Marblehead School Of Ballet Announces Winners Of National Dance Week Essay Contest

The Marblehead School of Ballet (MSB) announces Georgia Marshall received first prize and Sam Gordon second prize in the school's National Dance Week Essay Contest. Marshall received a $100 gift certificate and Gordon a $50 gift certificate to On Your Toes Dancewear. Current and former students of the Marblehead School of Ballet were eligible to write and submit a 100 to 250 word story or a poem with the theme, Your Love of Dance.

The writing contest provided dancers with a platform to share their enjoyment of dance during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I am very proud of our teachers and dancers for continuing to dance virtually in our studio's classes. The writing contest gave the dancers a wonderful opportunity to express why they love dance. Thanks to the support and generosity of Laynie Terban from On Your Toes Dancewear and the North Shore Civic Ballet's board of directors, we were able to award gift certificates to the top two winners," said Paula K. Shiff, Director of the Marblehead School of Ballet.

Georgia Marshall, a 12-year-old student at the studio, received first prize for her poem, Dance the Body Unspoken. Marshall has danced at the Marblehead School of Ballet for seven years, starting with creative movement and progressing to ballet. A sixth grade student at Marblehead Charter School, she is a school senator has had two poems published in Stone Soup magazine and Creative Communications. She also enjoys horseback riding, reading and writing.

"Dance means so much to me, and I like to express myself through writing. Dance is not only a challenging physical activity, but it is also a form of creative expression. That's what I tried to demonstrate through my poem. Dance pushes me beyond what I thought were my limits and it also serves as an escape," said Marshall.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gordon, a chemistry teacher in Beverly, started studying dance virtually at the Marblehead School of Ballet. Once the school reopens the studio on June 14, she plans to attend in person. Gordon, who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry at Salem State University, has been on the dean's list each semester and will graduate in December of this year.

Gordon's essay described what dance meant to her. "I decided to enter the dance week competition because dance has had such a profound effect on my physical health and my mental health. I love writing, but rarely get a chance to write something that isn't academics based, so it was fun to be able to flex my creative writing muscle for a change. I absolutely love the Marblehead School of Ballet, and I am so happy to be a part of this wonderful community," she explained.

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