Cary-Trained Dancer Goes to “Olympics of Ballet”

Cary, NC – Only 119 dancers worldwide are invited to compete USA International Ballet Competition this year, considered the Olympics of ballet. And one of those 119 is Maddison Goodman, trained here at the Cary Ballet Conservatory.

Most Prestigious Ballet Competition

Goodman has several other accomplishments in her young dance career; she earned regional second place in classical and first place in Pas De Deux at the 2018 Youth America Grand Prix, she won at the 2017 YoungArts in dance and the American Dance Competition ranked her in the top 25 dancers for both classical and contemporary in 2017.

But with this invitation to compete at the USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) in mid-June, Goodman said this will be a big opportunity for her to meet with dance companies from around the country and see if she can work with them in the future.

“It means a lot to me to be the only dancer in Cary to make it to the competition. I’ll be dancing with amazingly talented dancers and choreographers,” Goodman said.

At the Cary Ballet Conservatory, Goodman is trained by Professional Training Program Director Mariaelena Ruiz, who competed in the 1986 IBC and earned third place.

“It is a huge honor for her to be invited. She will have the experience of a lifetime,” Ruiz said of Goodman. “On top of her tremendous potential, Maddie has an excellent work ethic which has shown in her growth in her time at Cary Ballet.”

Ruiz will also be accompanying Goodman to the competition.

“It’s one of the hardest competitions but it’s also the most prestigious,” Goodman said. “She’s told me it’ll be a lot of long days but it will be worth it.”

Artistry Out of Technique

Goodman has trained at the Cary Ballet Conservatory since 2016 but had been studying dance and ballet for many years before then. Before coming to the Cary school, Goodman said she had technique but not artistry.

“Since then, I’ve grown as a dancer and performer, and my technique has improved at the same time too,” she said.

Training in Cary also led to Goodman going to more competitions and performing in front of audiences, which she said changes how she dances.

“When practicing in the studio, it’s not as intense and I can retry certain parts. But when I’m in a competition, I only have one time to impress the judges,” she said. “Even if I fall down, I have to get up and show my determination.”

This kind of work also leads to more focus and discipline, which Goodman said helps her and other dancers in the school with other aspects of life such as schoolwork.

As a performer, Goodman said her favorite to perform is the role of Aurora from Sleeping Beauty but she also considers Swan Lake and the ballet portions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream her favorite ballets.

Goodman also has a GoFundMe page to assist her trip to the competition.

The IBC takes place from Sunday, June 10 to Saturday, June 23, 2018 in Jackson, Mississippi.

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Story by Michael Papich. Photos by Brooke Meyer.

Content sponsored in part by the Cary Chamber of Commerce annual membership drive.