By Julia Bachman, Staff Writer
The curtains open. The conductor raises a baton. The familiar music begins as dancers grand jeté, tour jeté and pirouette across the stage.
It’s a scene that happens for hundreds of dancers each holiday season, but this year, senior Cierra Haley was among the lucky few to perform in the Richmond Ballet’s adaptation of the famous ballet, “The Nutcracker.”
“Dance is something that I want to do when I am older, and so I thought this would be a great opportunity to perform with a professional company, the beginning of my career,” Haley said.
Haley has been dancing for 15 years and always looked up to her late dance teacher, Victoria Toms, who had an immense impact on her life.
“I aspire to be like her,” Haley said. “She was very successful with her passion, and I strive to be as successful as her. I learned all of my technique from her.”
Haley put what she learned to good use when she auditioned for the show in September. The audition process began by separating the dancers into groups to assess their skills.
“We had to audition to be a soldier, a cavalry soldier, an angel, a Chinese attendant,” Haley said. “Based on our height and weight and proportion of your body they decided what part you got, along with the talent and poise you had.”
Haley learned she had been cast for two roles in the ballet, her first chance to dance with a professional company. Rehearsals began before the school year started.
“I am a regiment soldier, which I dance on pointe shoes, and basically our job is to fight off the mice and kill the Mouse King and protect Clara and all of the dolls,” Haley said. “I am also a Chinese attendant, and from what it looks like, we are the celebration at the end of a victory.”
Rehearsing for the ballet came with many challenges. Haley quickly learned that her fellow dancers had an advantage over her, as their school schedules were specifically made to help them excel in dance. Haley drove to Norfolk every Sunday and rehearsed for the show from noon to 4 p.m.
“Definitely the hardest thing was that the girls that I was dancing with do this every single day,” Haley said. “We don’t get that opportunity here. They know the names of a bunch of different steps and I don’t, so I had to look off of them to know what it’s called and what to do, but I got the hang of it.”
Through her involvement in the Nutcracker, Haley has gained invaluable experience that will no doubt benefit her future in dance. The show took place the first weekend of December, and Haley continues to impress all who watch her perform.
Throughout her experience with the Richmond Ballet, Haley’s fellow dancers at Atlantic Dance offered support and encouragement.
“Cierra is one of those people that really gives it all she can during a performance,” junior Cassidy Joyce said. “She is full of emotion and really gets into character, which is a hard thing for some dancers to do. It is inspiring to see her become better throughout this experience.”
Atlantic Dance teacher Mila Smith loves to see her students broaden their knowledge of dance. She was thrilled to learn one of her own dancers was performing with a professional company.
“As a teacher, you always want to see your students excel. Cierra has taken this opportunity with the Richmond Ballet and done just that,” Smith said. “Dance teaches so much more than just how to do a pirouette: The dedication and commitment that she has shown through this process proves that.”
With this experience now behind her, Haley will continue to soldier on to motivate her fellow dancers in becoming the best they can be.
“Cierra is a year older than me, so I look up to her and she inspires me to be a better dancer,” Joyce said. “I want to be on the same skill level as her. We are good friends and she pushes me to my potential.”
Junior Julia Bachman can be reached at bachmanju@daretolearn.org.
