Boston Ballet School, a prestigious ballet academy serving more than 5,000 people in the Boston area, has welcomed a new member, Eloise Atzeff, a former LFHS student who left this summer to pursue her dream.

Atzeff, a resident of Lake Bluff, has been dancing for as long as she can remember.  Starting her dancing career at North Shore School of Dance, she found a love and passion for the movement and music.

Performing in the Joffrey’s Nutcracker yearly since the age of nine, Atzeff wore her tights and leotard during school so she was ready leave right after to head to Chicago for rehearsals.

Wanting more out of her dancing, Atzeff made the full move to Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. Having a three hour commute daily had nothing on the training Atzeff was now receiving.  Once Atzeff turned 11, she started to dance with the pre professional program at Joffrey and continued her dancing there until she turned 17. She made many new friends with the same passion that were able to push her and her dance abilities.

“I realized my training at Joffrey could only take me so far,” Atzeff said. “It was time to move onward in my ballet career, and Boston was the right decision in improving my dancing abilities.”

Once Atzeff got to the point of wanting to expand her dancing career, she decided to make the move to Boston in order to dance at the Boston Ballet. She left after her junior year, spending her final year of high school in a new city and new school.

“She realized that dance was her passion and took it to another level,” senior Ella White said.

Living 10 minutes from dance and five minutes from school, Atzeff is living the life she has always dreamed of. No more commuting or having to leave school early. She had a vision for what she wanted and went after it.

“I’m still going to school while dancing more which was something super important to me,” said Atzeff.

Dancing four to five hours per day six days a week is what makes Atzeff the happiest. Along with making new friends and Atzeff loves exploring her new city. She does miss the her friends at the high school and “Lake Forest in general,” but she said she is doing what she loves and taking advantage of this new and growing opportunity.