AREA YOUTHS PUT BEST FOOT FORWARD : TEEN-AGE DANCERS APPEARING IN NUTCRACKER.Byline: Patricia Heeselbach Special to the Daily News The ninth annual California Dance Theatre Festival Ballet production of Tchaikovsky's ``The Nutcracker'' is more than the story of Clara's magical journey to the ``Kingdom of Sweets.'' This particular production reflects the great influence and impact the ballet's magic has upon young audiences and a transition from art appreciation to artistic mastery. Philip Lightstone, 17, who plays the Nutcracker Prince, got the ballet ``bug'' after seeing his first ``Nutcracker'' when he was 6. Too young to study formal ballet, the youngster was placed in a creative dance class. But he craved the structure and the discipline of ballet and, at age 7, began serious training. Lightstone enthusiastically applauds the California Ballet Theatre for a production that he says is more colorful than many - geared toward children and reminiscent of the Jeoffey Ballet's production of ``Nutcracker.'' A veteran of the American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre, one of the foremost international dance companies of the 20th cent. It was founded in 1937 as the Mordkin Ballet and reorganized as the Ballet Theatre in 1940 under the direction of Lucia Chase and Rich Pleasant. summer program in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , Lightstone hopes for a career in ballet or as a dancer on Broadway. Double-cast as the Sugar Plum A sugar plum is a piece of candy that is made of sugar and shaped in a small round or oval shape. Sugar plums are widely associated with Christmas, through cultural phenomena such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker Fairy are Brianna Haynes (Saturday) and Tara Sherwin (Sunday). The young women, like Lightstone, are intelligent and dedicated to dance, having begun their studies at age 6. ``I never was one of the girls who went to the ballet,'' says Sherwin, 16, who has studied at the California Ballet Theatre since its inception 11 years ago. Sherwin gleefully glee·ful adj. Full of jubilant delight; joyful. glee  ful·ly adv.glee recalls her revelation at age 8, ``Hey! I'm good at this!'' Also a softball player during her first years of study, she remembers attending a dance audition with a softball-related broken nose and black eye. At a certain point in her training, softball fell by the wayside. ``As soon as I got my point shoes, I was hooked,'' she said. Haynes, 17, recalled turning on music and dancing around her living room. A benevolent uncle saw her inherent talent and sponsored her first ballet lessons. When the uncle left town, the lessons might might have come to an unfortunate end. But Haynes' teacher responded to the potential crisis with a scholarship for the budding talent. ``Dance was becoming more of an expression of myself,'' said Haynes, who has danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet The Pennsylvania Ballet is a ballet company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in 1963 by Barbara Weisberger. The company became a regionally important institution, and performed in New York for the first time in 1968. and the American Ballet American Ballet was the first professional ballet company George Balanchine created in the United States. The company was founded with the help of Lincoln Kirstein, and was populated by students of Kirstein and Balanchine's School of American Ballet. Theater summer program. Haynes is one of the top 10 candidates for a return stint with the summer program - a possible steppingstone step·ping·stone n. 1. A stone that provides a place to step, as in crossing a stream. 2. An advantageous position for advancement toward a goal. to the junior company. Although she has set her sights on a professional career with American Ballet Theatre, she said, ``It doesn't really matter where you are, as long as you work hard.'' Haynes and Sherwin do work hard at achieving their goals. The bulk of their time and energy is spent dancing. Both are tutored at home. They understand the importance of establishing a career in ballet at an early age. When asked how they respond to people who quiz them about pursuing dance instead of attending college, they have no problem explaining their position. Though she admits she might miss some of what college life has to offer, Haynes says that higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. will have to wait until later. Sherwin, a 4.0-average student, said that dance is a complete experience in itself. She emphasizes the incredible dedication, discipline, intelligence and several levels of understanding required by dance. ``People don't think about how fulfilling dancing is - how much intelligence it takes. There's too much to think about. You can't be stupid.'' These talented dancers are role models for others in the cast and corps de ballet corps de bal·let n. The dancers in a ballet troupe who perform as a group. [French : corps, corps + de, of + ballet, ballet. , as well as for the children who attend their performances. The young women speak of the camaraderie within the company. ``There's competition, but nobody is stuck up,'' Haynes says. ``These girls are my sisters,'' Sherwin adds. Kim Maselli, artistic director of the California Dance Theatre and choreographer of this production, is excited about the caliber of these local performers. ``I think it's wonderful that there are such fine dancers who have been trained in the Conejo Valley The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both Southeastern Ventura County and Northwest Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It was discovered in 1542 by Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and eventually became part of the Rancho El Conejo land grant by .,'' she said. ``When I first saw them dance, it took my breath away.'' THE FACTS WHAT:`The Nutcracker'' When: 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday Where: Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is a performing arts and administrative center located in Thousand Oaks, California. It was built in 1994 on the former site of "Jungleland" at a cost of $63.8 million. , 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Tickets: $15-$30; call (805) 449-ARTS CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box Photo: (1--color) Dancers rehearse a scene for the ninth annual California Dance Theatre Festival production of Tchaikovsky's ``The Nutcracker.'' (2--color) Tara Sherwin, 16, of Agoura prepares for her role as one of the Sugar Plum Faries. (3--ran in CONEJO only) Sugar Plum Faries Tara Sherwin and Brianna Hayes rehearse at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Tina Gerson/Daily News Box: THE FACTS (see text) |
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