Young dancer has found dream to pursue

Leyna Swoboda’s only plan for her future is to follow her dreams and, at 17, she is well on her way. She began realizing her dream about 12 years ago when she started ballet dancing. In January, her talent was validated when she, and 142 other young artists, were chosen out of 8,000 teens to attend youngARTS, a program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

The event was a weeklong and took place in Miami, Swoboda was one of 21 dancers and she participated in showcases and workshops, performing in front of panelists and other dancers. She wondered, “Why did they choose me,” but came to realize that she was worthy as she hung out by the pool with other artists. “I just immersed myself in the fact that I was one of the top 2 percent of young artists in the country,” she said.

While one of the NFAA’s missions is to “compel young artists to pursue their passion,” Swoboda hopes that her passion will inspire others, not just artists, to find their own. “If I can show what I do and how much it means to me, they might envy my passion and be inspired to seek out their own,” she said, “It’s important to expose them to it.” Like any chosen field, she said that passion and emotion are just as important as technique.

Swoboda, 17, is a senior at Lewis and Clark High School. She said she feels lucky to have found something to work toward. She received a $3,000 scholarship from youngARTS and plans on spending it on more training and experience.

Swoboda’s time is spent in school and ballet not leaving her time for much else but she doesn’t mind because she is following her dream. She also enjoys photography and will snap photos along her journey which will be completed when she becomes a professional dancer. She hopes that others will find a dream and follow it as she has.

“Yeah, I feel a little different,” she said, “but it’s a lifestyle and a good one.”