ENTERTAINMENT
Grand Allegro
Maya Parnes is reaching a turning point.
But for now, she just loves to dance.
SUSAN SALTER
Special to The Jewish News
A
Photo by G lenn Triest
z =
\
s a child growing up
in Ramat-Ilan, Israel,
Maya Parnes used to
dance around the house. Now
this West Bloomfield resident
dances around America — and
at 16 her future is progressing
by leaps and bounds.
Maya, who moved here with
her family in 1987 when her
father Baruch's job brought
him to Michigan, is a ballet
prodigy, "a very talented, love-
ly dancer," according to her
longtime instructor, Julie
Bonsall.
Beginning dance lessons in
Israel at about age 6, Maya
gained success early. In sixth
grade she passed an audition
to London's Royal Ballet,
though she did not pursue
training at the school. She
also studied at Bat-Dor, in Tel
Aviv, one of Israel's best dance
schools.
Still, for all her early exper-
tise, Maya was in for a sur-
prise when she began lessons
with Ms. Bonsall at Julie
Marie's Art of Dance in West
Bloomfield.
As the instructor remem-
bers, the 12-year-old had come
in "very talented but without
much of the formal training"
typical of American students.
"She cried. She was con-
sidered among the better
students in Israel, but here
she had to virtually begin
again," says Ms. Bonsall.
But "Maya is a worker," Ms.
Bonsall continues. "She wants
to dance, and the more dif-
ficult the task, the harder she
works at it." It helps that the
young performer is extra-
ordinarily talented.
"Maya is lovely to watch.
She's not just a technician —
she dances from her soul."
The admiration is mutual.
Maya calls her American in-
structor her most important
influence. "At 12, I wasn't sure
I wanted to pursue dance, but
Julie made me appreciate it
more. She's the best teacher
I've ever had."
Part of the learning process
involves presenting a ballet
for full audiences, an ex-
perience Maya relishes. "We
perform at the end of each
year; it's exciting because of
the costumes and the thrill of
putting on a real perfor-
mance."
Maya likes all forms of
ballet, but admits she's partial
to the "grand allegro," a series
of "big jumps" that show off
her athletic as well as artistic
ability.
Athletics run in the Parnes
family. Younger sister Donna
is a medal-winning gymnast,
and older brother Guy, who
O
She's partial to the
grand allegro, a
series of jumps
that show off her
athletic and dance
ability.
still lives in Israel, is a soccer
player.
Since last September, Maya
has been a student at Boston's
Walnut Hill Arts School. This
institution combines arts
training with a full academic
schedule — "Just like the
movie Fame," Maya says with
a smile. She describes her days
there as full and challenging.
"I usually get up at 7:30,"
says Maya. "Then I have
French, then math, then I
dance two hours. We get a
break, then I have chemistry,
then English, and then I
dance for the rest of the after-
noon, including rehearsals."
Walnut Hill is very deman-
ding, both in arts and
academics. To Maya, "School
is very important. If I con-
tinue with French, I'll be tri-
lingual."
Aware that the career of a
dancer can be cut short
through injury or age, Maya
stays on top of her options. "I
know I'll have many oppor-
tunities — I could even be a
ballet teacher," she says of her
future. "But I know I want to
dance right now."
The school recently chose
her as an apprentice member
of the National Youth Ballet.
Going to Boston has meant
a shift in Maya's personal life.
She's used to the pace, having
studied dance at summer
schools in Houston, at New
York's prestigious School of
American Ballet, and in Vail,
Colorado's Bolshoi Program.
Ms. Bonsall says a young
dancer must accept a life pep-
pered by as much potential re-
jection as potential success. "A
serious ballet student may
have little or no social life,"
she says. "They frequently
must leave home at a young
age. For the most part, if they
haven't made it by age 18,
they're finished," However,
"at the rate Maya's going, she
stands a very good chance."
The constant practice rein-
forces Maya's resolve. "It isn't
always comfortable" main-
taining the "classic look," the
long, lean line so many ballet
directors seek.
Those closest to Maya agree
with the young performer that
all her hard work is worth the
effort. "Dancing is the love of
her life; I've never heard her
say anything else," says
Maya's mother, Shelley
Parnes. "To me, Maya and
dancing are one."
Though it's never easy to
put a dream into words, Maya
ponders her personal goals. "I
hope to become as good a
dancer as I want to be," she
says carefully. Right now, "I
think I'm good, but I want to
be very good. You have to rea-
ly love it to go on." 0
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
71