Prepping for the National Ballet Competition
- Cindy Case
- Oct 20
- 5 min read
As the company takes a well-earned break between Giselle and our upcoming performances of The Nutcracker, things are still busy at the Ballet Theatre of Maryland studios. We've talked before about the dancer's journey to becoming a professional dancer, but one common part of that path is participating in ballet competitions.
A small group of BTM students is hard at work preparing for the National Ballet Competition this February. As with any competitive experience, it's an opportunity for students to train harder, build confidence, and learn more about themselves. Earlier this month, I checked in with three of our students about their progress.
Lara
Lara has been dancing since she was three, and she loves ballet, contemporary, and jazz dance. For this year's competition, she is working on a variation from David Lichine's Graduation Ballet and doing a contemporary solo choreographed by Alexandra Skates. She's been enjoying both, but says that she especially appreciates how Graduation Ball challenges her.
Working with her coach, Conservatory Principal Emily Carey, has been a very positive experience. Lara says, "I like being able to be one-on-one and get detailed corrections in our coaching sessions. Like in class, you learn new things and then you apply corrections."
Training with Ballet Theatre of Maryland has been a big part of Lara's dance journey so far. She says that "getting demi-pointe shoes and pointe shoes were both important moments for me. Also going on a big stage for the first time in front of a live audience--the adrenaline, the buzz, and seeing a lot more people in front of me than I was used to."
When I asked what she wants to get out of the experience, Lara was quick to say that her main goal isn't to win the competition.
"I'm trying to get new experiences being onstage by myself, taking master classes with lots of different people, and trying to be the best dancer I can be. When you are in dance class, you're told just to do the moves, but that's not what makes you a dancer. It's taking the step and making them your own that makes you an artist."
These are the words of a budding dance artist, and are sure to serve her well as she continues to prepare for the competition.
Carolyn
Carolyn is working on the third Odalisque variation from the ballet Le Corsaire, and she describes it as a full-circle moment: "I first saw it a couple of years ago, my first year dancing here, because I did the first variation and some of my classmates were working on this one. So it was really cool to get back to it. It has all jumps and turns without any crazy extensions, which I really liked."
Carolyn has been dancing since she was three, but her dance experience had some twists and turns before she came to BTM: "We moved to England for a few years, and the training and exams there were a huge change... It was just a very different atmosphere. And then I came back, but I started pointe a bit later because of all the moving. Even after I got here to BTM, I've been through a process of changing [pointe] shoes and needing to get my driver's license so I can take a full class load and get to all my rehearsals. Finally, I can do everything that I want to do. That's been really nice."
She's working with Conservatory teacher Isaac Martinez on her variation as well as her contemporary solo. Having him as a teacher before and having been in a student piece he choreographed a few years ago, she was happy to work with him again.
When I asked about Isaac's approach in their rehearsals, Carolyn laughed. "He's very specific, and he never lets me get away with anything. That's been helpful."
Since coming to BTM, she feels like she's gotten much stronger: "Definitely just strength- and body-wise, but also in being confident with different combinations of things. Here, there's more variations in what we do and so much more focus on ballet and technique, so I don't have to gamble as much that I won't really know what I'm doing."
Developing that mental and physical fortitude has made her hungry for more. For dancers Carolyn's age, one of the draws of attending ballet competitions is that some dancers will be offered spots or even scholarships to a summer intensive. Carolyn is motivated to work hard for this possibility, but has a pragmatic approach. The process of doing the competition is its own reward. "No matter what, when I first saw this I was like, 'Oh, I want this experience to happen."
The rewards from this process will likely pay dividends in the future. Spending months perfecting classical and contemporary works requires a sustained focus that changes how a student approaches ballet. As Carolyn moves forward, she can apply the lessons in technique and stagecraft she's learning now to performance opportunities in the future.
Rebekah
Rebekah started dancing before she can remember: "My first dance class, I had just turned two, and my little sister was just born. Even when I was a baby-baby, my mom would take me to these infant classes, so I've been dancing for a while. I really love it, it's my favorite thing on earth."
She will be dancing the Princess Florine variation (often also called Bluebird) at the competition, with coaching by Emily Carey. "I really love birds, so it's very me. It's been very fun to learn, and I like how I feel when I'm dancing it."
For contemporary, Conservatory teacher Victoria Sanzotera is choreographing Rebekah's solo. Rebekah has never done a contemporary piece before, so she's excited that that's one of the ways she gets to grow from this competition.
"I have never done a competition, so this year I'm hoping to get some experience in general, to broaden my horizons with dance. It's really cool learning contemporary for the first time, and just being a competitor in something. I've never been a part of something competitive since I've never done sports, so this is a cool new experience."
When I asked about the rehearsal process, Rebekah was excited to say, "Lots of corrections! But honestly, I like that because it helps me get better. Not just in rehearsals--in class I can think about, 'Oh, I had this correction for Bluebird, how can I apply that in a normal class.'"
Rebekah's positive mindset toward receiving corrections is an important building block for dancers of all ages. Taking correction well helps dancers to succeed in the studio, on stage, and in their lives outside of ballet. As the competition draws nearer, it is sure to help her make the most of the experience!
We'll check back in with our young dancers again after their competition in February. In the meantime, you can catch all three of them as part of the student cast in BTM's production of The Nutcracker! Join us in December for a world-premiering production complete with all-new sets, costumes, and choreography. Visit our Nutcracker page for more information about this Annapolis-themed holiday show.
Promotional photo by Joanne Salyer
Rehearsal photos by Lauren Martinez
