To watch Gemma Freitas soar and spin across the stage, it's easy to think that all aspects of dance must come naturally to the Juilliard senior. But while her raw talent and performer personality were obvious from the get-go, grace didn't always come quite so easily. "When I was younger," she says, "I was not the most physically blessed with technique. I was kind of pigeon toed, and a bit chubby. But I had so much personality, and I loved putting on shows—being in front of people and telling stories."
And no wonder—dance is, after all, in Gemma's bones. The daughter of a ballerina, she trained in jazz, hip-hop, and acrobatics before eventually turning her focus to ballet as a teen. "I knew a performance career was something I wanted," she shares. Yet, when it came time to audition for Juilliard, she attended tryouts without believing she had a real chance of getting in. "I never thought it would happen. When I got the call saying I was accepted, I just fell to the ground."
For the last several years, Gemma has been rigorously training to enter the professional dance world—sometimes up to 12 hours a day, for weeks at a time. As she gears up for her final months in the program, the recent Princess Grace Foundation scholarship recipient took time out of her performance and class schedule to chat with Teen Vogue, shed light on lessons she's learned along the way, and share ten things fans might not know about what life as a dancer is really like ("It's not all tutus," she says, laughing). Read on to get Gemma's insider scoop and learn more about one of our favorite rising dance stars.
1. All that time onstage and in the studio takes a serious toll on your toes. Gemma admits that dance feet aren't always lovely to look at. "Dancers' feet are beautiful because of how much work they do for us," she says, but "depending upon the style of dance different problems arise: With pointe work and ballet, corns, bunions, and blisters are very common. In modern, dancers are oftentimes barefoot which allows for floor burns and toe splits." Yikes!
2. It requires a lot to healthfully fuel a dance body on the food front. Over the course of her training, Gemma has come to truly understand what she needs nutritionally to literally spring into action. "The body needs protein!" she emphasizes. "I love to eat a big breakfast before class. It really helps me to wake up and fuels me for the start of my day." She's also a snacker—her fave picks include nuts, hummus, fruit, quinoa, and granola—and likes to wrap the evening with a big salad. Before bed, she's partial to tea (extra points for anti-inflammatory properties like ginger or turmeric!) plus a treat. "I love sweets, so I will have a snack like dark chocolate and peanut butter waiting for me at the end of the day!"
3. Training for a show literally takes up all of your time. Since she's still a student, Gemma goes to class on top of rehearsal—but the work doesn't stop there. "Tending to the body is incredibly important, and self-care outside of the studio is a necessity," she says. That means that even when she's not dancing, she's rolling out her muscles, warming up, cooling down, cross-training, and even scheduling sleep time (yes, that includes power naps) to whip her body into shape for a performance. During these stretches, everything a dancer does is about preparing. "We have to take care of our bodies," she explains, or else run the risk of compromising all the hard work that went into prepping for a performance.
4. Dance education isn't all leotards and studio time. "We have so many workshops about writing the proper bio and resumé," explains Gemma. Performers—like anyone else hustling for their dream job—have to have the skills to pitch themselves. "When you're in a company, you're under that umbrella. But when you want to freelance, or get gigs on the side, you are your own manager." And that means thinking like an agent and working on behalf of yourself, from social media to advanced education and networking.
5. Technology plays a key role in a dancer's life. Dance is an art, but it is also a business—one that requires a lot more than being a beautiful performer of a great technician, Gemma adds. "We have to be ready to promote our art form. With technology being so prominent now, the importance of developing a website, being involved in social media, and marketing yourself is essential." In other words, the overlap between a young dancer starting out and being a newly-hired start-up employee is greater than you might think: In both cases, "being personable and friendly—being willing to meet people—taking interest in other artists' work, supporting the projects of others, and enjoying and sharing what you do with the community will allow for the possibilities of growing and making connections with others you will, at some point cross paths with again." Couldn't have put it better ourselves!
6. Ballerinas hang up their pointe shoes in school sometimes. Gemma kicked off her early education away from the barre, learning different dance techniques, and continues to hone other areas of her craft at school. "At Juilliard, we are so fortunate to have such a wide range of classes that tap into all aspects of the industry. Along with the core curriculum ballet, classical/contemporary partnering, and all the various modern dance techniques, we take anatomy and kinesiology, music theory, acting, voice lessons, elements of performing, composition, and stagecraft…" Suffice to say, she's got a full, well-rounded training schedule that would well lend itself to other areas of the performance business, from dance therapy to musical theater and more.
7. Performers are their own little support group. Like any career that's super competitive, you want to know there's a group of people you can rely on to be supportive, listen, and really get it. Other dancers, says Gemma, "are the ones who can understand what you are going through from the first person point of view." That said, particularly because ensembles work so closely together, a positive environment often depends on the dynamics of the dancers themselves. "Fostering a healthy work environment between you and your partner (or a large group of people in a piece together) can make all the difference for the outcome of the piece, as well as the performance energy on stage." Just like most jobs, it's all about teamwork to pull of a tricky project!
8. Not all dancers are striving to be soloists onstage. When you major in dance at a four-year institution, you're getting a BFA—and the kind of jobs you could eventually hold go far beyond the stage and studio. "Choreography, teaching, directing, and producing are all options," as are furthering your performance education into acting and or singing, says Gemma. But she's also quick to point out that just because you have a dance degree doesn't mean that you can't pursue other career paths, like heading back to school for a Masters degree in another discipline at some point. "I think the beauty of a performance career is that each individual lives such a different path: Who you meet and the projects you become involved in can lead to circumstances and opportunities that could never have been predicted." As for Gemma? "I know that in the future I would love to do dance and horse therapy for the mentally and physically disabled." (On top of her passion for dance, Gemma is also an equine enthusiast and loves hanging out with horses!)
9. It is possible to earn a scholarship for your dance education. Gemma is living proof: This past year, she received Alexander Moore Bayer Dance Award through the Princess Grace Foundation, an organization that identifies and assists emerging talents in theater, dance, and film through scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. Starting off in a creative field is rarely easy—and neither is paying for an arts degree. But if you're studying in the arts field, it is possible to find support and the financial resources to help you succeed. Gemma was honored to be recognized by the organization for all her hard work this year, and grateful for the the contribution to her education. "I am so lucky to be working so hard at something that I love so much. The career is hard and rigorous but if one has the passion for it, it is a remarkable journey."
10. When it comes to succeeding, the name of the game is dedication—above everything else. To succeed in this industry, you have to choose dance every single day, and "the dedication and work ethic needed to be a dancer are quite extreme," Gemma admits. Self-discipline and sacrifice are part of the package. Growing up, Gemma would spend 4 to 5 hours at the studio every night. "I couldn't do many of the things my friends were doing," she says. But while she hasn't had a typical adolescent experience, at Juilliard, "I know that I've found my niche. I'm constantly stimulated by the artists around me… Although our days are so difficult, and there are many times we get so down on ourselves, I know there is nothing that I would rather be doing."
More questions for Gemma? Keep'em coming in the comments below!
