FSLM Student Profile

Meet Pleasant Grover senior Norah Jordan
By Madeline Smallwood

Glitter-covered surfaces, makeup products precariously perched on countertops, and costume pieces strewn everywhere might drive some people crazy, but not dancer and Pleasant Grove senior Norah Jordan.

Norah has been dancing practically her whole life. “My mom put me in dance when I was three, along with soccer, gymnastics, and other things, but dance was the one thing that stuck,” she said. “Honestly, dance is my entire life and has been for 15 years.”

Between drill team, studio dance, community ballet practice, and a class in Little Rock every Saturday, Norah spends at least 25 hours a week dancing. “I don’t mind spending all my time dancing. It’s like my lifeline,” she said. “I can express myself in a way that I’m not able to put into words. I know most people won’t understand, and I’m fine with that, because other people don’t have to—just me.”

Norah doesn’t consider dancing “just a hobby”; rather, it is an art form she wants to pursue for the rest of her life. She plans to obtain degrees in dance and business, join a professional ballet company, and open her own dance studio. She is an advanced student and also a junior assistant. “I love dancing, but I love assisting at the studio just as much. I’ve always wanted to open up my own studio,” Norah explained.

Dance is year-round for Norah. Her past few summers have been spent at Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Johnson, Vermont. This prestigious summer intensive involves five hours of technique classes daily, in addition to afternoon and evening rehearsals. Not just anyone can dance at Burklyn; Norah had to audition to earn her place. Classes at Burklyn are taught by world-renowned dance instructors, including former American Ballet Theatre dancers.

Norah has participated in community productions for the past ten years. “I remember watching the ballet for the first time when I was younger and thinking I couldn’t wait to be like those girls on stage. The next year, I auditioned.” In this year’s major production, Norah will perform a senior role. 

“Performing is probably my favorite part of dancing. The heat of the lights and just shutting the rest of the world out, I can’t even explain it.” Norah said.

Along with so much dancing, Norah is involved in other activities as well. She is one of the editors of Pleasant Grove High School’s yearbook, The Hawk, an acolyte at St. James Episcopal Church, and is involved in various school organizations including National Honor Society, Quill and Scroll, and Student Council, just to name a few. She manages all this along with taking college-level courses.

“I’m busy pretty much all the time,” she admitted. “I have dance seven days a week and other responsibilities. It’s very important for me not to let myself get too stressed. When I start to feel stressed, I step back and reflect, organize, and just decompress. Most of the time, it helps.”

The constant on-the-go and filled-to-the-brim schedule has taught Norah many things—namely the importance of self-discipline, organization, and perseverance, as well as how to rely on her support system. From football games to late-night practices, her parents, Jennifer and Phillip (the latter of whom is affectionately known as the “Dance Dad”), and younger sister, Rosie (who is also a dancer), are always there to shower Norah with unconditional support. “Without my family, I don’t know how I would do it,” she shared. From pointe shoes to pom poms, Norah’s hard work shines.