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The lights are blinding and blistered feet are aching from weeks of relentless practice. 

Yet, as the crowd erupts into cheers, ballet dancers know that this is the moment they live for.

Ballet, often regarded as the toughest form of dance, requires extreme precision and consistency.

However, being good comes at a cost. 

Armando Pacheo, one of Van Nuys High School’s best dancers, found his passion for ballet in 2020 and has not looked back.

Pacheo first started dancing during lockdown, and taught himself everything from videos he watched online. 

He remains disciplined to make up for lost time, having started dancing in the eighth grade, when most other ballet dancers begin as toddlers. 

“Usually when people aim to become professional dancers they start around two years old, meaning I have ten years to make up for,” he said.

Pacheo started doing ballet in the studio last February. 

“The hardest thing to do in ballet is just making it to class everyday,” he said.

During school, Pacheo practices third and sixth period, practicing even more after school. 

“Even with the amount I dance, I’ve yet to burnout,” he said. “I know it happens to a lot of people, but that’s typically because they start at a really young age,” he stated.

Pacheo has had to sacrifice for ballet, as most dancers do, including family time 

“The Dance Company’s showcase was on my little brother’s birthday and the Spring Showcase was on my mom’s birthday,” he explained.

With such a demanding schedule, Pacheo struggles to keep his grades up, especially as he dedicates more of his time to dance.

“As I got to second semester I started getting home around 9 p.m. and it was hard getting adjusted to that,” he said.

 While many dancers may feel overwhelmed by pressure,  Pacheo embraces  it, relishing the lights, the nerves and the performance. 

¨I know a lot of people get stage fright and get super nervous, but I love it,” he explained. “It’s a surreal feeling.”

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 print edition.