Bragging on the Amazing, Dancing Emo Boy: Part Infinity

When school bells rang in late August alerting California area students to the first day of class, Allen Free wasn’t among their ranks. The 14 year old California resident wasn’t playing hooky, however; he was at home packing his bags, preparing to leave for the greatest adventure to date of his young life. In early September, Allen travelled to downtown Philadelphia where he’s currently enrolled in the Rock School for Dance Education, the premiere school for young dancers aiming to make ballet a career.

Allen spent the summer at the Rock School in their six-week summer intensive before opting to enroll in their year round program. After auditioning for the school’s directors, he was offered a merit scholarship to help defray tuition expenses. In addition to studying dance for roughly five hours a day, he is continuing his general education studies in the school’s Rock Academics program. He lives near the campus in a townhouse style dormitory with other young dancers, sharing space with roommates who came from as far away as Japan to attend the prestigious training institution. He will remain at the school for the entirety of the 2012-2013 academic year, returning to California only on holidays.

Understandably, Allen’s mother, Carla Anderton says she already misses him terribly. Still, she is quick to point out this opportunity is the culmination of over a decade of hard work, determination and dreams.

“Allen started taking dance lessons when he was five years old and basically never looked back. He knew then, just as he knows now, that his life’s goal is to become a professional dancer. He has spent countless hours learning and practicing his craft, and attending the year round program at the Rock School is the next logical step in his artistic development,” Anderton said. “When he graduates from high school, he’ll be able to write his own ticket, career wise, not to mention he’ll likely qualify for a college scholarship so he can continue his study of dance.”

Over the years, Allen has studied ballet at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Shirley Dean’s School of Ballet and Modern Dance, Pennsylvania Southern Performing Arts Academy, the Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy and the Fayette School of Ballet, among others. He has appeared in about a dozen ballets, dancing in progressively advancing roles as his skill level increased. He has also performed in a number of musicals including repeat appearances on the stage in California University’s Steele Auditorium.

While Anderton explained Allen has reached this stage in his development on the strength of his, well, toes, she gratefully acknowledges the support he’s received over the course of his burgeoning career. 

“I can’t say enough good things about Shirley Dean as a teacher, nor can I thank Brianne Bayer Mitchell enough for generously donating her time to give Allen private lessons and to otherwise support his efforts. Kelly Jenkins of Fayette School of Ballet was instrumental in training and encouraging him early on and, finally, Dr. Michele Pagen of the Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy seemed to recognize Allen’s potential and cast him a number of roles that I believe helped him grow as a dancer and as a performer,” Anderton said.

It’s difficult to say what’s next for the young dancer but if his past efforts are any indication, he’s headed in the direction of greatness. In the meantime, his mother is busy counting down the days until Thanksgiving break when she’ll get to see him again, if only for a few days.