This year has been a prestigious one for Portage High School student Claire Hagan. With three new awards under her belt and a Choir letter on her jacket, Claire has already begun a life of fine arts.
Her dreams of professional theatre and dance may one day take her away from the town she grew up in but for now Claire loves her home.
“All my friends and family are here,” she says about Portage. “Along with my great school and dance studio.”
Claire began dancing at the studio when she was just three years old. She has studied many physical art forms, including tap, jazz, and pointe. Her experience in musical theatre dance overlaps her training in dramatic arts.
Janet Hagan, Claire’s mother, did community theatre when Claire was young. In elementary school Claire would tag along to her mother’s rehearsals; later, they participated in shows together. In high school Claire struck out on her own. She immersed herself in drama club, making the school’s theatre department her second home. Watching troupes from other high schools perform is a hobby for her.
“I love the feeling that performing on stage gives me. The rush I get after I’ve worked months for perfecting multiple routines, it’s amazing.”
Claire needed multiple routines for the Distinguished Young Women’s scholarship competition. It is a four-day process, with three preliminary shows and a finale. She danced to impress five judges. Each woman strove to display her own brand of fitness, self-expression, and talent. These are the three categories used to determine who gets the scholarship.
The Distinguished Young Women’s award is the oldest national program for high school girls. It has helped make a difference in hundreds of thousands of lives. First place is an honor that Claire can take with her through college.
Claire is considering using the scholarship to attend Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They have a renowned fine arts program, with everything in it that she is looking for. A scheduled tour of the school in July will help in her decision process. Whether she will have dance or theatre as her major is yet to be determined.
Her current dance teacher, Natalie Kolosci, has been one of Claire’s greatest inspirations. “She always pushes me to do my best, and when I am having a bad day, she knows how to make me feel better.” Kolosci has been a performer her entire life. Claire says she wants to do the same.
Kolosci usually choreographs the dances Claire performs in but for the Distinguished Young Women’s competition Claire decided to try her own moves out. She did the choreography for her award winning ballet solo.
“I tell a story when I dance,” Claire says, “And it’s special because you cannot do that with any other sport.”
This is not the first time she has choreographed her own dance. A few years ago she put a lot of emotion in a rendition of Coldplay’s “Fix You.” Claire said that her parents were divorcing at the time and she could feel that emotion pouring into every move.
Claire continues to put on a stunning show. This year she received a Choir letter for her singing talents. She was awarded the Best Actress award for her role in Godspell, the musical. The Gypsy Award, for most enthusiastic dancer, was also granted to her. She received both theatre recognitions at the annual Thespian Banquet.
Last year her letterman’s jacket got a patch for Theatre. This year she was given three service bars.
Claire brings a positive attitude and an admirable dose of talent to her community. Fine Arts are an important part of our culture. Exciting opportunities may await her in Kenosha but Portage will always be her roots. We are proud to share such skill!.