Graduating Senior Gia

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Today we’re featuring another one of our graduating seniors, Gia! Gia has been a Stagelighter since we opened our doors when she was just ten years old.
 
💜 Gia graduated from Sonora HS last week, where she participated in theatre and dance, and will be attending Fullerton College in the fall.
 
💜 She wants to continue dancing and performing in theatrical productions through college and is thinking about studying journalism.
 
💜 She is excited for the independence the college years will bring her and for the opportunity to choose a course load that interests her, but she is nervous about choosing the right major to focus on.
 
💜 Over the years at Stagelight Performing Arts, Gia studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Lyrical, and was also a TA for our Combo level classes.
 
💜 Her dream role is Millie in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” because Millie is a tapper and tap is one of Gia’s favorite forms of dance to perform.
 
💜 When asked what her favorite performance was at Stagelight, Gia said, “My favorite piece I’ve performed was “Nicest Kids in Town” with all my friends because it was one of the more challenging dances I’ve done but it pushed every single one of us to become more animated and get us out of our comfort zones, both physically and mentally.”
 
💜 Her favorite memory was when was the “Cirque du Stagelight” ballet routine because that was the show she fell on her face off the trampoline in front of everybody. Luckily, it was part of her character to be clumsy, but it still cracks her and her friends up to this day! Check out the cute picture we have in her pink tutu with that treacherous trampoline behind her! 🤣
 
💜 Her favorite classes were the ballet classes with Ms. Bonnie Edwards and Bonnie QuaasBerryman (also graduating this year). They had lots of laughs and serious conversations about life, and Gia will always cherish what she was taught both in class and with life lessons.
 
💜 When asked what Gia has learned from Stagelight, she said, “Never say the word ‘can’t.’ Ms. Alyssa has engrained into my mind and other Stagelighters here that the word ‘can’t’ is just an excuse for not pushing yourself as an individual. There are so many things that I thought I wouldn’t be able to do a couple years ago, but with hard work I am able to do them today. From now on I try to keep ‘can’t’ out of my vocabulary.”
 
💜 Gia will miss spending time with her friends that she’s made over the years and growing as a dancer and person altogether. She will miss the family that Stagelight has created and the teachers that have taught her much more than just dance technique. And most of all, she will miss dancing at Stagelight and expressing herself through dancing. 🥺🥰
 
💜 Gia’s message to all Stagelighters is: “Always push yourself farther than you think you can. If you think you’ve perfected something, you haven’t. Even the professionals push themselves with basic technique. You can always be better and grow as a dancer no matter how good you are.”
 
💜 Gia “wills” a pair of her pointe shoes because being on pointe was one of her biggest goals when she was little. She never thought she would actually be “en pointe,” but after working hard and focusing on her technique, she made it a few years later. Her pointe shoes will always mean more than just a pair of dance shoes to her. They represent the blood, sweat, and tears of loving dance (“hahahaha”)!
 
Gia, you are exquisite. You are such a beautiful dancer, performer, and person, and we can’t wait to watch you continue to grow as a performer in your college years and beyond. Congratulations! We will miss you so much.
 
 

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Meet the Author

Alyssa Gramer

administrator

Alyssa Gramer is Co-Owner and an Instructor at Stagelight Performing Arts. She earned a BA from Chapman University in Advertising with a Minor in Graphic Design and a Teaching Credential in Physical Education/Dance from Cal State Fullerton. Her performance credits include Disney and Fullerton Civic Light Opera. She has extensive experience in teaching, choreography, and show direction.

“One of my earliest memories is of something that happened during first grade: during recess, I would gather my friends and teach them different dances. Looking back, I can see that that set the foundation of what would be a lifelong role as a teacher. Participating in dance and musical theatre as a child gave me the focus, determination, confidence and bravery it took to land many successful performance and teaching jobs. Arts classes have allowed me to be creative and keep a healthy perspective on what is important in life. I truly believe that the performing arts should play a crucial role in every child’s life.” ~Alyssa

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