#FacesOfBalletPgh: Chyrstyn Fentroy of Dance Theatre of Harlem
#FacesOfBalletPgh: Chyrstyn Fentroy
Dance Theatre of Harlem dancer
Dance Magazine has praised Chyrstyn Fentroy, of Dance Theatre of Harlem, for her “chameleon-like adaptability,” “technical prowess” and “charismatic stage presence.” Pittsburghers saw it all firsthand when she performed opposite DTH’s Jorge Andrés Villarini at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Pointe in Time: Gala Giselle in November. The Los Angeles native left guests enthralled with her evocative performance of Vessels, and she’s now dancing in several works on the PBT+DTH program in Pittsburgh. Fentroy trained with Ruth Fentroy and with Joffrey Ballet before joining Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she’s in her fifth year as a company member. Dance Magazine recognized her among its “25 Dancers to Watch” of 2015 and featured her as its cover artist for the month. She’s also a recipient of the 2016-2017 Princess Grace Honorarium, a prestigious honor for emerging talents in theater, dance and film. Here is what makes this talent tick:
Describe your first encounter with ballet. What hooked you?
“My mom was a professional ballet dancer, so I was introduced to the art form at a very young age. I remember growing up watching her perform from the wings. By the time I was 3 I had even learned the entire “Sugar Plum Fairy” just from watching her so often. I think growing up seeing her amazing musicality really gave me a deep appreciation not only for ballet but also for music. Often times I can hear a piece of music and I can almost feel the music inside of me and I have a lot of fun taking class and rehearsing solo works and trying to find all of the different ways I can play with the music. It really keeps me engaged and excited to come back for more.”
When was your ballet “epiphany” – the moment you knew you wanted to pursue this art form not only as a hobby but as a career?
“I knew this was something that I really loved and wanted to pursue as a career when I spent my first summer alone in New York City. Something about the idea of waking myself up in the busy city to head into the studio to work towards a new goal every day became sort of an addiction to me. I love learning something new about myself and the world around me every day, and ballet is a tool that really allows me to do that.”
What was one challenge that you had to overcome in order to make your dream a reality?
“When I began studying ballet full-time, I was your stereotypical “bun-head.” I was obsessed with perfection. I was obsessed to the point where I was inflicting damage on my mental and physical health. I would get incredibly angry at myself for anything that I considered the tiniest bit of failure unknowing that I was setting the bar impossibly high for myself, but fortunately I came across a teacher that gave me a serious reality check. Simply put – he told me that no director would ever want to hire an angry dancer. And as simple and obvious as that statement may seem, it really turned on a light in my mind and I began working on myself from the inside out and doing so, I fell in love with the freedom I found in loving myself and what I was given. No one is perfect and everyone has something to offer.”
What is it about ballet, and dance, that sustains your dream and rewards your hard work?
“Lately, I have been really intrigued by works that allow me to have a voice louder than my own. I know that I may not be able to make a difference in the world in one day, but the idea that I might be able to give power to someone who can is incredibly empowering. I want to continue to deliver the message of those today and those who came before me. I want to use my body to provoke thought and be heard.
Overall, in a world that is chaotic and often times dark, dancing reminds me that I am alive. That I am only human – but also that I am human! The possibilities that lie within our bodies and minds are endless!”
What excites you about ballet’s future and its possibilities?
“I think that the ever-changing world around us influences all forms of art and that alone excites me because it means that I will always learn and explore something new and that there will always be room for growth and new forms of inspiration that I may not have ever expected.”
When you dance, what do you hope to impart through your performances?
“Every time I step on the stage, it is my goal to make the audience feel something different than what they felt when they walked in the building. And that can be something different for every person, whether it be a reminder of the time they fell in love or what it feels to be angry. I want to be a relatable artist because when it comes down to it the thing that every person on this planet can relate to is being human. An audience member may not be able to understand a tendu or many pirouettes, but we all are human; we all feel.”
Why do you think ballet – a centuries-old art form – remains relevant to people today in 2017?
“As I mentioned before, ballet continues to evolve as the world does. New choreographers and innovators are born every day with a modern view on what dance should be in comparison to everything happening around us. I think it’s these new creations and the pairing of them with the restaging of classics that keeps ballet relevant – a reminder of what dance was created to be and a look into the future and its endless possibilities.”
What advice would you give a young dance student today (or yourself at a younger age)?
“I think that I would tell a younger me, or a young dance student today, to find the beauty in yourself as an individual. Comparing yourself to others does nothing to benefit you because you are not, and will never be anyone but you. Love yourself first, love your art, and then share that love with the world. Keep your ears open and let the music become your heart. Most of all find a way to feel free in your dancing, because it is your freedom in movement that will bring you nothing but pure joy, always.”
We’re celebrating diverse, inspiring dance stories all month long. Join the dialogue and follow the series at #FacesOfBalletPgh.