A chance elevator encounter reunites two talented young artists—dancer Mackenzie Carroll and violinist Yejoon Kwon—whose friendship has endured from summer camp to the Colburn School and now into promising futures in the arts.
For Trudl Zipper Dance Institute student Mackenzie Carroll, move-in day last fall was full of excitement and anticipation for the year ahead. She knew it would be filled with opportunities to advance her dance skills and learn from the esteemed faculty and peers. But she wasn’t prepared to kick off the year by running into an old friend on day one. Then again, an elevator encounter with Yejoon Kwon wasn’t out of the ordinary. She first met the Music Academy violin student at the Interlochen Arts Camp when they were both 10 years old.
“We actually met again in the ninth grade while attending Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Mass.,” recalls Kwon. “There, we met on move-in day at the elevator!”
Fast Friends
While attending the summer camp nearly 10 years ago, Kwon and Carroll quickly discovered mutual interests and a natural friendship formed.
“I thought Joon was a really nice person, really funny, and good to hang out with,” says Carroll. “She’s also extremely talented, which was really cool to be around.”
“And Mackenize was really funny,” adds Kwon.
After camp wrapped, they separated ways until running into each other again at Walnut Hill and immediately renewed their friendship. However, after a year, Kwon transferred to the Colburn Music Academy.
“I wanted to focus more on music and felt like the Music Academy would be a more fitting school for me,” she says.
Then this fall, Carroll chose to finish her high school experience at the TZDI Dance Academy.
“Joon and I had another friend who was at the Dance Academy, so I asked her about the school and it seemed like a really cool place,” she says.
Support Network
Although the friends didn’t share classes together this year, they enjoy each opportunity to see each other on campus.
“I occasionally bump into Mackenzie on the fourth or fifth floor while she does schoolwork,” says Kwon. “She inspires me to do my schoolwork.”
“It’s been really nice having Joon here, knowing she’s here and she’s a good friend,” adds Carroll.
Of course, throughout their time at Colburn, both have found friendships with fellow students and faculty mentors, and agree these connections have prepared them for the next stage of their performing arts careers. Kwon will attend the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on full scholarship and Carroll heads to the University of Oklahoma School of Dance.
And who knows, where and when these friends will encounter each other again.
“Well, the San Francisco Ballet is very close to the conservatory, so maybe I’ll see Mackenize walking by some day,” says Kwon.