Since her freshman year at ULM, senior speech-language pathology major Kayla Cornet contributed to the university’s several dance outlets. Now, preparing to graduate, Cornet takes time to reflect on her experience as a dancer.
Hailing from Stonewall, Louisiana, Cornet started dancing at the Power & Grace School of Performing Arts in Shreveport at the age of three.
She trained in all styles of dance, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and pointe. Despite excelling in several disciplines, she found herself drawn to lyrical dance.
“I like lyrical,” Cornet said. “I’m not the best at it but I like lyrical. That’s what I want to do. [I’ve done] tap solos these past two years, but this year I wanted to do something else.”
Cornet performed in multiple shows during her time at Power & Grace, including “The Nutcracker.” She also participated in dance competitions in Dallas and Baton Rouge.
During her freshman year at ULM, Cornet danced on the Hawkline. Though her Hawkline experience was short-lived, Cornet wanted to continue dancing.
She went on to join the ULM dance program, headed by Starla Gatson, in her junior year.
“I went and watched the Spring Fusion performance with my friend,” Cornet said. “I thought, ‘Ooh, I want to do this.’ So, I tried out.”
For Cornet, the audition process consisted of a three-minute self-taped dance.
“It wasn’t as strict as it is now,” she said.
Since joining the dance program, Cornet stepped outside of her comfort zone learning new styles of dance. She gained fluidity in her movements, an asset that suits Gatson’s whimsical choreography.
Gatson offered her own perspective on Cornet’s growth.
“I think you’ve become more proficient in different styles than you were before,” Gatson said.
Cornet reflected on her struggles as a dancer learning different disciplines.
“It’s the same struggle I have now,” Cornet said. “I’m not very flexible. I wasn’t super, super thin. I [played] soccer, so I was more muscular. A lot of the other girls [in Shreveport] were thin, and I’m not going to say they moved up quicker because they were [tiny], but…that was a while ago.”
After the Fall Fusion performance, Cornet has only one more concert in Dance Repertory Ensemble—in the School of Visual and Performing Arts’ Kaleidoscope program.
Dancing under Gatson with the ULM Dance Repertory Ensemble gave her time to focus on a fun hobby of hers, but with graduate school close by, she decided to withdraw from any further dance study.
Cornet plans to graduate at the end of the fall semester and afterwards intends to pursue a master’s degree with the ULM Speech-Language Pathology graduate program.
Cornet said she doesn’t plan to continue dancing while pursuing her master’s degree.
“I’ve decided to dedicate my time to my profession,” she said.
