Dancer with local ties to train with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Courtesy of Paula DeCarlo
Carmela DeCarlo, the 14-year-old daughter of New Salem native Paula DeCarlo, has joined the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre鈥檚 professional training program.
DeCarlo
Courtesy of Paula DeCarlo
Carmela DeCarlo has joined the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre鈥檚 professional training program. The 14-year-old is the daughter of New Salem native Paula DeCarlo.
Fourteen-year-old Carmela DeCarlo intends to dance her way to the top with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT).
The Kernersville, North Carolina teen, the daughter of former New Salem resident Paula DeCarlo, found her love of dancing as a toddler, and is hopeful to make it her career.
鈥淭hey usually grab the professionals when they are about 16 years old,鈥� Carmela said.
In April, she was invited to audition with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre pre-professional school division, under school director Marjorie Grundvig. After attending the five-week Intensive Summer Program at PBT, Paula said her daughter committed to the PBT professional training program.
鈥淐armela had a big decision to make for her high school years, and she made the decision to continue with dance,鈥� Paula said.
For the next four years, instead of taking academic classes like most 9th through 12th grade students, Carmela鈥檚 weekdays will be spent dancing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. She鈥檒l also have Saturday dance classes, according to her mother.
鈥淭his program is very rigorous. It is hardcore,鈥� Paula said.
Carmela鈥檚 evenings will be spent fulfilling the academic requirements for high school online.
From age 3, Carmela said dance has been a focal point in her life. She recalled walking into a studio and hearing the music, finding its rhythm and the feelings that it gives off.
鈥淚 dance because it is a way that I can find and create my motor, cognitive and social skills, enabling me to freely interpret what I see and what I do,鈥� she said. 鈥淒ance is many things and invokes different ideas for everyone.鈥�
For Carmela, dance means healing, change and 鈥渇reedom of the soul.鈥�
鈥淒ance is an entity that is unlimited in possibilities and can lead a person down many paths in life,鈥� she said. 鈥淒ance is a fantasy and reality; it is art, a blessing and a purpose.鈥�
Dance also runs in the family. Growing up in Fayette County, Paul performed at a number of local dance schools, and noted many of those schools produced success stories.
鈥淭he dance connection throughout the Uniontown area is incredible,鈥� Paula said. 鈥淭he art programs 鈥� have always produced professionals.鈥�
Carmela is hopeful she will soon join those ranks.
鈥淲hen you become a professional, you get paid. That is what I really want to do,鈥� she said.