Littleton Youth Ballet hosted storybook ballet at Lone Tree Arts Center March 19 & 20
More than 80 young ballerinas from the Denver metro area performed at the Lone Tree Arts Center on March 19 and 20. Of the young cast members in Littleton Youth Ballet’s Cinderella production, six are students at elementary, middle and high schools in Cherry Creek. Last year, Littleton Youth Ballet had to move its spring performance outdoors due to COVID-19, making the opportunity to dance under the lights on stage in front of a paying audience even more special to these performers.
One ballerina even postponed her graduation from Littleton Youth Ballet in order to participate in this year’s Cinderella. Alana Linley, who played the role of the Fairy Godmother, explained her decision stating, “I spent many wonderful years practicing and performing with Littleton Youth Ballet. I’ve always looked forward to playing a lead role in Cinderella as it’s one of my favorite ballets. Due to COVID, I didn’t have that opportunity while I was in high school, so I decided to continue training with LYB during my freshman year at Metro State.”
Littleton Youth Ballet is a nonprofit performing ballet company comprised of 98 young dancers between the ages of 8 to 18. Auditions for the company are held in August and rehearsals for the spring performance typically begin in January. In addition to weekly dance practice at Littleton Ballet Academy, performers also have a rigorous rehearsal schedule: young dancers in minor roles rehearse once weekly between January and the March performances, middle schooler rehearse twice a week and high schoolers attend rehearsal three times each week. Instruction is provided by ballet teachers who have performed professionally. Many of Littleton Youth Ballet’s dancers go on to dance professionally; this year, 11 of the company’s young dancers have been accepted into the summer program at the School of American Ballet in New York City.
In addition to providing quality performance opportunities to allow dancers to reach their full potential, Littleton Youth Ballet works to encourage and promote dance among the greater community. “Our performances are unique because they offer a true ballet experience with professional sets, costumes, lighting and choreography in a more informal setting,” says co-director Alison Jaramillo. “Young families can attend without the fear of disapproval if a child talks and seniors particularly enjoy the meet-and-greet session with our young dancers that follows each performance.”
About Littleton Youth Ballet
Founded in 2011, Littleton Youth Ballet is a performing ballet company comprised of 98 young dancers between the ages of 8 to 18. Their mission is to maintain a first-rate non-profit youth company of dancers, enriching their lives and those of their families, schools, communities, and beyond. The culmination of these young dancers’ hard work and effort is a series of full-length performances offered at local theaters. Each show features professional sets, costumes and lighting and is choreographed by a master ballerina.To learn more about LYB, visit www.littletonyouthballet.org.