And the winner of the Boston Ballet Pointe Shoes Giveaway is... BALLERINA101! Congratulations!
Hola!
When I lived in Detroit, I used to do ballet. I even danced in a local production of the Nutcracker! The Nutcracker is a ballet about a young girl named Clara. She falls asleep then wakes up at midnight to discover her toy nutcracker has turned into a real soldier!
This year, Mama, Aunt Lourdes, Elena Maria, and I are going to see the Boston Ballet’s performance of the Nutcracker, and eleven-year-old Lauren from Massachusetts is the lucky girl who gets to dance the role of Clara! Lauren started dancing when she was only three and has performed in Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Midsummer Night's Dream. She has even danced in Scotland! Besides the Nutcracker, you can see Lauren dance in the 2007 movie The Game Plan starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!
Lauren took time out from her busy rehearsing schedule to hang out with me. Listen in as we chat about dancing and what it its like to play one of the coolest roles for up-and-coming ballerinas!
Isabel Martinez: What inspired you to start dancing and how old where you?
Lauren: Well the funny thing is I don’t really remember what inspired me. All I know is that from the time I could walk around the house, I was on my “tip toes,” so my Mom decided to sign me up for ballet class when I was almost three. I do remember that when I was about three, I would play my video of River Dance, stand in front of the TV, and dance away. I also liked to put on dance shows for my family during the holidays. When I dance today, I feel like I am speaking a language through my movements; my teachers have taught me that every little movement means something very important.
IM: You just got the role of Clara in the Nutcracker. Congrats! Tell us a little about the audition process. Were you nervous about auditioning?
L: The audition process for Nutcracker takes two days. It is very long, but when you get a part and get to go on stage, it is all worth it, especially a part like Clara. In the audition, you have to wear a number that is usually organized by height. In the studio, there is a big long table at the front of the room with at least four people sitting at the table and one person who teaches us the combinations or steps. You usually stand in lines of up to 10 girls or boys and do the steps in groups. After doing your steps, you usually stand there for a little while while the people take down your number and write some notes -- this is very nerve racking.
After the first day, you get a callback paper saying what time you have to return the next day. I got the callback with the earliest audition time. The second audition is supposed to be the shortest, but this year it was very long. Before an audition, I get very nervous, but once I get in there and start getting the steps down, I forget about being nervous. That happened this year, and then Mr. Nissinen walked in, and I got very nervous again. Mr. Nissinen is the artistic director of the Boston Ballet Company; he makes all the big decisions in the Nutcracker, like who will be Clara and Fritz. There are about 300 kids who auditioned. Auditioning is an experience in itself.
IM: Where were you and what were you doing when you heard that you had gotten the part and what was your reaction?
L: Nutcracker audition results are mailed to each dancer. The day that everyone was getting their letters, I was very nervous. I didn’t get much school done that day. The minute I heard the squeaky brakes of the mail car, I ran straight out to the mail box (I am home schooled) and came sprinting back to the house and tore open the letter. All you have to do to find out your part really quickly is read the bold words. I read mine, and it said that I was Clara in cast A. When the words sunk into my head, I started screaming (not very loud though) and jumping up and down. It was such a relief to find out what I was; it was like I was holding my breath, and I could finally let it all out.
IM: What is it like dancing with the company dancers?
L: Rehearsals with the company are really fun. I get to see what it is like to actually be in a company. Most of the company members are very nice to us and even make funny jokes. It is such an experience to be around them and watching them dance leaves a lasting effect on me that inspires me to become the dancer that I have always wanted to be.
IM: Tell us a little about rehearsals. Are they a lot of hard work and are they fun?
L: Rehearsals are fun, but they are a lot of hard work and sometimes, when it is late at night, I just want to go home and go to sleep. Sleep is one thing you don’t get very much of when you are Clara or any other part in the Nutcracker. Rehearsals are the most fun when you get to dance a lot, but we also get to sit in the front and watch when it is not our turn to dance. I learn a lot from watching the other casts of kids and company members. Rehearsals are usually an hour and a half to two hours, but sometimes they can be as long as six hours. The longest ones are in the theatre on the actual stage, and when you are in the theatre time passes much faster.
IM: The Boston Ballet is an amazing dance company and thousands of people go to see the Nutcracker each year. Are you nervous about dancing in front of all those people?
L: Yes, I get nervous, but the nervousness is also excitement that helps me dance better.
IM: Have you ever had an embarrassing moment on stage? What is your proudest/favorite moment that you’ve had on stage?
L: So far, I have been lucky not to have a really embarrassing moment on stage, but I know that it will probably happen, and I am ready to just get up and keep going. My proudest moment happened in the ballet called Midsummer Night’s Dream that we performed this last February. The whole ballet begins with just me on stage when the curtain rises.
IM: Who are your dancing role models, and what is your dream role as a dancer?
L: I have a few role models, actually -- Larissa Ponomarenko, Erica Cornejo, Kathleen Breen-Combes, and Suzanne Farrell. My dream role is probably Giselle in the ballet Giselle, but I can always change my mind.
IM: What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not dancing? What do you like to do with your BFFs?
L: I love to go horseback riding (that is my other passion) and dream of having a horse of my own. When my friends and I are not at ballet, we are having sleepovers and get-togethers or helping each other with the stressful load of homework. Even though we don’t do a lot of things outside ballet, we still are around each other a lot, and our friendships are very strong. We do like to go to the movies together, especially to see the Disney movie The Game Plan, which my friends and I danced in. We cannot wait to get it on DVD so we can use the pause button and freeze frame ourselves.
IM: Cool! I'll have to go see it! Do you have any pets?
L: Yes, I have two dogs: Anna, who is a 12-year-old English Springer Spaniel, and Izzie, a Golden Retriever puppy with lots of energy and hair.
IM: I loooove puppies! So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
L: I would love to become a professional dancer in a large company, but that can always change. Maybe I would also like to be a veterinarian or have something to do with animals, or maybe even a professional golfer.
IM: Cool! What’s next for you after the Nutcracker closes? Any advice for girls out there who want to be the next Clara?
L: After Nutcracker, I will be back to ballet classes to improve my technique and work very hard to continue to grow as a dancer. This summer, I will probably go to a summer intensive ballet program that I will have to audition for in January and February. My advice to other girls is to follow your dreams, stay focused, and do not give up. If you want to do something, work very hard and go for it!
**********
Lauren’s Faves:
Movie: The Black Stallion. Because of Winn-Dixie
TV Channel: Animal Planet
Book: The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
Music: Classical, but I also like a little bit of pop or soft rock.
Sport: Horseback riding. My favorite thing about riding is when I get to ride a jumping course with a lot of jumps.
Activity: I love to read. When I find a good book, there is no way you can get my nose out of it! I just finished Where the Red Fern Grows this morning.
Subject in school: Math, history, and English
Piece of clothing: I don’t really have one particular piece, but I am all for comfort.
**********
Live in the Boston area? Don’t miss Lauren live on stage in Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker through December 29, 2007, at the Opera House. The production features the entire company, more than 250 children from Boston Ballet School, and the full Tchaikovsky score performed by the Boston Ballet Orchestra. For tickets and information, visit www.bostonballet.org.
Hola!
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|
Lauren
(Photo courtesy of David Grossman) |
When I lived in Detroit, I used to do ballet. I even danced in a local production of the Nutcracker! The Nutcracker is a ballet about a young girl named Clara. She falls asleep then wakes up at midnight to discover her toy nutcracker has turned into a real soldier!
This year, Mama, Aunt Lourdes, Elena Maria, and I are going to see the Boston Ballet’s performance of the Nutcracker, and eleven-year-old Lauren from Massachusetts is the lucky girl who gets to dance the role of Clara! Lauren started dancing when she was only three and has performed in Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Midsummer Night's Dream. She has even danced in Scotland! Besides the Nutcracker, you can see Lauren dance in the 2007 movie The Game Plan starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!
Lauren took time out from her busy rehearsing schedule to hang out with me. Listen in as we chat about dancing and what it its like to play one of the coolest roles for up-and-coming ballerinas!
Isabel Martinez: What inspired you to start dancing and how old where you?
Lauren: Well the funny thing is I don’t really remember what inspired me. All I know is that from the time I could walk around the house, I was on my “tip toes,” so my Mom decided to sign me up for ballet class when I was almost three. I do remember that when I was about three, I would play my video of River Dance, stand in front of the TV, and dance away. I also liked to put on dance shows for my family during the holidays. When I dance today, I feel like I am speaking a language through my movements; my teachers have taught me that every little movement means something very important.
IM: You just got the role of Clara in the Nutcracker. Congrats! Tell us a little about the audition process. Were you nervous about auditioning?
L: The audition process for Nutcracker takes two days. It is very long, but when you get a part and get to go on stage, it is all worth it, especially a part like Clara. In the audition, you have to wear a number that is usually organized by height. In the studio, there is a big long table at the front of the room with at least four people sitting at the table and one person who teaches us the combinations or steps. You usually stand in lines of up to 10 girls or boys and do the steps in groups. After doing your steps, you usually stand there for a little while while the people take down your number and write some notes -- this is very nerve racking.
After the first day, you get a callback paper saying what time you have to return the next day. I got the callback with the earliest audition time. The second audition is supposed to be the shortest, but this year it was very long. Before an audition, I get very nervous, but once I get in there and start getting the steps down, I forget about being nervous. That happened this year, and then Mr. Nissinen walked in, and I got very nervous again. Mr. Nissinen is the artistic director of the Boston Ballet Company; he makes all the big decisions in the Nutcracker, like who will be Clara and Fritz. There are about 300 kids who auditioned. Auditioning is an experience in itself.
IM: Where were you and what were you doing when you heard that you had gotten the part and what was your reaction?
L: Nutcracker audition results are mailed to each dancer. The day that everyone was getting their letters, I was very nervous. I didn’t get much school done that day. The minute I heard the squeaky brakes of the mail car, I ran straight out to the mail box (I am home schooled) and came sprinting back to the house and tore open the letter. All you have to do to find out your part really quickly is read the bold words. I read mine, and it said that I was Clara in cast A. When the words sunk into my head, I started screaming (not very loud though) and jumping up and down. It was such a relief to find out what I was; it was like I was holding my breath, and I could finally let it all out.
IM: What is it like dancing with the company dancers?
L: Rehearsals with the company are really fun. I get to see what it is like to actually be in a company. Most of the company members are very nice to us and even make funny jokes. It is such an experience to be around them and watching them dance leaves a lasting effect on me that inspires me to become the dancer that I have always wanted to be.
IM: Tell us a little about rehearsals. Are they a lot of hard work and are they fun?
L: Rehearsals are fun, but they are a lot of hard work and sometimes, when it is late at night, I just want to go home and go to sleep. Sleep is one thing you don’t get very much of when you are Clara or any other part in the Nutcracker. Rehearsals are the most fun when you get to dance a lot, but we also get to sit in the front and watch when it is not our turn to dance. I learn a lot from watching the other casts of kids and company members. Rehearsals are usually an hour and a half to two hours, but sometimes they can be as long as six hours. The longest ones are in the theatre on the actual stage, and when you are in the theatre time passes much faster.
IM: The Boston Ballet is an amazing dance company and thousands of people go to see the Nutcracker each year. Are you nervous about dancing in front of all those people?
L: Yes, I get nervous, but the nervousness is also excitement that helps me dance better.
IM: Have you ever had an embarrassing moment on stage? What is your proudest/favorite moment that you’ve had on stage?
L: So far, I have been lucky not to have a really embarrassing moment on stage, but I know that it will probably happen, and I am ready to just get up and keep going. My proudest moment happened in the ballet called Midsummer Night’s Dream that we performed this last February. The whole ballet begins with just me on stage when the curtain rises.
IM: Who are your dancing role models, and what is your dream role as a dancer?
L: I have a few role models, actually -- Larissa Ponomarenko, Erica Cornejo, Kathleen Breen-Combes, and Suzanne Farrell. My dream role is probably Giselle in the ballet Giselle, but I can always change my mind.
IM: What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not dancing? What do you like to do with your BFFs?
L: I love to go horseback riding (that is my other passion) and dream of having a horse of my own. When my friends and I are not at ballet, we are having sleepovers and get-togethers or helping each other with the stressful load of homework. Even though we don’t do a lot of things outside ballet, we still are around each other a lot, and our friendships are very strong. We do like to go to the movies together, especially to see the Disney movie The Game Plan, which my friends and I danced in. We cannot wait to get it on DVD so we can use the pause button and freeze frame ourselves.
IM: Cool! I'll have to go see it! Do you have any pets?
L: Yes, I have two dogs: Anna, who is a 12-year-old English Springer Spaniel, and Izzie, a Golden Retriever puppy with lots of energy and hair.
IM: I loooove puppies! So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
L: I would love to become a professional dancer in a large company, but that can always change. Maybe I would also like to be a veterinarian or have something to do with animals, or maybe even a professional golfer.
IM: Cool! What’s next for you after the Nutcracker closes? Any advice for girls out there who want to be the next Clara?
L: After Nutcracker, I will be back to ballet classes to improve my technique and work very hard to continue to grow as a dancer. This summer, I will probably go to a summer intensive ballet program that I will have to audition for in January and February. My advice to other girls is to follow your dreams, stay focused, and do not give up. If you want to do something, work very hard and go for it!
**********
Lauren’s Faves:
Movie: The Black Stallion. Because of Winn-Dixie
TV Channel: Animal Planet
Book: The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
Music: Classical, but I also like a little bit of pop or soft rock.
Sport: Horseback riding. My favorite thing about riding is when I get to ride a jumping course with a lot of jumps.
Activity: I love to read. When I find a good book, there is no way you can get my nose out of it! I just finished Where the Red Fern Grows this morning.
Subject in school: Math, history, and English
Piece of clothing: I don’t really have one particular piece, but I am all for comfort.
**********
Live in the Boston area? Don’t miss Lauren live on stage in Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker through December 29, 2007, at the Opera House. The production features the entire company, more than 250 children from Boston Ballet School, and the full Tchaikovsky score performed by the Boston Ballet Orchestra. For tickets and information, visit www.bostonballet.org.
you tell us ... 
The deadline to post questions for Lauren has passed. If you posted a question before December 20, you’re already entered to win a pair of pointe shoes worn by a REAL Boston Ballet ballerina! Don't forget to read our official rules!
Adios,
Adios,
.
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