Core Dynamics students in their Ballet Jörgen costumes, ready to hit the big stage. From left Blair Donald, Mea Gee, and Sylvie Harvie. Photo submitted
A trio of local dancers recently got the chance to participate in a professional ballet.
Ballet Jörgen brought Anne of Green Gables: The Ballet to the Vic Juba Community Theatre and invited local dancers to take part.
“Quite often touring ballet companies will approach dance studios in the area if they’ve got smaller parts that are more suited for children, because it’s hard to take children on the road,” said Core Dynamics, Pilates & Dance instructor Patti Johnston.
“It’s a great little partnership a lot of these ballet companies are now doing to get the younger ballet students interested and involved in what it could be like to actually be a professional ballet dancer. It’s a great opportunity.”
Three of Johnston’s students: Mea Gee, Sylvie Harvie, and Blaire Donald, took on roles in the March 7 performance.
They got specific instructions and worked with the Ballet Jörgen crew over two days, about seven hours total, prior to the big show.
“We usually dance in front of lots of people, so it wasn’t that scary because we’re used to it, kind of, but it being a professional dance, it was a little scary,” said 10-year-old Sylvie Harvie.
“My favourite part was before the show started, we got to watch some of their practice … it was really cool watching them because they know everything for the dances and they’re so precise and stuff.”
For 12-year-old Mea Gee, the backstage hustle was a real eye-opener.
“I liked watching it all together backstage and seeing the quick changes and the runarounds and just how they presented it because I’ve never seen a show like that before,” she said.
The youngest of the trio, nine-year-old Blair Donald said it was neat to watch how everyone worked together to make the show happen.
“I really liked performing and just seeing how it all came together,” said Donald.
“I also liked watching the class, like how the teacher just said the ballet words in French and they all just understood.”
The experience got a thumbs up from all three of the young dancers, and definitely from their instructor as well.
“I think just having the opportunity to witness first-hand how a professional production is put together, and like they said, how fast-paced it is backstage,” said Johnston, adding it looks very different when you’re in the audience than it does behind the scenes.
“We were just happy to be part of the experience. They had to learn on the fly and do it very quickly,” said Johnston.
“I think it’s a great opportunity, especially for the size of Lloyd, where we’re typically removed from bigger ballet and dance productions like this. So, it’s great to see it coming into this area.”
