Ever since she was young, Coppell High School senior Viktoria Pomposhova felt a connection to the performing arts. Now, she moves across the stage with ease, her graceful movements captivating the attention of the audience. 

Pomposhova’s passion for dance never wavered, regardless of the challenges.

Pomposhova’s passion ignited watching the 2012 Olympics in Czech Republic. At the time, she was visiting her grandparents, who lived in the Czech Republic. While she did not attend the games, she was in awe the moment she saw the rhythmic gymnasts on the TV screen. 

“I was just mesmerized by what they were doing on the screen,” Pomposhova said. “When we got back from Czech Republic, my mom signed me up for rhythmic gymnastics and that’s how I started.” 

But joining rhythmic gymnastics was not as easy as it seemed. Growing up, Pomposhova’s peers had a unique sense of flexibility, but Pomposhova seemed to lack it, giving her a disadvantage. 

“My lack of flexibility made me to be sort of an underdog,” Pomposhova said. “My coaches didn’t believe in me. To the everyday person, I’m super flexible, but for the level of rhythmic gymnastics I was at, it seemed like it wasn’t enough.” 

Pomposhova worked tirelessly to correct her faults and increase flexibility. As time passed, her hard work came to fruition with success in competitions.

Pomposhova entered the highly-competitive southeastern U.S. Region 6 Championships, where only nine girls from several states would move on to nationals. With 30-60 girls competing against one another, expectations were low. However, Pomposhova secured an eighth place finish.

“I shocked myself, especially since I didn’t make it in last place either,”  Pomposhova said. “That was definitely one of my biggest accomplishments ever because no one expected it out of me and that was my No. 1 dream.”

Competing at the national level was a turning point for Pomposhova, realizing her hard work paid off. Surrounded by elite gymnasts and ballerinas, she filled with pride.

“I was in awe,” Pomposhova said. “I got to watch people on the same level as the Olympians compete. Being in the same arena as Simone Biles was amazing and I loved it.” 

But after three consecutive years at the highest level of rhythmic gymnastics, Pomposhova wanted to branch out and invest energy into ballet after competing in rhythmic gymnastics for a decade.

“I started taking ballet classes every day, which led to me qualifying for a pre-professional performing company and it gave me a lot of opportunities,” Pomposhova said.

To an average person, her ballet dream seemed almost silly, but to her, dancing in a platter tutu was the one thing she was determined to accomplish.

“I told myself that I would not put on a tutu until I earned the opportunity of a role where I get to wear a costume,” Pomposhova said. 

After an opportunity arose for her to be a Fleur de Lis, or “Waltz of the Flowers” soloist in “The Nutcracker,” Pomposhova found her first opportunity to wear a platter tutu. For her, it was her moment of proving her worth as a ballerina. 

“To me, being able to wear a tutu was the dream,” Pomposhova said. “Wearing the sparkly blue tutu, my pointe shoes and matching jewelry, all I could think to myself was ‘wow, I really made it.’”

“Viktoria’s determination and attention to detail allowed her to advance in both ballet and rhythmic gymnastics,” said Ashley Simpson, Pomposhova‘s boss and ANS Rhythmics head coach. “Her ballet training has really contributed to her fluidity and her nice positioning, and I think it’s really taught her a lot of good technique and control in her musicality as well. She’s a hard worker, and it shows both on the competition floor or on the ballet stage ”

After her big moment in “The Nutcracker,” Pomposhova participated in the American Dance Competition of Youth International Ballet Competition. She incorporated a ball into her routine, merging contemporary dance and rhythmic gymnastics. 

Her creativity paid off as Pomposhova won, earning herself a $500 scholarship and a chance to participate in the University of Oklahoma dance program over the summer.

Soon, Pomposhova auditioned for the Ballet Ensemble of Texas. Once accepted, she  incorporated different types of dance genres into ballet, as well as strengthening her ballet movements.

“Something that really sets Viktoria apart at dance is that she still does rhythmic gymnastics,” ballerina Madeline David said. “I think a lot of dancers have only ever really done dance, so the fact that Viktoria coaches gymnastics and can still do a lot of the ballet tricks is so cool. She’s incredible.”

Pomposhova plans to continue dancing even beyond high school, and she actively searches for ways to improve herself.

“I want to be the best I can be,” Pomposhova said. “I don’t look at others and think to myself, I want to be like them. Rather, I want to be the best version of myself that I can be.” 

Follow Zainab (@zainab_f_m) and @CHSCampusNews on X.