Spotlight: Brooke Misch
Brooke Misch, a 2024 graduate of Chardon High School, is currently a freshman at The Ohio State University pursuing a degree in Mathematics with a minor in Dance.
During her 14 years as a dance student at Fairmount, she took several classes each week where she made life-long friends.
“There’s something so special about sharing your love for dance with others that immediately makes you closer - I think that’s my fondest memory. ”
Fairmount also offered her a comforting place for self-discovery, especially in making hard decisions about her future. Wanting originally to pursue a profession in dance, she began to think more seriously about what that would look like, and ultimately made the decision to take a different path.
“Despite my strong passion for dance, I also had to reflect on whether being a professional dancer would be the right environment for me and whether that would be a fulfilling experience or not. In return, this experience made me more comfortable with making difficult decisions and adapting to new mindsets and goals which is something I continue to work on as I have begun college. ”
Even through her tough decision-making process, Fairmount was a place for Brooke to stay connected to her creative passions and arts community. During her senior year, she choreographed and performed a senior solo - something she had been looking forward to doing since she was a young dancer. She remembers watching other seniors perform their own pieces from backstage and looked forward to the day when it would be her in the spotlight.
Brooke performing her senior solo at Fairmount’s dance performance.
Aside from taking dance classes at Fairmount, Brooke also volunteered during summer camps, which she found to be a very rewarding experience.
“Getting to see younger dancers get excited about dance always made my day! It was a full circle moment for me because I had been dancing since their age as well! ”
When asked to describe her Fairmount experience in one word, Brooke chose the word, “home”.
“Fairmount became my second home very quickly. It became a place of familiarity and comfort. Seeing all of my friends and teachers was like seeing my second family.”
At OSU, in addition to taking her regular studio classes for her dance minor, Brooke has been working alongside other students in the dance department under the direction of a MFA student who's project focuses on exploring connections between textiles and movement. Brooke has been able to perform and collaborate with many talented peers that has allowed her to continue her passion for dance that all started at Fairmount!
