By Zara Flores, For the San Clemente Times
Adella Mehringer, 10, of San Clemente, is pirouetting into the world’s largest international student ballet competition. Adams laced up her ballet shoes when she was a toddler and has since followed a structured and rigorous routine.
“I love everything about training because it helps me improve and I always have a blast,” Mehringer said.
She trains about 20 hours a week in a multitude of dancing styles, including ballet, jazz, and contemporary.
“Ballet is so hard. It appears simple and easy, but it’s all about technique and the small details,” Mehringer said.
This highly technical form of dance requires training with rhythmic gymnasts for conditioning and flexibility training.
“Some kids can get bored or lose focus but she’s so entranced by it,” said Alexis Adams, mother of Adella. Adams explained that such a precise technique of dance requires a certain level of determination, passion, and sacrifice. According to Adams, her daughter has missed out on a fair share of birthday parties and sleepovers to keep on track with training and benefits from homeschooling to have a more balanced schedule.
Most recently, Mehringer traveled to Boston to compete in the Youth America Grand Prix regional competition. The YAGP is the world’s largest international student ballet competition and scholarship program. About 1,200 out of 10,000 are selected to compete at the finals, and senior dancers have the chance to compete for professional contracts and placement for employment.
“I am honored to be participating and proud that my hard work is paying off,” Mehringer said.
The YAGP finals take place April 12-20 in New York City.
Editor’s note: Article updated to correct the last name of Adella Mehringer.
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