The recently ended seven-day Hermitage School District teacher strike means some students in Audrey Pollock's Dance Center Studio will have to choose between taking final exams and practicing in the footlights.

Two may have to choose between their commencement and one night of their two-night dance recital.

"It's going to be rough," said Giavanna Russo, 15, a sophomore at Hickory High School. She has been taking dance classes at Ms. Pollock's Sharon-based studio for 12 years.

Ms. Pollock, of Liberty Township, is the owner/operator of three Dance Center Studios in Sharon, Mercer and Slippery Rock, and has had her dance recital -- in its 40th year -- scheduled for June 14 and 15 at Farrell High School auditorium since September.

During the week prior to the recital, more than 200 students practice for this special dance production, and preview night, which is also a paid ticket performance, is June 14. Preview night is also the only night that cameras and video cameras can be used. The practices for advanced students are all day.

In September, that date and the daylong rehearsals were not a problem, but the teacher strike -- which spanned from March 21 through Friday -- has put a kink in Ms. Pollock's plans.

At least 40 Hermitage students are supposed to take part in the event and the practices, but the last week of school has now been extended to include practice week and a performance night.

Many of her Hermitage students are now having to make a decision between the recital they've worked months and months on, and school finals, and for some, commencement.

"I'm hoping I can take finalsearly, maybe the week before," said Allyson Turk, 18, a graduating Hermitage senior and dance student with Ms. Pollock for 14 years. "It's not fair to the other kids in the studio if I miss the rehearsal time that's scheduled the last week of school now."

Allison and Hermitage senior Katherine Dunlevy are not only supposed to perform in the recital -- the two choreographed their dance routine in the ballet portion of the recital.

"It's a routine we created and now we won't even get to perform that night," Allison said. "More than anything, it's frustrating."

Ms. Pollock has decided to prepare understudies for those roles in case the girls are unable to perform the first night. Allison's 12-year-old sister Carly is also scheduled to perform in the recital, but to attend it she will have to miss her big sister's graduation.

"There's a routine that she's in and it's only four girls," Allison said. "They can't lose a quarter of the routine, so she may not be able to get to my commencement. I know she's very disappointed."

By choosing to continue the full-day practices, she and Miss Dunlevy may also miss out on senior events such as the awards banquet and the senior breakfast.

"Both Allison and Katherine are dancing second leads in the ballet to the two main characters," Ms. Pollock said, referring to the second half of the program, a ballet titled "Celtic Solstice."

"They initiate most of the action that's going on. This puts them in the untenable position of having to break a commitment they made a year ago. I don't think that is what we should be teaching our students," she said.

Giavanna Russo, who is in nine dances in the recital, is also trying to come up with a way to balance the dance practices with her new school schedule.

"I myself don't know what I'm going to do," said the sophomore class president. "I like to give it my all in school and in dance. If I miss practices I'm going to be lost now knowing where my blocking is, and yet I want to get good grades."

Mandy Carine, 13, a dance student for four or five years, has decided to attend the dance practices during the last week of school.

"I'm like kind of mad, but it's not our fault that we're missing school," she said. "I already made that commitment at the beginning of the year. My mom said whatever suits me best."

Her classmate, Chrissy Horsman, 14, is performing in five or six routines in the dance recital, but has decided to try and attend both if she can.

"We're going to go to as many of the practices as we can," Chrissy said, referring to her friend Mandy. "We'll try to share rides to attend some school, but we've had this planned for so long."

Mandy added, "I don't really think it's worth them going out on strike and we're going to miss out on all this stuff and it's not even our fault."

Sophomore Giavanna echoed that sentiment.

"I'm not too happy about it. I wish we couldn't have had this strike. I hope the school board and the teachers come up with some kind of agreement," she said.

"It's going to be hard for us to try to make the classes up and go to dance at the same time," Chrissy said. "But it's even harder for the seniors."