Remembering MCB School Days – Lisa

Post by Lisa Holzknecht Barroso

Although it has been 15 years since my days at Miami City Ballet School, the experience and memories are so much a part of who I am today.  It is hard to pin down a single favorite memory because there were so many. From the opportunity to learn from dance legend Edward Villella, to the daily inspiration from Miami City Ballet principals like Iliana Lopez and Deanna Seay, to the hours after hours spent with my Miami City Ballet School family – many of whom are still dear friends of mine today; the experience forever shaped my life. Dancing alongside the Company as a Snowflake, Flower and Chinese Tea during The Nutcracker gave me a first hand glimpse into the real life of a professional dancer, such a rare and treasured privileged for any budding ballerina. But, perhaps the best memories I have are the lessons that I learned through years of training at the School that, despite the fact that I no longer dance, continue to serve me in my career and aid in my success today:

·         Passion is everything – if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you will commit whole heartedly to something, never look back and never feel like it is work.

·         Dedication, respect and loyalty will always come back to you two fold.

·         Take risks. Carve your own path. If you don’t take a big risk, you can’t get a big reward.

·         Being a mentor to someone, and believing in someone when others may not see their gifts, can be the most important thing in a young person’s life and change them forever.

To all the Miami City Ballet School teachers that put their blood, sweat and tears into me and the rest of the inaugural class of MCBS, days in and days out, thank you. My time at MCBS was the most special and formative of my entire life. I am forever grateful.

Lisa with Violette Verdy

Lisa and her son