Entering East Side Performing Arts, a ballet academy, every afternoon at 4:30 p.m. is part of senior Elizabeth Falkin’s regular routine; however, Oct. 19 brought a different feeling to her stomach. Oct. 19 was Falkin’s audition for the Annarella Conservatory located in Leiria, Portugal.

“I felt like I had presented my best self but I also knew that my teacher connects us with them really well so I felt like I had a good chance,” Falkin said.

When Falkin heard back two weeks later, she was beyond excited to be headed to Portugal for four weeks during the summer.

“I was definitely nervous because I knew that most of the teachers and students wouldn’t speak much English,” she said. “However, I was so excited to spend a whole month training there, so my nervousness didn’t really get to me.”

Growing up, Falkin played competitive soccer up until she was 14 when she decided to make the switch to ballet. From there, she joined the Austin School of Classical Ballet for two years and then East Side Performing Arts which granted her the opportunity to sign a pre-professional contract.

Upon hearing the news that Falkin had gotten accepted to the program, Falkin’s mom, Andrea Falkin, was really excited for her and for the opportunity to train at such a high level.

“I wasn’t nervous, but more hopefully it would be the training she needed and wanted,” Andrea said. “I also hope she would avoid any injuries that would restrict her from this unique training.”

Kelly Yankle, Falkin’s teacher, founded the East Side Performing Arts Professional Training Program, which hosts auditions for students to train and travel internationally. Yankle has also been the Austin liaison for the Annarella Conservatory for five years.

“As the founder and director of the program, I act as an agent and personal mentor for my dancers,” Yankle said. ”In addition to training them, I expose them to all of the amazing opportunities the world of professional dance has to offer.”

Five people, including Falkin, from East Side Performing Arts were accepted into the program. There were 30-40 other Americans and about 150 people in total from all over the world who were accepted. The diversity of students allowed Falkin to engage with and learn techniques from many different areas of the world.

“I met so many new friends from places like Colombia, Mexico, Italy, and, of course, Portugal,” Falkin said. “I loved how the classes were taught and how vibrant the ballet culture was there.”

On weekends, Falkin was free to explore the city and travel to different places around Portugal.

“I explored the town square and engaged in many of the festivals they hosted,” Falkin said. “There was a lot of live music and places to dance.”

While the program didn’t start until July 7, Falkin, her mom, Andrea Falkin and her sister, Stella Falkin, arrived a week early to move Falkin in and explore other cities such as Nazaré, Lisbon and Porto.

“I loved Lisbon the most for the art, people and overall atmosphere,” Andrea Falkin said. ”Each town was unique, and I loved its culture.”

After completing the program in Leiria, Falkin was told that she had been offered a spot to train year-round in Portugal. This would mean doing online school to prioritize dancing 40 to 50 hours a week.

When Falkin told Yankle this news, Yankle wasn’t surprised because she believes Falkin is brilliant, hardworking and talented.

“Elizabeth has now followed in the footsteps of many dancers who follow my guidance in seeking international training opportunities,” Yankle said. “This shows that she is advancing and maturing, and it will open up more doors for her in all aspects of her dance performance and training path.”

After many weeks of thinking about whether she should accept the spot to dance year-round, Falkin decided not to because she wants to enjoy her senior year and graduate from high school in her hometown.

“I am still considering it as a post-high school option in case I want to take a gap year to train more before attempting to join a professional company,” Falkin said. “I’m so excited to explore the professional world as I start my applications in the spring for future dance jobs and opportunities.”

To ensure that Falkin can get both her academic and dance education, Yankle has developed a very specific training regimen and path for her that will work best for her. While Falkin will not be attending the company again this year, she looks forward to hopefully pursuing ballet in Europe later on.

“What I love about Annarella is that it is located in Europe, meaning auditions for European companies are much easier to do from there,” Falkin said.” Ballet is much more supported in Europe and there are more opportunities there, so it is my dream to find work somewhere over there in the near future.”

This story was originally published on The Shield Online on September 24, 2025.