Get to know Chicago native, Trinity Santoro, the fifteen year old dancer who trains at A&A Ballet under the direction of Anna Reznik and Alexei Kremnev. Former founding Artistic Directors of the Joffrey Acadamy and Studio Company, Reznik and Kremnev have created a world class Center for Dance, and their alumni can be seen all over the world, from New York City Ballet to Nederlands Dans Theater. Trinity is currently a member of the A&A Youth Company, training daily in the heart of Chicago.
Trinity Santoro © Peter HinsdaleName:Trinity Santoro
Age: 15
Hometown: Chicago
Where you currently dance: A&A Ballet
Favorite roles you've performed: Clara, Sugar Plum Fairy, Cinderella, Aurora
Dream role(s): Kitri, Giselle, Odile, Odette, Aurora (again!)
What kind of pointe shoes do you wear?
I wear Russian Pointe Luminas and Bravas. I think they both look very flattering on my feet.
Favorite dance wear brand?
My favorite brands are Russian Pointe, Wear Moi, and Lucky Leo.
How and when did you get your start in dance?
I started dance when I was three, but it was only competition dancing; I hated ballet back then! My old dance teacher saw a lot of potential in me and thought I should do ballet. She said that ballet is the base of almost every style, so my family thought it was important to take me to a ballet school. I was not happy about it, but after the first week, I fell in love with it! So, from the age of 9, I haven't stopped.
I know you recently competed at YAGP in Chicago and won first in both the classical and ensemble groups as well as third in contemporary... congrats! What was that experience like?
Recently, my school competed at YAGP in Chicago; we won first place in the classical and contemporary ensemble categories. It was such and amazing and wonderful experience for my whole school. We all worked so hard every single day, and it was an amazing accomplishment. I felt so blessed to be considered for the lead in the contemporary piece. It was so much fun, and it was amazing choreography.
Trinity Santoro © Peter Hinsdale
Can you tell us a little more about some of your other interests or hobbies?
A few of my other hobbies are drawing, (I love to draw so much either on paper or digitally), and painting, (I have a few paintings, but I would rather draw because its a little less messy.) I love to sing; I have a few videos up with my sister actually on her Instagram (@bredia_official), if you guys want to go check those out! I have done a few acting things; I have been in a few commercials, a few kid magazines, and a few advertisements... but I would really like to do more of that in the future. I also love to knit! A lot of people make fun of me for it, but I like it!
What does a day in the life of Trinity look like?
I wake up at 7:00 am and start getting ready for ballet. I have my breakfast and head to the car to go to dance. It is a very long drive; I live in the suburbs, and A&A Ballet is all the way in Chicago; my mom drives me there every morning. I usually do my hair and eat breakfast in the car. It is a bit hard, but it saves a lot of time. Once I get to dance, I warm up for a little bit, and we start our first class at 10:00.
First we have a ballet class and pointe class, then we have a ten to fifteen minute lunch break. After that, we go onto our next class which could be a repertoire, rehearsal, or pilates class. For the last hour, we could have repertoire, rehearsal, or contemporary. That hour ends at about 2:50, and every Tuesday and Thursday, I have an hour private with Ms. Anna or Mr. Alexei. Then it's time for me to head home. I always take the train home, and it's about an hour and fifteen or it could be an hour and twenty minutes home. It is a pretty long train ride, but I do enjoy looking out the window, going on my phone, sleeping, or getting ready to post something on Instagram. I am the very last stop on my train, so I'm usually very hungry at that point. So, when my mom picks me up she always has a nice dinner ready for me when I get home. When I get home, I have my dinner, go upstairs, and take a shower or epsom salt bath. After that, I get ready to do school.
I know having school and dance can be very hard. I am in A&A Youth Company, and classes are during the day. So whenever I get home, I'm very exhausted. That's why it's very important to just get all your school work done so you don't have to worry about getting behind. Sometimes, I study till 10:00 or sometimes 1:00 am... just whenever I get all my school work done. After that, I wash my face and get ready for bed. Then I do it all over again! But obviously it is so worth it.
What are your short term and long term goals as a dancer?
My short term goal is to be really good at the small details like making sure I hit a good fifth, holding my arm a certain way, making sure I articulate through my feet, and having really good musicality. My long term goal is to be in a company and, hopefully, one day be principal at Royal Ballet or ABT.
Trinity Santoro © Jeff Yin
What do you like about using Pointe Paint?
I LOVE using Pointe Paint! I love that there are so many different colors and varieties, and I also love how easy it is to apply to your pointe shoes.
Which color(s) have you tried? Have you used Pointe Paint for a specific role or for photo shoots?
The first colors I've gotten were Buttermilk and Chai. I actually used the Buttermilk color for my Sleeping Beauty performance. I loved how seamless it was with my tights; I thought it gave me a very beautiful line. I always use the Chai for my photo shoots.
Which colors would you like to try next?
The color I would like to try next is Victoria Paige Red. I remember one time, I was in Paris, and I tried to color my pointe shoes with a red Sharpie... it did not work out! So, I want to give red pointe shoes another try.
