Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia White.
Hi Cynthia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I discovered dance at 13, growing up in Massachusetts, and something clicked immediately — I moved naturally with the music and couldn’t get enough of the people or the environment. My love for dance stayed with me through college, where I majored in both dance and math, and even when life pulled me away from it, I always knew I’d come back.
I danced with several Boston companies through my 20s and 30s, including a return to performing after our two children were born with a new generation of dancers. When we later moved our family to North Carolina and then Florida, a pattern kept repeating itself: I’d take a class at a new studio, and it would turn into a teaching job. That’s exactly how I ended up at Central Florida Ballet. I showed up for a class one day, the teacher was running late, and after a few minutes I pulled up ballet music on my phone and just started teaching. By the end of the day, the studio had called with a job offer.
Central Florida Ballet holds a special place in Orlando, and I’m so grateful to be part of it. For the past 25 years, the studio’s commitment to both artistic excellence and community engagement – including performing in local schools, libraries and throughout Central Florida – continues to inspire the next generation of dancers and cultivate a lasting appreciation for the art of ballet.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Ballet is an absolutely beautiful form of dance, but the strength and discipline required for such beautiful movement make it challenging. Dancers can push their bodies beyond their limits in an endless pursuit of perfection, which works for some but can also cause injuries and hard feelings in others. One time I experienced this directly when I was eighteen years old in college and a ballet teacher singled me out – telling me I’d never amount to anything in dance. Having to be around him for the rest of that year was really difficult, but it taught me to believe in myself and the decisions I made. I encourage my students to ‘dance in the body you brought today’ and have a healthy relationship with ballet. Dancing in our own bodies keeps us healthy and lets us enjoy ‘ballet for life’ … which is one of my favorite expressions.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an adult ballet teacher at Central Florida Ballet (CFB) in Orlando — Labor Day this year marked my 5-year anniversary.
What sets me apart, I think, is that I make a point of meeting every person who walks in the door and learning their ballet story — whether it’s a theme park performer, a professional dancer, a mom sneaking out while her kids are at school, or someone who’s never worn ballet slippers in their life. I understand that ballet is usually not someone’s whole life, especially adult ballet students, because we are all on our own journeys. Today people study other forms of dance, cross train, run, you name it. You can be fully in the moment in class, but you don’t have to choose between ballet and everything else going on in your life.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way to work with me is simple — come take a class. I teach introductory and beginner ballet to adults in Orlando, and whether you danced as a kid or have never set foot in a studio, there’s a place for you in the room. It’s not just exercise — it’s community, it’s confidence, it’s fun, it’s ballet for life. Come find us and see for yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.centralfloridaballet.com/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfb_adultclasscommunity/
