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military cadets, Division I athletes, and ballet performers
aren't so dierent, Czesniuk says: All share otherworldly
focus, attention to detail, and an ability to regain their
condence after setbacks. "It's not so much being able to
keep your eyes xated on a certain spot as keeping your
priorities, hopes, and dreams in front of you."
The Boston Ballet School's North Shore studio in
Marblehead, located within the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA,
demonstrates that a rigorous education in ballet doesn't
necessarily require lofty career expectations. The North
Shore studio serves young children to high schoolers as
well as their parents, giving students a chance to perform
in Boston once a year while letting hobbyists use ballet to
explore human movement without onerous expectations.
"In the North Shore, families have recreational interests
that are very diverse," says Czesniuk. "We want to provide
opportunities for people to focus intently and deeply on
ballet when they're in our space, but in a way that's
understanding of the cultural standards of the area."
He's also had a rsthand look at the profound transfor-
mation devoted students can achieve. He's seen Tyson Clark,
a public school student from Czesniuk's hometown of
