New York trip keeps ballet students on their toes

By Sean Barron

A nationally renowned ballet instructor praised members of a local class.

“I’ve never done anything like this. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

That’s how 17-year-old Amanda Oravec summed up part of her recent three-day bus trip to New York City.

The Boardman High School senior, however, wasn’t talking about having visited the Statue of Liberty, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square or other famous landmarks.

She was reacting to having been one of 17 area junior- and senior-level ballet students, ages 10 to 18, who were invited to participate in a two-hour instructional ballet class April 17 taught by Finis Jhung, regarded by many as one of the nation’s top dance and ballet instructors.

Accompanying the girls was their dance teacher, Ruth Balestra.

Amanda, who first took to the dance floor at age 8, has worked for several years with Balestra, who runs Ruth’s Robics & Dance Co., 5626 South Ave., Boardman. Taking the class from Jhung was highly informative and created “a whole new way of thinking” with respect to her approach to ballet dancing, added Amanda, who plans to attend Ohio State University to be a pediatrician.

Upon entering Jhung’s New York studio, Victoria Climo felt several steps closer to being a professional dancer herself.

Victoria, 18, a senior at Springfield Intermediate High School, also started with Balestra at an early age and teaches four dance classes twice a week to youngsters ages 3 to 9. Victoria said she appreciated Jhung’s use of a weighted string and other props to assist with her body alignment, as well as his ability to communicate with the students and critique their simple and complex moves.

“He made me really think about the position of my body and to go back and think about the basics,” added Victoria, whose plans after high school include attending Duquesne University in Pittsburgh to study pharmacy medicine and possibly starting her own dance studio.

Victoria and Amanda praised Balestra for serving as a mentor as well as helping to develop and deepen their appreciation for dance.

Jhung, 71, who began teaching in 1972, said he took note of the girls’ ability to focus on the tasks at hand and was pleased with their efforts to listen to and follow his instructions related to posture, movement and other techniques.

“I saw lots of improvement with most of them; I could see as we progressed that some were really picking it up,” said Jhung, whose credits include being principal soloist with the Chicago-based Joffrey Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. “I felt good vibes and liked how they respected, encouraged and supported each other.”

Balestra, who also teaches line dancing and step aerobics, said she had contacted a travel agency stating her desire to work with Jhung. The agency told him about Balestra’s wish and, after learning a little about her background and interest in his methods, decided to give Balestra and her students class time.

Even though she started formal ballet training more than 25 years ago, Balestra also was able to benefit from Jhung’s pointers. For example, he encouraged her to keep her arm more extended while performing a pique, which is a move that requires balancing the toe on the opposite knee and making a full turn, Balestra explained.

“He thinks we’re on the right track,” she added.