Can you balance all your weight on one toe? Didn’t think so. Freshman Chloe Andry can.

Andry has been dancing at the Noblesville Ballet Academy for 11 years.

“I really like dance because you’re always pushing yourself to be better,” Andry said. “There is no point where you max out or you reach your fullest potential. There is always room for you to grow.”

Andry prefers ballet to other styles of dance.

“Ballet is my favorite because I am a perfectionist and ballet is all about technique and how you can perfect movement,” Andry said. “Make it how the technique is supposed to work, so it’s really motivating to me to get that right.”

Andry emphasizes the importance of artists going out of their comfort zones and learning new styles of their craft.

“Once you [are good at] ballet I think it’s smart to branch out to the different styles,” Andry said. “It makes you a better artist overall.”

Rebecca Van Briggle, Andry’s dance instructor, says Andry’s attitude sets her apart.

“Chloe has an excellent work ethic,” Van Briggle said. “She is always wanting to work harder, striving to become better, always reaching for more.”

Andry’s passion for all styles of dance is what she says makes her stick out.

“I really enjoy all styles [of dance] and I think that’s what probably makes me unique– just because I don’t really stick to one style all the time,” Andry said. “I really try to push myself in every style.”

Van Briggle also says that the motivation to improve comes from more than one place.
“I think we push each other,” Van Briggle said.  “Chloe pushes herself. Even when I feel like we have worked enough, she wants to do more. And on days where she’s a little more tired, I push her. We just have a really good style of working together.”

Andry and her dance partner won a national title this past summer.

    “We had worked so hard that year and being there with my partner was really fun,” Andry said. “Mostly we do ballet, but this year we are challenging ourselves with contemporary work.”

What Andry has already achieved at her age makes her stand out to Van Briggle.

“I’m very proud and happy that she’s been able to accomplish what she has done at this point in her very young life,” Van Briggle said. “She’s got a lot ahead of her, and I look forward to seeing where it all goes. It’s been a joy teaching Chloe. It’s the most wonderful thing for a teacher is to see a student continue to improve and evolve as a technician and as an artist, exceeding expectations.”