Spotlight: Gavin Petras sees his future in dance
At age 12, Gavin Petras says he already knows what will be his likely major in the fine arts department of a university.
His passion for the art of dancing — specifically hip-hop and break dancing — doesn’t surprise his mother and father, Skye and Ben Petras.
“When Gavin was very young, he was always humming, always moving around whenever he heard music,” Skye said. “I could just tell.”
That’s why his mom encouraged Gavin to join Bellingham instructor Stephanie Harper at her Harper&I Dance Center three years ago when she saw an ad in The Bellingham Herald.
“They connected immediately,” Skye said. “It was just wonderful to see.”
I want to perform on a big stage before a huge audience.
Gavin Petras
dancerNow Gavin says that Harper and her staff have inspired him so much that he wants to dance “forever.”
“She (Harper) gave hope and inspiration,” said Gavin, a seventh-grader at Vista Middle School. “If we ever gave up (on a routine, in his first year), she wouldn’t let us give up. She always helps a lot and is so much fun to work with.”
Gavin recalls his early jitters in class.
“I really was nervous, but she just made us feel so comfortable, and (soon) made it seem like we knew each other forever,” he said.
Skye vividly recalls how quickly Gavin took to break dancing when he began about a year ago.
“Wow, now he can do (highly athletic) moves I can’t even imagine,” she said of Gavin, who performs with Subdued, a group of hip-hop and break dancers at Harper’s studio. “He has really grown as a person and in self-confidence.”
Gavin, who is also an avid reader, keyboard performer and baseball player, is excited about the opportunity to attend a convention in Seattle in February. He has no trouble explaining how much break dancing means.
“It’s sort of like freestyle dancing,” he said. “I get to do anything I really hope for. You can do anything you want (to learn to master).”
Gavin looks forward to performing for many years.
“I just want to achieve what I want to,” he said. “I want to perform on a big stage before a huge audience.”
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight shines on children 12 or younger who excel in arts or education and shares how their parents helped them achieve success.
To suggest a child to profile, send their name and a brief description of their accomplishments, along with a parent’s name and contact information, to newsroom@bellinghamherald.com.
This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Spotlight: Gavin Petras sees his future in dance."