Dance Seniors
Eva Baxter
My name is Eva Baxter, and I started at COCA my freshman year at fourteen years old. Over the past four years, I’ve grown from a girl who never imagined dancing past high school into someone about to pursue dance in college. COCA gave me the skills and opportunities that made that possible. But more than that, it gave me my people. The friends I’ve made here have become my family, and I can’t even start to imagine life without them by my side. Being part of Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance has pushed me further than I ever thought I could go. None of this would have been possible without Ms. Carly, who started my dance journey; Mrs. Ashley, who always believed in me; and Antonio and Kirven, who gave me opportunities I will carry forever. I also want to thank my parents, whose love and support carried me through every step of this journey. Next year I’ll be attending the University of Minnesota to study chemistry and dance.
AJ Bentley
From the very beginning, rhythm has been part of my identity. My mother tells me I moved to the beats of my father’s drumline before I was even born. While music runs through my family, rhythm took a different form in me—it became movement. Dance became my music, and my body became my instrument.
My journey began watching Naomi’s ballet classes. Inspired, I begged for my first pair of ballet shoes, and everything changed. At COCA, I found not only training, but confidence, passion, and purpose. In the beginning, I wanted to be the “best male ballet dancer in the whole earth,” and my love has grown to include contemporary, tap, hip-hop, and musical theatre.
I thank God, my family, and my mentors for guiding me.
I am the rhythm I was born to be.
Doline Colenburg
I joined COCA in 2025 in my senior year. COCA has led me to meet new people and gain connections—I took a couple of classes and really liked how I felt. I’ve been able to show who I really am as a person, not just as a dancer. I believe that COCA means community and opportunity, being picked up without realizing you’ve been picked up. I don’t know my exact plan after high school, but I know that I’m going to keep dancing and being a performer, and I may explore fashion design and cosmetology. But my eyes won’t leave the initial prize, and that is to dance.
Harper Clark
Dance is more than movement; it tells stories, is a force, unites, and is life in its purest form. I reflect on an incredible journey of 16 years. Many fueled me as an artist, brought immense joy, and taught me this language. Kirven and Antonio’s dedication set an example. Tramon taught me presence, personality, style, character, and to never give up. Dave and Demetrius are inspirational, and their kindness profound. Kameron Saunders lit a spark and brought my true self out showing me the meaning of confidence. Anthony believed in me when no one else did and showed me what it takes to succeed as a versatile dancer. His classes were filled with joy, laughter, smiles, and sass. The accompanists, costume and backstage crew were perfection. Jay Staten brings love, energy, experience, and knowledge to COCA—my forever home.
Michelle Jing
I joined COCA’s Pre-Professional Division when I was eleven years old, and it has been a defining aspect of my life throughout middle and high school. After being in Ballet Eclectica for six years and COCAdance for two years, I can proudly say COCA has not only shaped the dancer I am, but more importantly the person I am. My time here has made me strong, resilient, and ultimately ready for anything my future may bring. I am endlessly grateful to Antonio for pushing me when I needed it, Ashley for being a constant source of empathy, and my parents for supporting my pursuit of this beautiful art form. Next fall, I will be attending Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
Lexie Kummant
Ever since I started at COCA, dance has had such a healing effect on me. The power of having my mind completely focused on a sequence of challenging steps distracts me from whatever chaos or sadness may be happening outside. Like a safety net, the consistency and routine of COCA makes me feel at home. I started at COCA when I was nine years old, having moved back to the states from Australia. Mrs. Ashley was my first teacher who taught me what a privilege it is to dance. I remember one specific class that stuck with me; she said we should never take our ability to dance for granted, to move without bounds, and to reach our fullest potential and then reach a little more. I am beyond grateful for the profound impact you have had on me and the nurture and care you put into each and every one of your students. You always make sure to ask about the little things in our lives—tests, homecomings, all of it. Antonio, your ability to motivate yet express an unlimited amount of love to your dancers is something remarkable. Thank you for always showing up for us—in rehearsals, classes, and any avenue of our lives. I owe my confidence in dancing to you—you taught me how to not hold back and to whole-heartedly believe in myself. Again, the consistency of your presence is something that grounded me. Kirven, your pieces in Ballet Eclectica truly grew my passion for dance so much more. I have never been pushed so hard yet had so much more fun dancing and learning your choreography. The joy and energy you bring into the studio expands onto your students and is truly inspiring. The people at COCA have filled my heart with unbelievable amounts of gratitude and love. Writing this in tears I realized that the pain in my heart I feel when thinking about letting this all go is a privilege. It’s a privilege to feel the amount of love I feel for these people and to have had the opportunity to go through a chapter of my life with them in it. Next year, I will be attending Boston College where I plan to pursue a major in mathematics.
Fiona Van Allen
I remember sitting in this audience when I was young, watching Triumphant, and realizing in a single moment that I wanted to be a dancer. My nine years at COCA have guided my artistry, but more than that, entirely shaped who I am. I want to thank Sam, Tramon, Ms. Jada, Mrs. Gabby, Antonio, and Kirven for providing me with so much wisdom and care. And to my family, thank you for encouraging me to pursue art completely, through all the ups and downs. As I head to UNCSA to pursue dance, in these final moments I realize how truly blessed I’ve been to grow up in this space. I’ve learned so much, experienced so much joy, and I’m so incredibly thankful for every person, every moment, and every memory. I know my younger self would be ecstatic to see where I am now; where I’m headed. And above all, that’s enough.
Isabelle Williams
My name is Isabelle Williams, and I have been dancing at COCA since I was 8 years old. Being a member of Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance, COCA has had a huge impact on my life. It has taught me discipline and dedication, but more importantly it has given me a community. I want to give a special thanks to Antonio and Kirven for always believing in me and pushing me to be my best; and thank you, Gabby, for showing up for me every week and always getting us together. To the friends I made here, thank you for being there for me through it all. You guys never fail to make me smile; I wouldn’t rather dance with anyone else. Finally, thank you to my mom, who used to drop me off five days a week and has never missed a show. My number one supporter, I love you. This fall, I will be attending WashU to study chemistry.
Voice Seniors
Safiya Austin-El
I joined COCA at 17, and this June will mark my first year. In that short time, my experience has been nothing short of amazing. I’ve been given incredible opportunities, collaborated with so many talented people, and truly grown in my abilities. Being surrounded by such driven and supportive individuals has pushed me to work harder and strive to be better every day. COCA has become a place where I feel challenged, inspired, and able to grow both as an artist and as a person. After graduation, I plan to attend the Norwalk Conservatory, where I will major in Musical Theatre. Through my time here, I discovered a deeper passion for performing and the confidence to pursue it as a career.
Langston Casey
I started at COCA in January 2025, and even though my time here was short, it meant a lot to me. From day one, I felt welcomed into a space that pushed me to grow and take myself more seriously as a performer. Being surrounded by people who care so much about their craft made me want to work harder and be better every day. COCA helped me build confidence and step outside of my comfort zone in ways I didn’t expect. It quickly became a place that felt important to me. After graduation, I plan to attend Carnegie Mellon University to study musical theatre and keep growing as an artist. I’m really grateful for everything COCA gave me in such a short time!
Cora Donaldson
I started at COCA two years ago when I was 16 and cast in the musical, SIX: TEEN EDITION, over the summer. I fell in love with everybody here; from the cast to creative team, I felt incredibly welcomed and supported. This experience encouraged me to take classes full year at COCA, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I have made lifelong friends and memories. I plan to attend Emerson College.
Samira Gallagher
I joined COCA just one year ago, but it quickly became a place that changed me. When I arrived, I was still rebuilding my confidence, especially in singing and dancing. Through my time at COCA, I was able to regain that confidence while also strengthening my skills and learning more about acting, something I have always been passionate about. Each class pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and grow not only as an artist, but as a person. Even in a short time, I created meaningful memories and connections that I will always carry with me. To me, COCA is more than a program—it’s a place where I found my voice again and truly believed in myself.
After graduation, I plan to begin training to become an Olympic figure skater and continue chasing my musical theatre dreams with COCA.
Byron Jenkins
I started performing at COCA when I was seventeen when I was cast in Cinderella and Hadestown: Teen Edition. I was very nervous about everything and was in a shell. Being the Prince in Cinderella helped me become less afraid on stage. Hadestown made me a better mover. COCA means a lot to me. It feels like another home. The people are so welcoming and so ready to help anyone. I have gained many skills in my years here, and a lot of them are because of the people and resources I have had at COCA. My plans after graduation are to get a BFA in theatre at Southeast Missouri State University.