years old. “It makes me so happy to see the little girls who come to see us in the show and take pictures with them afterward,” she shares. “I love the fact that I can do what I love and also bring others so much joy.”
Madeline will be performing in The Fox Valley Nutcracker on November 26-27 at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre. Tickets are on sale now at foxvalleynutcracker.com.
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