DANCER TOES THE LINE AS CONTEST'S FIRST MALE BALLET FINALIST.Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer GLENDALE - Years ago, Gregory Arakelian took some good-natured ribbing from his friends for his passion - ballet. But nobody's been laughing lately - especially now that the 18-year-old has become the first male ballet dancer to become a finalist in the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Music Center's prestigious Spotlight Awards. The young man who spends most of his time practicing said he's excited to be a finalist - after only making it to the semifinals last year. ``I'm excited. It feels great,'' said Arakelian, who lives in Glendale and is a senior at Arshag Dickranian Armenian School. Arakelian, who began dancing at the age of 9, received rigorous training in Armenia, where he studied dance in the Russian technique. He continued his training at the Pasadena Dance Theatre when his family moved to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. four years ago. ``It's my life, my whole being. I can't imagine life without it,'' Arakelian said. ``I want to become a professional ballet dancer for a major company.'' Arakelian seems well on his way. He has already received a competitive scholarship from the American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre, one of the foremost international dance companies of the 20th cent. It was founded in 1937 as the Mordkin Ballet and reorganized as the Ballet Theatre in 1940 under the direction of Lucia Chase and Rich Pleasant. that will allow him to take classes there this summer. ``We could be looking at the next Baryshnikov and Nureyev, and his career is being launched by the Spotlight Awards,'' said Ann Bradley, media director for the Music Center. ``When you have become a Spotlight finalist, it is a very clear indication of extraordinary talent.'' Past winners of the Music Center's competition have gone on to join the American Ballet Theatre and made their operatic op·er·at·ic adj. Of, related to, or typical of the opera: an operatic aria. [From opera1. debuts at the Metropolitan in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , said Jeri Gaile Jeri Gaile is an American actress, best known for playing Rose McKay in the television drama series Dallas from 1989 to 1991. Gaile is currently Director of the Spotlight Awards program for the Los Angeles Music Center. , director of the Spotlight Awards. ``These kinds of prestigious competitions, when they're done well, with care and nurturing, they're very important to the students' careers,'' Gaile said. ``We feel we're a launching pad for them.'' Along with Arakelian, Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. jazz pianist Victor Gould and Newbury Park tap dancer Melinda Sullivan beat out 800 Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, student performers to win spots among the 12 finalists in the 16th annual performing arts competition. Gould, 16, has been playing the piano almost every day for 11 years. He says he is so attached to the instrument that he feels odd if he's away from it even for a day. He developed his love for music growing up listening to his dad's collection of jazz music. ``I feel it comes from inside,'' said the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA or Arts High) is a public high school that operates on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. Though it shares facilities with the university, the two schools' activities tend to be separate. 11th-grader, who would like to play or write music for a big band or write musical compositions for films. ``When you start to learn more and more, it's easier to play what you feel.'' The students who make it to the finals in the competition would rather rehearse or study their craft than spend time ``hanging out,'' Gaile said. ``You have to be at the top of your game. These are all kids who are extremely dedicated and committed to their craft and they're very serious,'' Gaile said. ``They're the best of the best.'' The Spotlight Awards program, which began in 1988 to help gifted high school students who plan performing or visual arts visual arts npl → artes fpl plásticas visual arts npl → arts mpl plastiques visual arts npl → careers, includes the categories of ballet, nonclassical dance, classical voice, nonclassical voice, classical instrumental music and jazz instrumental music. The performing arts finalists will perform on stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center (which is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States). The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. on April 17 at the Spotlight Awards gala. Winners receive $6,000 and runners-up get $3,000. ``To me, these competitions are not a reflection of how good you really are, but it's nice,'' Gould said. Naush Boghossian, (818) 546-3306 naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Gregory Arakelian, 18, of Glendale will compete as a finalist in the 16th annual Spotlight Awards. David Sprague/Staff Photographer |
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