By Kathy Collins
Myriam Ayala Frederick, a principal dancer with the Brandon Ballet, is about to realize a dream come true. Frederick has been accepted into the ultra prestigious Teachers’ Program of the National Paris Opera Ballet (Cross Threads Program). The Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world. Its origins date back to the court of King Louis XIV.
This program is dedicated to teachers willing to improve their knowledge about the French style taught at the Ballet School of the Opera national de Paris. Only 30 people are accepted into the program.
Frederick is able to make this fantastic journey thanks to a grant she received from Arts Council of Hillsborough County. Specifically, she was one of 14 artists who received a 2016 Individual Artist Grants Program.
Frederick said, “I always followed the Paris Opera Ballet and honestly one of my dreams was to go there and learn.” Frederick added, “I would like to come out of the program with a new perspective of the classical ballet technique. I would like to take this newfound knowledge and instill it on my students in the United States.”
Frederick grew up in Mexico City. She studied dance in the Royal Academy of Dance and The School of the National Ballet of Cuba and at DanceFit with Humberto Becerra. She came to the United States in 2011. She danced with Tampa Ballet Theatre and then at Ballet des Ameriques in New York. Frederick has been with the Brandon Ballet for two seasons.
When asked what it is like to be a principal dancer, Frederick responded, “It is great. I love it. I worked really hard to get where I am right now. When I got my first principal role in the Brandon Ballet production of Dracula in 2015, my life just completely changed and everything kind of fell into place.”
You can see Frederick dance with the Brandon Ballet in their production of Aladdin, which is set to take place on Saturday, April 30. Frederick said, “I will be performing the role of Princess Jasmine. It is going to be full of fun and surprises. What can be better than spending your Saturday with a local community ballet company.”
For more information on Frederick and the Brandon Ballet, please visit www.myriamayala.com and www.brandonballet.org.
