Jadi Wang

What companies/classes are you currently in?

I am currently in CATs company. I take ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. 

When did you start at Center Stage?

I started at Center Stage when I was 6.

Do you remember your first dance routine?

My first dance routine was a ballet number with Danielle. All I remember was that the costume had a huge pink tutu.

What was your Center Stage journey?

I started dancing recreationally in first grade once a week, then started competing in 3rd grade. From there, I went through Cubs, Senior Cougars, Junior CATs, and then finally CATs.

Why has it been worth all of the energy you’ve put into it and the sacrifices you’ve made?

Dance is the hobby I love most. It’s been so rewarding to look back as a senior and see how far I’ve come since I stepped foot in my first ballet class. Of course, there were plenty of times I felt frustrated with my plateaus in progress, but that happens to everyone. Ultimately, we all stick to our hobbies for our own personal reasons, and my reason is that it gives me a feeling of freedom like nothing else has.

What other outside of school activities do you do?

Outside of school, I do digital art on my drawing tablet. I’ve also picked up a variety of artistic hobbies that I drop just as quickly, such as knitting/crocheting, origami, 3D modeling, and video game creation. 

When did you first realize that your body had the strength, flexibility and control to do crazy things that other humans can’t?

I’ve pretty much had my splits for as long as I can remember (perhaps because I took gymnastics for a year when I was 3), so I guess I was always aware that I was very flexible. I think realizing how cool it was to be able to do splits made me want to improve even more. When I was younger, I used to do all kinds of crazy stretches at home to try to get my oversplits even deeper. 

As a dancer, your movement beautifully expresses the feeling of the music.  Are you a musician?  Do you play instruments?

I played piano from 1st to 6th grade, and flute from 4th to 8th grade. Even though I eventually dropped these instruments, I think having a basic music background definitely helped me be able to listen and count the music better.

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

I’m more of a night owl. Although it really wrecks my sleep schedule, I find that staying up late at night brings me peace of mind and occasional bursts of inspiration. 

What book/movie/play/tv show do you think everybody should experience, and why?

I think the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn is pretty eye-opening. Without spoiling too much, it’s basically a book that discusses the consequences of humanity’s actions on the environment. Also, half the book is told from the point of view of a gorilla.

You can have anyone from history over for dinner.  But you have to prepare the meal.  Who would it be, and what would you serve?  What’s the most important question you would like to ask this person?

I think I would like to have Amelia Earhart over for dinner because I’d want to ask her how exactly she died. I would probably cook pasta because it’s one of the only things I can successfully make.

Who are your role models?

My role models definitely include family and friends. 

What do you wish you knew how to do that you can’t right now?  

I would love to know how to figure skate. It seems so fun to be able to glide over the ice like that.

What’s next?

Next up is college! I’ll be attending Princeton in the fall. I wish I had a single clue what my major is going to be, but I really have no idea. 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, hopefully I’ll be living my best life in New York City! Not sure what I’ll be pursuing as a career, but whatever it is, I hope it’ll make me happy.

Will you come back to visit Center Stage, or are you gone for good when you’re out the door?

I definitely want to come back to watch the show or maybe take a class once in a while. I think I’ll miss dance too much to just leave forever.