Freshman An Pahn is not involved in a typical high school male sport; rather, he devotes his time and passion to ballet. Male ballerinas are considered some of the most conditioned athletes. Pahn has received many praises from teachers all over the nation. He has only been at Pleasant Valley High School for four months, but is already proving himself as a ballerina.
How long have you been in the Pleasant Valley district?
I moved here from Oahu, Hawaii 4 months ago and I arrived 1 day before school started. There was not much time to adapt from a Hawaii to an Iowa lifestyle. A lot of my friends here are also new and they are very accepting of my ballet career.
Why and when did you start ballet?
I started ballet in fourth grade at the age of 9. My mom signed me up for ballet and had to force me to go for the first couple weeks. Then I soon started to develop a liking for it.
Have you received any negative comments about being a boy ballerina?
I haven’t really received any negative comments. When I first told my friends in Hawaii that I did ballet, they teased me a little. After realizing how athletic ballerinas are they started to respect ballet and have supported me.
Is there any other boys at your studio?
No, I am the only boy at my studio in Iowa. In Hawaii, there were a few boys. When I compete, there are a lot of boys who do ballet.
Why do you continue to dance?
I love it. When someone says something negative towards ballet that I don’t like doesn’t mean that I am going to stop.
Who inspires you to dance?
My friends in my class keep me going; they are very encouraging.
What are your plans for the future with dance?
A lot of teachers have told me to apply to a professional company. I am considering going down that path. The American Ballet Theatre is my dream goal.
How do you feel when you dance?
I feel pure happiness when I dance and I look forward to dancing every day.
What are your accomplishments?
Last year, I went to a dance convention in Hawaii. There were 500 other dancers there as well and 5 teachers. Each teacher had a chance to chose someone who they thought was the best. One of the teachers gave me the award, which gave me even more confidence in my abilities.
