Lewiston's Aniko Nagy working with Bolshoi Ballet Academy

A Lewiston dancer will serve as a counselor this summer at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive CT program on the campus of Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut.

Aniko Nagy, a 19-year-old SUNY Potsdam student, will work with children and teens from June 22 through July 31. She called the camp a "really good opportunity" and one she credits to her school.

"I have lovely secretaries in my dance and theater department here at SUNY Potsdam, and they're always emailing around summer activities, summer jobs and things that can really help you out," Nagy said.

Though just a sophomore, Nagy has already been given the opportunity to teach others on campus.

"I actually had the opportunity to choreograph a musical this semester," she said.

"That's been a lot of fun," Nagy added. "It's been a great learning experience for me, as well. Definitely I think it's going to help out this summer."

Nagy took dance classes with the Feder School of Classical Ballet and participated in both Greater Niagara Ballet Company and Artpark & Company performances.

"I really like seeing people starting at point A and growing and finishing up at point B," she said. "It's really amazing how somebody can take something that you've created and make it their own - and I'm seeing that a lot this semester, especially with my own choreography."

"It's just really exciting, and it makes you really, really proud of the people that you get to work with," Nagy added. "It's just really nice."

The summer academy, run by the famed Bolshoi Ballet Academy, is described as providing "expert training for serious ballet students."

Beyond this summer, Nagy is considering both teaching and performing roles.

"The dream would be to get a choreographic position somewhere - maybe in a company - or to work with a couple of different theater companies would be really nice," she said. "If that doesn't really work out, then maybe even just auditioning myself for a dance company or a theater company. (That) would be really, really nice."

Aniko Nagy