Commercial: LCCB 2012 The Sleeping Beauty Ballet

Interview with Annabelle Bang

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

     Annabelle Bang is a cheerleader, honor student, and now, I think she will definitely call herself a ballerina. The 15 year old sophomore at St. Louis Catholic High School plays the roles of the Fairy of the Woodland Glade and Red Riding Hood in the upcoming LCCB production of The Sleeping Beauty. Annabelle says “I never expected to be a fairy, and never thought I would have the opportunity for two solo parts in such a big production.”

     In the beginning of the summer, Annabelle says she was frustrated with the choreography of the Woodland Fairy. “I really wasn’t sure I would get it, but I kept working hard. I am more confident now, and a better dancer. The choreography [of the Woodland Fairy] is not too soft and not too sharp. She feels the music, calling to the forest creatures. I really connect with nature from the choreography and the music.”

     Annabelle says that the role of Red Riding Hood is challenging because of the acting. “I have been working in the mirror at home to be afraid of the wolf. Joel is the nicest guy and such a sweet person, that it’s hard to be afraid of him,” she says of Joel Sanchez, one of the guest artists from Austin, Texas. Annabelle also says that working with Joel has improved her partnering skills, an opportunity she would not have without The Sleeping Beauty production.

     When asked about Annabelle Kisler Hathaway Whitworth, assistant rehearsal director says, “It has been my pleasure to work with Annabelle, individually over the past few months, in preparation for her role in Sleeping Beauty.  As we worked together, she not only accepted and executed the corrections that were given to her, but she also asked questions pertaining to various steps within her piece to solidify that she was doing them correctly.  It is that enthusiasm and willingness to learn, that has propelled her to the level of dance that Lake Charles Civic Ballet expects from its dancers.  Annabelle has such a sweet spirit, and she does a beautiful job conveying that through her solo.

     So what does Annabelle think about the performance now that it is right around the corner? “I am super excited and grateful for the chance to work with the Lake Charles Symphony. I am honored to have the roles I have; it’s weird to think about it now.” Hard work does pay off.

     Annabelle is the 15 year old daughter of Kay and Irvin Bang. She is a sophomore at St. Louis Catholic High School, where she also enjoys being a cheerleader. Annabelle has studied ballet for 10 years with Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance and Lake Charles Civic Ballet. She has enjoyed many LCCB productions, and especially remembers being a puppet in Rudolph 2009. She has also been featured in Daguerreotype as one of the twins and in Rudolph 2011 as a Scottish dancer. 

Profile photo by Cameron Durham / Dance photo by Romero & Romero Photography

Interview with Margaret Lie

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

There seems to be no end to the talents of Margaret Lie. This 16 year old junior at St. Louis Catholic High School is serious. Serious about school. Serious about music. And serious about ballet. She is so focused that if you aren’t paying close attention you will miss out on her wry sense of humor, and side-bar jokes. So make no mistake, although she is always the dancer with her books in the dressing room getting all of her homework done, or rushing from Youth Orchestra to Ballet to Student Council, Margaret likes to laugh and have fun!

     So what about playing 3 instruments? Piano, Violin, Flute – she plays them all well. I asked Margaret how that came about. “When I was three, my parents took me to a piano sale and I told them I wanted one, so they bought it and I started lessons. When I was four, I asked for a violin. I had a tiny violin and began taking lessons. Then in fifth grade I joined the school band. The band director told me I needed to play either drums or flute, I said no to the drums, and wasn’t suited for trumpet blowing or anything else, so it was the Flute.”

     Margaret is an honor student with a rigorous academic course load, playing multiple instruments and juggling extracurricular activities besides ballet rehearsals, so I asked her if she sleeps. The answer: “Oh yes. Bedtime is 10:30 PM sharp. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, if its 10:30 PM, I am falling asleep.”

     When I asked Margaret about the upcoming Sleeping Beauty performance with the Lake Charles Symphony, she described the first time she heard the music in the studio, “It really spoke to me. All of the instruments are showcased individually, it’s beautiful. I was in rapture watching the recent showing of the Bolshoi version at Cinemark.”

     Margaret plays the role of the Fairy of the Golden Vine in the prologue of the LCCB production. She says she was “instantly drawn to it because of the combination of intricate footwork and lots of motion. [The Golden Vine Fairy] uses the entire stage.”
     Margaret will also share the stage with Ashley Eaves and Elizabeth (Lizy) Gates as one of the Jeweled Fairies in the finale; Margaret is gold. She says Ashley and Lizy both have great feet and she works hard to synchronize her steps with theirs. The same goes for the Friends of Aurora segment in Act I with Julia Basone, Gabrielle Saucier, and Marissa White. Margaret says that part “requires so much control and lots of unison. It’s tough.”

     So, is the juggling act worth it? Absolutely. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to dance with the Lake Charles Symphony. Live music is very inspiring.”

     Margaret Lie is the 16 year of daughter of Stephanie and Albert Lie of Lake Charles. She is a junior at St. Louis Catholic High School. Margaret has trained for 14 years at the Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance and with Lake Charles Civic Ballet. She has performed feature roles in many LCCB productions including Miss Peacock in Clue, Reflection in Debut, Russian and Swiss in Rudolph. She also was a member of the 2004 LCCB cast of Petrushka with the Lake Charles Symphony.


Profile photo by Cameron Durham / Dance photo by Romero & Romero Photography

Interview with Anne Veillon

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

Anne has studied ballet at Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance for 11 years, where, since last year, she also teaches younger students ballet. She says that the transition from student to teacher has been challenging and has caused her to really examine her own dancing and technique.

     Even though Lady Leah is no longer teaching at the studio daily, her presence is still felt. Anne remembers her instruction well, “eyebrows up!” She says that Lady Leah really stressed being expressive and playing to the audience. That lesson obviously took root as Lady Holly Hathaway Kaough, current director of Lady Leah’s dance studio and artistic director of LCCB, says that “Anne consistently projects to the audience and maintains her character throughout a role. She performs the entire time she is on stage.” Of Lady Holly, Anne says that she is “one of the kindest, most sincere people I have ever met. She has such love and fire about her, in all areas of life. She is a busy mom and teacher, and I really admire that about her.”

     In Act I of The Sleeping Beauty Anne plays the role of The Village Girl opposite Joel Sanchez of Austin, Texas. Although her partner is out of town, they had the chance to meet this summer, and recently spent a weekend rehearsing here in Lake Charles. She doesn’t foresee any problems getting the choreography perfected for the performance. “[Joel] is a hard worker and he’s the sweetest guy,” Anne said. They are prepared to get the job done.

     Anne says that it is very exciting to be a part of a big ballet and the studio is very alive right now: “We have been working on this since mid-June, so finally, after nine months it is upon us! There is a great deal of fine tuning happening now, some tension and stress too, but that all comes with the anticipation and excitement. It’s really cool to be a part of this big production with the Lake Charles Symphony.”

     Anne is a junior at McNeese State University majoring in Animal Science. The 21 year old daughter of Darlene and the late Eddie Veillon of Lake Charles hopes to work at a zoo one day. She is looking forward to getting some experience this summer as a volunteer at the Baton Rouge Zoo. Anne has performed in many LCCB productions including Daguerreotype, Clue, Rudolph, Little Drummer Boy, and in ACTS Theatre’s Beauty and the Beast. She is an accomplished singer as well.

Profile photo by Cameron Durham / Dance photo by Romero & Romero Photography

LCCB Profiles: Elizabeth Gates

                          Choreographer

Photo by Cameron Durham / Elizabeth Lauren Gates

LCCB PROFILES -- Elizabeth Lauren Gates from Lake Charles Civic Ballet on Vimeo.

Elizabeth 'Lizy' Gates trained with Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance just prior to attending the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Since school Lizy has been a guest performer with many professional companies and worked as a ballet instructor and choreographer for studios in Louisiana and Texas. Beyond her classical ballet education, Lizy has studied the modern techniques of Martha Graham, Lester Horton, and Merce Cunningham. Her inspiration for her choreography comes from many sources, but she says her main inspiration is the music itself.

This season Lake Charles Civic Ballet is fortunate to have Lake Charles native Elizabeth Gates in the studio working with dancers and participating in our season. During a sneak preview in November, a trio of principal dancers performed Psalm of Spring which was choreographed by Ms. Gates especially for the event. Elizabeth Gates' Psalm of Spring will be featured at the LCCB Spring Performance later this season.

LCCB Profiles: Katelyn Chargois

                       LCCB Principal

Photo by Cameron Durham / Katelyn Chargois

LCCB PROFILES -- Katelyn Chargois from Lake Charles Civic Ballet on Vimeo.


In the studio with Katelyn Chargois and Elizabeth Gates.

Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s founder, Lady Leah Lafargue Hathaway revealed her creative brilliance and artistic vision through dance and the stage. Lady Leah’s genius is found in the company’s extensive repertoire which features numerous ballets created or set by her. She provided a place for artistic talent to develop and for professionals to work. Over the years many artists and guests have shared our studios and worked behind the scenes with photography, lighting, sets, costumes, and choreography.

While our foundation was laid by Lady Leah the next generation continues her legacy and promises to entertain our audiences with the beauty of dance and the stage. Today, the position of artistic director has been passed to Lady Holly Hathaway Kaough. She works her magic with the company, but she honors her mother’s vision—a place where artists can work and collaborate with others. The original works of Lady Leah fit seamlessly with exciting new works created by Lady Holly and guest choreographers such as Elizabeth Gates.

In this third video of Karen Wink’s interview series, Karen features LCCB Principal Katelyn Chargois in a studio rehearsal for Elizabeth Gates’ Psalm of Spring. This original piece by Elizabeth will be performed at LCCB's 2012 Spring Performance in May.

LCCB Profiles: Adelaide Saucier

                LCCB Principal Dancer

Photo by Cameron Durham  / Adelaide Saucier

LCCB PROFILES -- Adelaide Saucier from Lake Charles Civic Ballet on Vimeo.

In the studio with Adelaide Saucier and Elizabeth Gates.

Elizabeth 'Lizy' Gates, a former student of Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance the official school of LCCB, is not a stranger to our studios—she's part of our history. Lake Charles Civic Ballet has collaborated with artists and arts organizations since its beginning. Talented artists such as Lizy are always welcomed and appreciated. This is not the first time Lizy has worked with LCCB dancers as a choreographer. For the 2008 Spring Performance, Lizy created Nocturne in memory of her father, Keith Gates.

LCCB's 2012 Spring Performance will again feature a work by Elizabeth Gates entitled Psalm of Spring. In this second interview in her series, Karen Wink features LCCB Principal Adelaide Saucier during one of Lizy's rehearsals for Psalm of Spring.

LCCB Profiles: Ashley Eaves

                    LCCB Principal

Photo by Cameron Durham / Ashley Eaves

LCCB PROFILES -- Ashley Eaves from Lake Charles Civic Ballet on Vimeo.

In the studio with Ashley Eaves and Elizabeth Gates.

Karen Wink caught up with choreographer Elizabeth Gates and three LCCB princpal dancers in the studio. Karen interviewed each of the members during a rehearsal for “Psalm of Spring” created for LCCB by choreographer Elizabeth Gates for our "Season Sneak Preview & Behind the Scenes with LCCB." The complete piece was performed on Sunday, November 13, 2011. The evening was presented by L'Auberge Lake Charles and hosted by Heather Ieyoub of KVHP Fox29.

The first interview features Principal Ashley Eaves. LCCB looks forward to performing “Psalm of Spring” at our 2012 Spring Performance in May.

A Rudolph Review

Photo by Cameron Durham

Guest Writer: Angie Dilmore

It’s crunch time at the North Pole. Santa and his elves scurry to finish making toys and load the sleigh before their Christmas Eve deadline.

So begins the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Lake Charles Civic Ballet’s thoroughly delightful production last weekend.  I’ve been to several of this company’s performances, and this show was my favorite so far. The elaborate sets and colorful lavish costumes make the stage pop, but it’s the talented dancers who entertain, amuse, and bring the show to life. LCCB performs only original productions. No stale nuts at our Rosa Hart Theater. The company has been thrilling audiences with the Rudolph production every few years since the late 1960s.

The opening scene pays homage to the true nature of the Christmas season with a beautiful dance of Mary, with the Christ child in the manger. Then ballet director Lady Holly introduces Santa Claus. Santa and Mrs. Claus guide the elves through a fun frolicking scene at the North Pole. These young performers enthusiastically dance around the stage with wrapped presents and a myriad of toys. Humor is at the forefront here. The elves then take Santa’s list around the world and we see dancers, veiled in gauzy shadows behind a screen, represent exotic places such as Russia, Hawaii, Scotland, Switzerland, Mexico, Arabia, Holland, and Japan.

We finally have the pleasure of meeting Rudolph when Santa checks to see if the reindeer are ready for their annual trip. He discovers Rudolph feeling sad and alone. The other reindeer shove, snub, or completely ignore Rudolph and her blinking bright red nose. They believably paw at the ground, strut, swagger, and point their noses haughtily in the air. Rudolph tries so hard to make friends with the other reindeer, to no avail. Santa brushes off Rudolph’s woes. Despondent, the little reindeer runs off into the forest. Magical pine trees comfort Rudolph and Eskimo children encourage and lift her spirits.

Then it’s Christmas Eve and we all know the story. Snow and fog threaten Santa’s trek ‘round the world. Here we meet the exquisite Snow Queen, shimmering in a sparkling blue tutu, accompanied by a flurry of graceful snowflakes.

Back at the reindeer stable, Santa realizes Rudolph’s shiny nose can save Christmas. Through the magic of theatrics, the audience sees only the beacon and imagines Santa and his sleigh passing through the rows of seats, up into the balcony, and back towards the stage. The grand finale brings the entire jubilant cast out on stage for bows and a much deserved standing ovation.

Photo by Cameron Durham

Congratulations to the LCCB on an awesome performance! I can’t wait to see Sleeping Beauty in March 2012!