CHRIS KELLY Cara France checks her balance at a rehearsal for Red Bank Regional High School’s annual dance performance last weekend.

When Ashley Marinaccio imagines herself as an adult, she sees the charmed life of a toe-tapping Broadway star.

"I want to dance," she said. "I want to do musical theater and act, and maybe do some directing. I’m really into all that stuff."

Balletomane Sarah Tramell, 18, is looking forward to a future in pointe shoes, while Christina Ostren, also 18, says she’s more into the hip-hop thing.

Marinaccio, Tramell and Ostren are only three of many dancers in Red Bank Regional High School’s Performing Arts program, hoping to enter the world of professional dance and theater after high school.

CHRIS KELLY A pair of Red Bank Regional High School dancers put some final touches on a number for the Spring Dance Concert.

Each morning, the 34 girls and two boys who make up the Red Bank Regional High School Dance Department dutifully complete their required English, math and history classes.

The remaining three 45-minute class periods are spent in the high school’s dance studio, polishing their technique in classical ballet class, broadening their repertoire in tap and jazz, and finding the reason for gesture through the art of modern dance.

The dancers are required to take anatomy and Pilates classes, while maintaining their stretch and strength through weekly yoga and kick-boxing classes. After a grueling school day, the dancers venture to their hometown dance studios, where they continue soaring and piquéing on the hardwood floor until bedtime.

"We all go to our own studios after school," said Katie Lauritsen, of Millstone, a junior in the dance program who also sings and says she "dreams about dancing in my sleep."

"That’s where we all learn our individual styles; then when we come to school, we can all learn from each other," she said.

Each December, more than 50 eighth-grade hopefuls line up to audition for the 20-year-old high school dance program. Less than half of them, however, are accepted.

"There is no specific amount of people that I can accept into the program," said high school dance director Dorian Murray, a Work Out World fitness instructor who studied ballet at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. "For instance, 50 auditioned for next year’s freshman class, and I took 21."

Recognizing that a ballerina’s life was not as charming as it seemed, Murray relinquished her dream of becoming a dancer mid-college.

"That’s why I always encourage my students to go to college and get a double major in something other than dance, because you never know," she said.

Many of her students are taking her advice. Lauryn Herchakowski, 18, of Shrewsbury, plans to study athletic training at Montclair State University, while putting her passion on the back-burner for a while; Enjolique Smith, 18, also will attend Montclair, studying international affairs, while teaching dance on the side.

Some, however, are completely dedicated to their art.

In spite of aching, callused feet, sore muscles and sometimes broken bones, the dancers are more than willing to sacrifice comfort for art.

"It’s really hard when you hurt yourself and you still have to learn steps," said Ashley Carr, a junior and aspiring choreographer, who dislocated her knee earlier this year.

Acknowledging that it goes with the territory, Carr said, "You just have to watch from the side and catch up. … Since freshman year, I’ve learned a lot about respect and choreography. The best thing about this program is that it gives you the chance to choreograph."

The students perform in two major shows per year — a joint full-length musical with the music and drama departments during the winter months and a student-choreographed Spring Dance Concert, which was held at the high school last weekend.

For many of the graduating seniors, the spring concert marked their last time dancing together on stage.

"I’m OK now," said Karyn Herchakowski last Friday. "When it’s all over, I know I’ll be sad."