By Kendyl Kirtley
Some of SMU’s most stylish students wear pointe shoes! Meet Chloe Young, a member of the dance major here at SMU, who’s training is focused on ballet. We had the chance to get to know Chloe, who gave us an inside look into the SMU Dance Program and how her time as a ballerina has inspired her sense of style.
KK: Walk us through a day in the life as a Dance major at SMU.
CY: “It’s definitely very busy. We take a lot of classes, have a ton of rehearsals, and most of the dance majors are double majors, which means we are going back and forth between classes all day. For me, I start every day with ballet first thing in the morning. I’ll have a little bit of a break, and then I’ll go into some classes for my other major, which is public relations and strategic communications, and then we always have rehearsals in the evenings.”
KK: What inspired your passion for dancing?
CY: “Growing up, my school actually had us take ballet as part of our curriculum, and a teacher there saw something in me at a young age and ended up reaching out to my parents and asking if I was dancing outside of school. Since I had taken a break from dance to try other sports, she asked me to come start taking classes at a studio where she taught, and that was what really sparked my passion for dance. Then as I got older, it became something that I grew more and more serious about.”
KK: How would you describe your personal style?
CY: “Very light, simple, elegant. Just fun, girly, feminine. I love pink. I love florals.”
KK: How has dance influenced your fashion sense?
CY: “There’s always been this idea of dance being very light, ethereal and elegant. And I think that’s definitely influenced the way that I approach fashion and things that I like when I’m shopping. I always have loved the idea of really flowy skirts and colors and pastels. So I think dance has influenced my fashion sense for sure.”
KK: What are your go-to brands for dance clothing?
CY: “There are a few specific dancer brands I absolutely love but my favorite is called Eleve Dance. They are a small business based out of Kansas City that handmakes all their pieces. I love their designs and the materials they use are so comfortable. I find their picesfit me so well, which is so important when dancing because you want something that feels almost like a second skin. Lululemon, Vouri, Alo are some of my favorites for dance and working out.”
KK: How do you balance dance with school, extracurriculars and time with friends?
CY: “It’s just time management. I have to be pretty strict with myself in order to make sure that I can prioritize the things that are important to me. I really try to find a way to get all my work done and stay on top of it without isolating myself. I know that for me, even if I am getting really busy and school is ramping up, I need to find that outlet to connect with people and still have fun in my life.”
KK: Favorite outfit you’ve worn while performing?
CY: “I loved this one outfit I wore last April in the SMU senior dance concert. Every senior, as part of their capstone project, has to choreograph a piece, that the freshmen, sophomores and juniors all perform. I was in a piece choreographed by Natalie Brown, who graduated last year, and we wore these beautiful outfits, it was technically two pieces but went together like a dress. It had mesh long sleeves, a mesh skirt, all in a burnt orange, neutral color-scheme; they were so elegant.”
KK: What are your thoughts on the “Balletcore” trend?
CY: “I actually really like it. Typically I think ballet is misrepresented in the media, but I’ve really liked seeing Balletcore become popular. I think Aritzia did a campaign on it, it was really cool, I like seeing the way that ballet is seeping into pop culture and mainstream society. It’s fun to see these elegant skirts and outfits that represent something I am so passionate about, in everyday street wear.”
KK: What is a clothing item you couldn’t live without?
CY: “The Lululemon studio pants. I heard this joke one time where someone said they are the “Roman Empire” of dancers, and it is so accurate. Everyone is obsessed with them. I have them in a couple different colors. My favorite is the bone color, it’s kind of a cream, off-white. They’re just so comfortable.”
Check out upcoming dance performances on the SMU Meadows Calendar.
Photo 1 by Kendyl Kirtley. Photos 2 and 3 by Chloe Young.
