Liz Zurasky Photo: Juliana Franks has a concentration in pedagogy within the dance department. After pursuing a performance career, she hopes to attend graduate school for art therapy.Juliana Franks is a senior dance major with a concentration in pedagogy and a psychology minor hailing from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan.

During her years at Mercyhurst, she has not only been able to fulfill her love of dance and grow as an artist, but she has also been able to discover other interests outside of the dance studio which she hopes to pursue after graduation.

Franks began her dance training at the age of eight at the Geiger Classical Ballet Academy, admitting that at first she “hated ballet.”

As she got older, however, she began to gain an appreciation for the art form, which inevitably led her to this institution.

According to Franks, she visited Mercyhurst in “the dead of winter, during a blizzard with three feet of snow.”
Nonetheless, the welcoming faculty, current dance majors and beautiful campus won her over.

As a dance major, Franks says that her favorite performance experiences were Raw Edges during her freshman year and last year’s production of Cinderella.

In regards to the latter she says that Cinderella has always been her favorite ballet and that working with her fellow cast members was “an extremely rewarding experience because we had great chemistry.

“It was also enjoyable to work with the non-dance majors that were involved in the production as well,” Franks said.

After graduating, Franks aspires to dance professionally for four to five years and then attend graduate school for art therapy.

She finds enjoyment in helping children with disabilities through movement and art.

She claims that it is “important to get dance back into schools, for it fosters children’s cognitive development and increases test scores.”

Like many senior dancers, Franks has an “I’ll dance for whoever will hire me” attitude.

She did express an interest in working on cruise ships since it will enable her to see the world.

A free-spirited individual to say the least, Franks was not shy answering dance related questions:

Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
“Coffee, carbs and candy!”

What was your worst onstage nightmare?
“One year during a performance of The Nutcracker when I was casted as a candy cane, I was required to sit on the throne of Clara and the prince and my foot fell asleep!
I was unsuccessful at waking it up and had to limp around the stage.”

Where do you find inspiration for dance?
“I get inspired by watching other dancers, professionals and friends alike, and from music.”

When asked what advice she would give to students she said, “Take a class for the hell of it because you may surprise yourself and discover you love something you never would have anticipated.

“Don’t be afraid to meet people, because these years will fly.”