Maya Hawkins, 28, has no memory of her life before ballet. A hyper and energetic toddler, Maya’s parents brought her to Ballet Memphis at three for their children’s ballet class. As a shy and reserved child, Maya immediately treasured the fact that in ballet, she could express herself through movement rather than words. She joined the Collage Dance Corps in high school, where she trained until graduation.

She then moved to Philadelphia to study at the School of Pennsylvania Ballet. She then trained with the Cincinnati Ballet and Washington Ballet, then danced as a company artist with the Charlottesville Ballet in Virginia for three seasons. Maya then returned to Memphis in 2020 for the opportunity to dance with Collage Dance Memphis in 2020. “The Ballet world is very competitive, especially for women. We usually have to go where we are offered. I am fortunate to have come back and dance with Collage Dance Memphis, an organization instrumental in my growth as a young artist,” Maya says.

Having practiced in many environments, Maya has seen some of the negative stereotypes associated with the ballet community — primarily unspoken discrimination or favoritism based on aesthetics like weight and skin color. “I am proud to be part of a new generation of leaders making strides to move past the old school ideals and focus purely on skills rather than appearance.” Maya is proud that, through her work with Collage Dance Memphis, she can show the Memphis community that diversity is welcomed in dance.

Dance, particularly ballet, has a reputation for encouraging restriction and intensity — doing whatever it takes to maintain a particular physique. Maya, however, is passionate about remaining healthy and strong and giving her body adequate fuel and rest to prevent overuse injuries or malnutrition. In her typical schedule as a full-time company dancer, Maya is at the Collage Dance studio all day Monday through Friday, training and practicing for upcoming performances. During her off time, Maya sees a chiropractor for injury prevention and practices hot yoga, Pilates, and strength training to remain strong and pain-free. She focuses on eating a balanced but unrestricted diet to fuel her body for rigorous daily activity and to keep her mind sharp.

Maya hopes to continue dancing as long as possible and plans to do all she can to prioritize her health and full-body wellness. She has recently completed Pilates teacher certification and will begin teaching Pilates at Ballet Memphis this summer. “I am passionate about helping dancers and non-dancers strengthen their bodies for a pain-free life,” Maya says.

Learn more about Collage Dance Memphis and their upcoming performances at Collagedance.org, and stay tuned for Maya’s Pilates classes at Ballet Memphis, Balletmemphis.org/pilates.

By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens