The marbled walkways, red velvet cushioned seats, gilded wall trim and fresco ceiling of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy, are well-known to patrons lucky enough to have seen the inside of one of Europe’s most renowned opera houses.

In stark contrast, just a few hundred feet from the main stage, are the drab dance studios where the real work gets done. Scuffed floors, wooden rails, a few mirrors, an upright piano and an old wicker chair are the only furnishings in these rooms.

This is where young dancers put in countless hours and years of practice for the slight chance that some day, they, too, might perform on the big stage across the hall.

One of those hopefuls is Trevor Martin. At 5-foot-5 and 116 pounds, he doesn’t exactly stand out in a crowd. In fact, in most circles the 16-year-old would be considered on the small side.

But Trevor is the only American enrolled at the Teatro San Carlo’s School of Ballet. And his lithe frame is perfect for the demanding rigors of one of the most prestigious dance schools in Italy.

“I started dancing when I was eight,” Trevor recalls. “I saw Mikhail Baryshnikov in ‘White Nights,’ and that’s when I really got interested in ballet.”

His mother, Gwen Martin, says that when she and her husband, T.J., moved to Italy four years ago, they wanted to ensure Trevor could pursue his dance studies at a level commensurate with his talent.

When Trevor was accepted into the school three years ago, it meant some adjustments for the family.

“It’s a pretty prestigious program, and it’s seven years long,” his father says. “We wanted him to be able to complete it.”

Fortunately, T.J., a retired Navy chief who works as a civilian contractor for the Navy, was in a position to remain in Naples for an extended time. But time was still an issue: San Carlo’s schedule conflicted with the Department of Defense Dependents Schools’ high-school hours.

“The only way for this to work was if I home-schooled Trevor,” his mother says. “That way we could make sure he got to the theater on time every day.”

Trevor completes his schoolwork in the morning, and by 1 p.m. heads downtown for about three hours of dance class. He dances six days a week, with some lengthier classes on Saturdays.

Anna Rizzi has directed the ballet school for 18 years. A prima ballerina, she danced with some of the biggest names in ballet, such as Rudolf Nureyev, in the 1980s.

There are about 200 students between the ages of 8 and 20 at the school. They study several styles of ballet, along with the history of dance and music.

Rizzi looks for three qualities before accepting her students.

“They have to have good feet, good legs and a good head,” she says. “They have to be intelligent, and know how to use their body.”

She says that Trevor is the only American who has tried out and been accepted at the school.

On par with La Scala in Milan, Teatro San Carlo is one of the most prominent theaters in Italy. Built in 1734, it has hosted a slew of famous ballet dancers, opera singers, musicians and heads of state.

“The first time I actually went into the main theater, all the kids in the class were just like, no big deal. But I was in awe,” Trevor recalls. “This is the third year now, so I’m used to it.”

It wasn’t just the thrill of being on one of Europe’s premier stages that left Trevor speechless. He didn’t speak any Italian when his family moved to Naples.

“In class, I could imitate the teachers’ body movements,” Trevor says. “It was easy enough to follow along, but I really needed to learn the language to fully understand what was being taught.

“It took almost two years before I could speak enough Italian to feel comfortable. Luckily, most of the students spoke some English.”

Now, although his schedule is rigorous, he still manages to squeeze in an occasional all-night session of video gaming with friends.

While his parents are proud of Trevor’s accomplishments, his mother also hopes that what he’s doing shows others that it’s possible to assimilate into a community overseas without the military safety net.

“People don’t always think to look outside the box when it comes to doing things in the community,” she says. “The Italians pretty much embraced Trevor, and we feel that he’s really part of something he never would have experienced this early on had we not come overseas.”

Trevor says his dream role is the lead in Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” which closed at the San Carlo in January after its regular holiday run.

“I didn’t get to see the show — I really didn’t have the time,” he says. “Besides, I’d rather be on the stage than in the audience, anyway.”

When he finishes his studies, Trevor says he’d like to dance full time with a professional company. And he’s hoping he won’t have to go far to do that.

In fact, there’s a stage just a few hundred feet from his classrooms, with marbled walkways, red velvet cushioned seats, gilded wall trim and a fresco ceiling, that would suit him just fine.

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