Finn Duggan and the School of American Ballet
“You have to try and stand out because there are so many people and so much talent in the room,” explained Finn Duggan about auditions for the School of American Ballet (SAB). In order to reach his goals as a successful dancer now that he has recently seen accepted into SAB, Finn left Grace Church School at the start of his junior year for the more flexible class schedule offered by The Professional Children’s School (PCS) uptown on the West Side. The school is designed to allow students with demanding, out-of-school commitments (acting, modeling, dancing, or sports) to be able to pursue their careers while simultaneously attending school.
Finn goes to classes every day at PCS from 8:50 a.m. to 11:10 a.m., which fills three class periods. He also takes two classes online in order to have a full junior year academic schedule. After a quick lunch, he arrives at the nearby School of American Ballet by 11:40 a.m. at Lincoln Center. His day is scheduled down to the minute, and the life of a professional dancer is strictly organized to weed out the worst to find the best. He told me, “My school schedule has totally changed, and now my day is more focused around dance than school — both my time and my energy.”
During an interview, Finn explained the breakdown of his day, “[After three-morning academic classes at Professional Children’s School], I change and stretch to be ready for ballet class from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., when I break for a snack. My second class is from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and then I go home to do my homework.” In addition to his chaotic weekday schedule, Finn also has one class on Saturdays. If there is an upcoming performance, he must rehearse late into the evening until 8:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m.. In addition, he does weight training twice a week. At night, he sometimes attends cultural programming, such as a lecture or exhibit.
Finn says he could not have remained at Grace and continued to perform at his level of dedication. “I had to leave Grace because my classes at SAB start at 12:30 and I wouldn’t be able to manage both schedules. PCS builds your school schedule around your outside commitments, so normally you won’t have to miss any school days.” In addition, Finn takes a Physics online course taught by an out-of-school tutor with whom he often works late into the night.
To reach the top level of any sport requires intense commitment. “The dance world is really competitive,” Finn said. “There are a limited number of jobs… it’s a small group of people, and because we all go to the same auditions and summer programs… you make friends with dancers from all over the country and even outside the country.”
On top of academic and ballet classes, Finn will dance in The Nutcracker with Dances Patrelle, outside of his ballet school, in order to get experience and exposure. His nerves act up when he performs. “Before I perform I get anxious and excited, but being out there is freeing, and I usually just go for it. Whatever happens, you have to keep going, and you’d be surprised by how many costume malfunctions and mistakes happen that the audience never notices.”
Finn explains there is a camaraderie with fellow performers. When he is dancing in a pair, he feels close to his partner. “Especially if I’m working with a partner because it’s so important to have trust with that person.”
Finn faces so much competition because there are fewer jobs than dancers by far. Each winter he must audition again for summer programs. It’s not easy to be chosen, but Finn knows, “You have to differentiate yourself from the rest by presenting yourself and performing for the teacher who’s running the class. I try to focus on myself, but I do watch the competition when other groups are auditioning.”
The pressure that Finn is under is enormous in part because The School of American Ballet is connected to a company, the New York City Ballet. The goal for most dancers is to be admitted to the company, so the pressure and competition in high for everyone. An advantage for Finn is that more women dancer than men, so the competition is tougher for females roles. That does not mean it is an easy ride. Finn explains, “In ballet, the ballerina comes first and is more important than her partner — she is the jewel in the ring, and the partner is the setting. A good partner is invisible, just making the ballerina look better.” At SAB, classes are separated by gender, except for partnering, while at BAE, classes were mixed. There are twenty-five boys in my class, and we work on men’s technique, steps, and variations.
He summed up our conversation simply, “Ballet is an art, not a sport. Getting into a company is the goal, and then, rising in the ranks there to become a principal dancer is the big dream.”