Today we’d like to introduce you to Akeelah Duffy.
Akeelah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hi! When I was three, my Grandma babysat me while my Mom worked during the week and when she saw a new dance studio open up by her house, she signed me and my sister up for a class. One class quickly turned into 2-3, then 5-6 and when I was 9, I asked my Mom if I could join the competition team. During that same time, one of my teachers, Mrs. Cassi, told my mom that I had a lot of potential and that this could turn into something if I put in the work.
I’m 13 now and going into my 5th competition season. I’ve been a part of the studio’s Pre Professional Training program for three years. I take classes six days a week between my PTP classes, private coaching and the regular studio classes. It’s about 23 hours a week, ballet being the heaviest of the load (which is my favorite), but I also take contemporary, lyrical, Pilates, Acro and I TA a class with younger kids.
Ballet is my life! I homeschool with my charter school, The Classical Academies in Escondido, with live teacher instruction in zoom classes two days a week at regular classroom length, and on the days we do not have the live instruction, I do my assignments posted weekly online around my dance schedule. I am always busy but I love what I do and appreciate my Mom for making it all work.
This year has been crazy. One of the ballet competitions I compete in is called Youth America Grand Prix. They say it is like the Olympics for Ballet and Contemporary dancers all over the world and they offer scholarships to some of the most elite ballet schools around the world. I was invited to their Finals in NYC this past April 2020 but due to COVID, they were canceled. I also auditioned for the Royal Ballet School Summer Intensive in London and got accepted! But due to COVID, it was canceled for non-UK residents. It was such sad news.
Things started to look up as I had been offered a number of modeling jobs related to my dancing. I first modeled for a leotard designer, LeaMarie, who is based here in CA. I then was offered to model and represent a brand that is launching dancewear for dancers of color such as skin toned tights, KT tape, dance shoes, etc. A portion of the sales of those products will go to a scholarship fund for dancers in at-risk neighborhoods across North America. That company is called Revoluionnaire.co and is Canada based. I am now working with a major pointe shoe brand where I will be modeling their skin toned pointe shoes for dancers of color as well as modeling leotards for their upcoming catalog and trade shows and in return will be provided my pointe shoes to dance in. This really bad year with COVID has had a nice turn around. I am looking forward to the future.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Well, I just shared the heartbreaking news of the spring and summer travel opportunities that were canceled due to COVID. But also, for all of the months our studio was closed because of COVID, I had to continue my training from home with a makeshift studio in the garage and some days it was HOT! I wouldn’t say I have had many obstacles. I am blessed in that my Mom really tries to keep life normal, keep me on a schedule and allows me to pursue my dream of becoming a professional ballerina.
I also participated in a silent protest at Liberty Station in support of the Black Lives Matter movement where other dancers in the San Diego community joined and we expressed ourselves in dance, music, photography and art. It was beautiful to see the support we had from people passing by. It is something that is personal for me and when I relate it to the dance world, there are still so few black ballerinas employed by major ballet companies. I am hoping to see the number go up as I get older and hopefully employed by one of my dream companies too.
Please tell us about North County Academy of Dance.
North County Academy of Dance is where I train. I took my very first ballet class with Mrs. Cassi when I was three and she’s still one of my ballet teachers today. Mr. Pablo is who I coach with 1 on 1 as we work on technique and my solo variations for ballet. They are like my dance parents.
Mrs. Cassi and Mr. Pablo are former professional ballet dancers and the quality in their training is unmatched, in my opinion. And they are really thoughtful of the teachers they hire to teach ballet with them, and the other genres like tap, acro, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, Jazz & pilates.
I have had so many amazing teachers these last ten years with NCAD but most credit should go to Cassi & Pablo Infante, Ashley Lee and Bernadette Torres as I have spent the most time taking classes and being coached privately with them.
I love my dance family and my studio so much and I feel so blessed to be training there.
Contact Info:
- Email: akeelahduffy@gmail.com
- Instagram: @keelahballerina
Image Credit:
Lightheart.Danceart (Jeff & Kay), RhiLeePhotog, Canela Photography, Luly’s Enchanted Pixels.
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