SHS grad to dance in London

Lauren Wattenburg is an avid ballerina. She's been dancing since she was two years old. She graduated this year from Sisters High School as one of the three valedictorians in the senior class.

Wattenburg has been commuting back and forth to Portland for ballet classes for five years, from her eighth grade year through the end of her senior year. She danced with the Northwest Dance Theater in Portland under the direction of June Taylor-Dickson. Every Friday Lauren would miss her classes at SHS and commute to Portland for classes all weekend. Lauren knew that dance was her passion from a young age.

"It was something I've always stuck with and something I'm incredibly passionate about," she said.

Lauren is continuing her dance career as she goes into college. She will be attending the University of Utah in Salt Lake City in the fall. She is majoring in ballet with an emphasis on physical therapy. Last month, Lauren attended a three-week summer intensive program with Ballet West, the well known ballet company in Utah.

"It was really great to spend quality time in Utah and get to know Salt Lake," she said.

She decided after classes at Ballet West, she would submit an application for the summer intensive with the Royal Ballet School in London. She and her family took a trip to London last March and they attended a showing at the Royal Ballet.

"It's been a dream of mine to dance in any way with the Royal Ballet," said Wattenburg.

Her application was accepted and she was granted the opportunity to spend four weeks dancing and training with the Royal Ballet. Lauren and her mother Deb will be living in a flat in London for the four weeks of classes. Lauren will be spending six days a week dancing, learning, and training with some of the best ballerinas in the world.

"It hasn't really hit me yet that I am doing this, I'm looking forward to all that I will learn while in London," she told The Nugget.

Wattenburg would like to thank all those who supported her in her passion for dance: her family; friends; teachers at SHS; and her instructors over the years that have gotten her to where she is today.