Dancing around the house at age 3, freshman Dwight Erdmann’s parents noticed he had an interest and lived two blocks away from COCA. Erdmann’s parents decided to sign him up for an entry-level dance class. Twelve years later, Erdmann is now at the highest level – Ballet Eclectica First Company.

“[In the] sixth grade, when I joined the company there, it started to take over my life. And there’s no going back,” Erdmann said.

Erdmann went from taking two or three classes a week to having classes six days a week when joining Second Ballet Electica Company in sixth grade. After three years in that Company, Erdmann recently advanced to  Ballet Eclectica Company. 

“The commitment is even more demanding in Ballet Eclectica First Company. I dance 18 hours a week, plus I participate in dance residencies. The pace is much faster, and the expectations are much higher. I love the challenge,” Erdmann said. 

Despite Erdmann spending most of his time at COCA, he feels like it is a second home, filled with friends and the sport he loves. 

“The thing about dance, especially ballet, is you’re constantly improving. That’s what makes a good dancer, someone who can improve. Like my improvement from when I started to get serious in sixth grade and realized I cared about dance. Now and for the next four years, there’s so much room for me to change and evolve,” Erdmann said. 

For Erdmann, one of the most complex parts of dance is accepting and handling criticism. 

“Dance has made me good at accepting criticism because I understand how valuable it is to be told what you can improve. This used to be more difficult for me, but that’s the only way you’ll improve if you realize what you can improve,” Erdmann said. 

Through the dance process, Erdmann learned that he should not take feedback as criticism.

“It’s really important to realize that when someone tells you what you can improve on, they’re not trying to point out what you’re doing wrong, but they’re trying to show how you can be better because they want to see that in you. When someone wants to see that in you, that’s a good thing, it’s almost like a compliment; they see the potential in you,” Erdmann said. 

Physical challenges such as painful pointe shoes and bloody blisters are not the only hardships that come with ballet. Mentally, it’s exhausting, according to Erdmann, and takes grit. According to Lit Hub reporter Chloe Angyal, the demands of ballet, both physically and mentally, often attract perfectionists, fostering a culture that glorifies an unattainable ideal and leads to destructive perfectionism. 

“Dance has helped me realize that perfect doesn’t exist. When I get in my head, I think that I should be perfect. You can get close to perfection, but it takes time. I’m almost impatient with myself because I think I should be somewhere where I’m not. There are very small details and techniques that only ballet dancers can notice.” Edrmann said.

While there is a common perception that male dancers face more obstacles in ballet, the experience at COCA suggests a different trend. 

“Last year five out of 15 of the dancers in First Ballet Electica Company were male, the highest number the program has ever seen,” Erdmann said. 

According to Erdmann, male dancers are likely to get roles because there are significantly fewer of them. Males are also more likely to get scholarships for that same reason, which Erdmann sees as pretty unfair for female dancers. 

Erdmann spends many of his summers participating in ballet-intensive programs and summer camps that last from one to six weeks. Even here, he sees this gender balance prevalent. 

“When I auditioned, I got into a lot of [the ballet intensives]. I think some of it was on my merit, but just because they like boys, they want boys more in their programs,” Erdmann said.  

Last summer, Erdmann received a scholarship to participate in the Next Generation ballet intensive in Tampa, Fla. He got a scholarship for a company called Next Generation Ballet. This three-week-long instruction provided Erdmann with additional professional training and feedback.

“I loved it because [of] the director, Philip Neil. [He] was once a principal dancer at New York City Ballet. All of the other staff [are] also similarly qualified. And also it was a really fun place. It was a good group of dancers who I was with,” Erdmann said.

Having captivated audiences with his powerful performances, Erdmann envisions taking his passion for dance to the next level. He is determined to pursue dance in college and join a professional company where he can continue to refine his artistry and share his talent on a grander stage.

“I love it because you can always get better and will never be perfect. By continuing to dance in college and eventually professionally, I will be able to put in the time and effort needed to become the best dancer I can be,” Erdmann said. Dance will have a large impact on college because dance majors are pretty rigorous, and I plan on doing a double major to focus on a more practical career path.”