By Noah Alatza
Local dancer and Hamilton Southeastern High School sophomore Gabrielle Mullins will represent the United States as part of the American Dance Company during the Nov. 28 Dance Organization World Championship in Warsaw, Poland.
Her home studio is in Lawrence at the Dance Magic Performing Arts Center.
“I dance to express myself and emotions,” said Mullins, who has danced since age 3. “I’ve always been a very active person, so this allows me to be physically athletic and artistic at same time.”
Out of hundreds of dancers that auditioned, Mullins was selected to represent the U.S. and Indianapolis area at the competition.
The American Dance Company invited her after her audition in June
“It feels like an extremely big honor,” Mullins said. “Not everyone can have this opportunity, but it is also a lot of pressure to be the best I can be, but all I can really say is that this is a huge honor.”
Mullins will travel to Mobile, Ala., for five weekends prior to leaving for Poland to learn the team’s routines. She said she trains three to five days a week.
The American Dance Company has competed at the IDO World Dance Championships since 2003. Each year, dances have won an assortment of gold, silver and bronze medals.
A nonprofit founded in 198, the organization is a world dance federation representing 90 nations and more than 250,000 dancers from six continents.
