"We call her our Renaissance woman," said Gretchen Denniston, her mother, about Sky's history of dabbling in piano, voice lessons, drawing and different types of dance.
"She excels at so many things, but she is so modest. I give her a lot of credit," said Shelley Falibota (senior-art), a dance classmate. "Her strength is that she puts so much energy into everything that she does. She puts so much into her dance."
The two dancers have studied and performed together at the Ballet Theatre of Central Pennsylvania, where Sky was the Chinese dancer in last year's production of The Nutcracker. She also taught creative movement to three-, four- and five-year-olds there.
Falibota met Sky on her first day of class at the ballet theatre.
"It was intimidating to start at a new school," said Falibota. "On the first day, Sky said hello. She just warmed up to me and was really friendly."
Perhaps Sky's sensitivity to newcomers stems from her experience at moving and changing dance schools. As the daughter of an Army officer, she has lived everywhere from State College to Texas to Seoul, Korea.
While in Seoul, Sky attended a Korean ballet school, and between motioning, understanding a few Korean terms and knowing the universal language of ballet, she followed along.
"She rode a bike to the edge of the military compound, strapped it to a pole and rode the subway to dance class," said her mother.
It was through this school that Sky landed a dance role in a music video for the Korean version of MTV. An agent was searching for an American dancer to perform in pop star Seo Gi Won's music video. "It was pretty cool. I got to choreograph my own dance," Sky said.
With such diverse interests, what does the future hold for Sky? The MCAT's in preparation for medical school this spring are the first order of business.
Active duty in the armed forces will be delayed until after school. "If Sky were accepted to medical school, she would enter the service as a captain," said Major Andrew D. Kirkner, her ROTC officer. "She will make an excellent Army officer and doctor."
Where does that leave room for dance? Her mother tells the story of their family doctor. He was also a dancer but had to give it up due to a lack of time in medical school. He suggested that Sky might have to do the same.
"That made me sad to hear," said Mrs. Denniston. "It is a very demanding discipline, but it is good for someone who wants to be a doctor. It takes the same discipline and time."
"My reason for minoring in dance is that I might get the opportunity to teach it someday," said Sky, who wants to keep dancing. Some of the older women with whom she has taken classes have served as an inspiration. They have maintained dance as a lifelong hobby. "They are phenomenal dancers, and some were even professionals who just didn't keep up with the intensity," she said.
"Dance is not just a hobby, it is my expression," said Sky. "I feel like if I don't do something artistic everyday, I feel dried up. That is one reason I take dance."
Return to the studio, where dance class is over now, and everyone claps politely to acknowledge the teacher and the accompanist. Sky prepares to leave, knowing that she will be back for a class the next morning.
Sky Denniston will always hold dance in a special place. One aspect of her future is certain. Whether wearing combat boots or pointe shoes, scrubs or tutus, Sky will always approach whatever she does with the same energy, optimism and work ethic she takes to dance class.
Her future is full of promise. The sky is the limit.
