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HomeIda Saki 2009

Ida Saki [17]  Buster Cooper Jazz Scholarship                   




Ida, 17, attended the Complexions Contemporary Ballet intensive this past summer. There she thrived by watching and learning from other dancers. Ida on stage is simplistically honest and always relates her dancing to a story. Ida, with her larger than life personality, strives to become a professional dancer with a contemporary company. Ida is always dancing; even when she is relaxing, she can be found improving.
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My summer was filled with so many opportunities, learning experiences, and challenges that would not have been possible without Dance Council and Mr. Buster Cooper’s generous scholarship.

Attending the Complexions Contemporary Ballet summer workshop in New York City was the highlight of my summer full of dance. Before attending, the director of the workshop gave me the option of attending the younger division, where I would be among dancers my age, or attending the older, professional division. Without a doubt, I went for the challenge and decided that even if I wouldn’t be able to keep up with these professional dancers, just watching these dancers would be a learning experience. To my surprise and although it was a challenge, I was able to keep up with the dancers, and I learned so much from being in that professional atmosphere. Being a visual learner, I was able to change my ways of dancing by watching the dancers surrounding me, along with the breathtaking Complexions company dancers.
The two biggest dance concepts that the intensive focused on were my two biggest goals to fix as a dancer. With these concepts in mind, I felt like I left the intensive as a changed dancer and viewed my dancing in a different way. I have been very interested in dancing for this company in my future, and I was blessed to be able to work directly with the artistic directors and current company members.

This workshop has been the first formal summer intensive I have ever been able to attend and because of expenses, I would have never been able to attend and learn as much as I did without the scholarship I received from Buster Cooper and the Dance Council. I am very grateful for all the experiences I had this summer, and cannot thank Mr. Cooper and Dance Council enough for the opportunity. Thank you for being a part of artists pursuing their dreams giving them a chance to learn and grow.

Thank you again for making this summer an incredible one.