From a messy dance audition for a musical to being selected to dance in the Nutcracker, Christopher Navin has made leaps of improvement in ballet.

Christopher began dancing just two years ago at an advanced studio after auditioning for community theater. “I couldn’t do the dancing at all so my mom said ‘let’s give it a try’,” Christopher said.

Christopher has come a long way in ballet since starting. He is now a level seven, which is the highest level, according to Christopher. He trains at BalletMet, a professional dance company in Columbus.

Dance quickly became a favorite of Christopher’s. “I like the mix of how physical it is but also the theatrical aspect,” Christopher said.

In the next week, Christopher said that he will be starting partnering in ballet. “It’s very cool to be able to make that standard,” Christopher said. 

These standards are no impossible feat for Christopher as he has already gone beyond his goals and has earned many accomplishments. Christopher was selected for the “Nutcracker” and “Cinderella”, and is preparing for performing at the end of August in “Rhythm on the River”, all under professional companies that select dancers for their shows. 

With much on the horizon for ballet, Christopher has adapted to a unique school schedule to make time for dance. Christopher goes to school for four periods and then after being homeschooled for English, he attends dance practice from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Beyond high school years, Christopher has ambitions for dancing. “I like to think that maybe I can go into a professional ballet training program,” Christopher said. “Or maybe something to do with entertainment, even if it’s dancing in the back or something.”

According to Christopher, a large part of ballet is learning and growing from everything. Being a part of a prestigious company and enduring such training has introduced Christopher to many different people and taught him many lessons.

“Meeting the teachers is really cool and seeing all their different backgrounds,” Christopher said. “Meeting other boys in ballet is kind of cool, seeing that I’m not the only one trying this out.”

Jumping into a new sport at a later time than most athletes keep Christopher working hard in order to achieve his goals in dance. “I’ve learned that ballet doesn’t wait, Christopher said. “But, also that you have to just go for it and not worry about what you usually tell yourself, just to try your best and see how it goes.”