Sports Outside of SJC- Jane Cronin '27 and ballet

Around campus at SJC, there is no shortage of athletes, artists, gamers, performers, scholars, and even dancers. Jane Cronin ‘27 is one of them. Cronin is a pre-professional ballerina, which means that she is at the highest level that a dancer her age can achieve and she can pursue dance as a career if she chooses. 

She dances for the Academy of Russian Ballet in Virginia, and during the past two summers, she has danced at the Rock School for Dance in Philadelphia. Cronin has been dancing for 15 years.

When asked why she started dancing, she said, “I did soccer and lacrosse, which I really loved when I was little. I was kind of spirited—I was the girl doing cartwheels instead of paying attention. My mom thought ballet would be a good idea, something that might calm me. And it just stuck and I love it.”

Cronin dances almost every day. She rarely has Sundays off and her practices can last from two to eleven hours. Her longer days at the studio are usually in preparation for an upcoming competition or show. She begins with ballet class, then has strength and conditioning before practicing another style, such as modern, jazz, contemporary, pointe, or variations from ballet. And then she rehearses. 

Cronin doesn’t just crush it in the studio though, she succeeds in school as well. Cronin is part of the De La Salle Scholars Program at St. John’s, and plans to study pre-med in college while she continues to dance, perform, and possibly teach.

Last year, Cronin participated in three competitions one in Pittsburgh and two in New York, which included the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) competition, America’s National Youth Dance Competition. At the competition, the SJC sophomore placed in every category she performed. and . 

Cronin described the YAGP finals last year in which she and her friend, a former SJC studen who now dances at the Houston Ballet, had to perform a duet in front of panels of judges who were “the best of the best in their day”, and then other finalist dancers from around the world.

“It was kind of nerve wracking, but I did a lot of visualizing leading up to it. I did a science fair project in eighth grade about this - if you visualize it, usually your outcome is better.”

Cronin also danced in The Nutcracker as the Snow Queen and Clara, which were her dream roles since she was little. She hopes to dance as Odette and Odile, the White and Black Swans, from Swan Lake, in the future.

One of Cronin's biggest sources of inspiration is her dance teacher, Miss Elizabeth Gaither. Gaither trained at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, and while she did that, she lived her life to the fullest. “She is also one of the most unique, and nicest, people I think I've ever met. And so talented. Even though she's such an amazing dancer, she's still a normal and nice person,” Cronin said.

When asked what she likes most about being a ballerina, Cronin said, “When I dance, I feel free and relieved, I guess, of the stress of everyday life, and then I can just let go and be myself. I also love all the people I've met. I've made some amazing friends, from all around the world too, like Brazil, Mexico, and places in Europe.”

Cronin encourages other students at St. John’s who are interested in pursuing ballet or any other form of dance professionally to go for it. 

“I think there's a place for everyone in the dance world, no matter what style you choose really. Especially with ballet, and all the styles, there's so many benefits physically, mentally, and socially,” Cronin said. 

As a scholar and dancer, Cronin does not hesitate to point out that there are studies that show dancing releases chemicals in your brain that increase levels of productivity and happiness- who wouldn't want that!