For children under the age of 10, Christmas is the stuff of dreams. One dream of every young dancer is to dance with a top tier ballet company.
Two young ballerinas from the St. Albert Dance Academy have had their dreams turn into reality and this year the Christmas tree boughs may embrace dance shoes, a tutu or even new luggage.
Charlotte Battigelli, 10, a Grade 5 student at Muriel Martin and Katrina Sha, 9, a Grade 5 student at Elmer Gish have both been invited to attend the National Ballet School’s month-long summer program. Sha, who also performed in Alberta Ballet’s The Nutcracker this month, was also invited to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
“I was so surprised. They knew what they were looking for and I didn’t know if I had it,” says Sha. She is leaning towards attending RWB since extended family lives in Winnipeg.
Battigelli echoes her sentiments. “It was really fun and it gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
Ironically, neither set of parents thought the auditions held in October and November were a shoe-in. “We went into the auditions for the experience and to be exposed to other kids who dance,” says Kate Herbert, Battigelli’s mother.
Pauline, Sha’s mother adds, “We never thought we’d be in this situation this early. It was a surprising experience that has taken us down a different path.”
While both parents were astonished, instructor Sophia Leong had every confidence in their talent. “They both have very good focus. They show a love of ballet. They have a good physique — a nice seat and long legs. They also look for flexibility and potential and both have a lot of potential.”
The audition examiners tested for strong feet, looking for a certain amount of turnout, and strong physique that would manage the rigorous training. Both girls performed a variety of exercises such as plies, splits, jumps, cartwheels, gymnast’s bridges, round-offs and handstands.
Both schools provide a boarding school atmosphere with full day classes and planned recreational activities on weekends. The four-week intensive costs $1,270 at Royal Winnipeg and $1,750 at the National.
The decision to immerse the dancers in an out-of-province school is a move that affects the entire family and both parents are giving it a lot of thought. As Herbert puts it, “This is an opportunity Charlotte can’t pass up. It recognizes all her hard work that has led to some nice ballet skills. And I fully support her.”
