Interview with Adelaide Saucier

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

     So let me introduce you to my eldest daughter, Adelaide. I can’t believe that she will be graduating from High School this May! It’s because of her that I am here writing all of these ballet company interviews, spending all of my time at the theatre and talking to Lady Holly 100 times a day. She had just turned three when I enrolled her in ballet class because that was what everyone else was doing. In third grade she quit other activities and said, “This is what I want to do.” It was her choice. I had no intention of being a ballet mom, having never spent any time at the barre myself. Yet here I am, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

     Adelaide has the great fortune to play Lilac Fairy, Queen of all the Fairies in The Sleeping Beauty. I asked Addie what the challenge is in being Lilac. Her answer: “What isn’t the challenge of Lilac? There are super challenging steps throughout the ballet. I have to be a leader and act regal, queenly. It’s fun. I am really enjoying it and it has helped me to improve as a dancer. My partnering skills have improved immensely.” In Act II, Lilac has a long partnering sequence with the Prince, Drew Anderson. Adelaide and Drew have been partners many times and I asked about their relationship. “Lady Holly says he calms me down and I give him confidence. It’s a great relationship. We are like brother and sister, and it translates well in our partnership. We have a lot of trust in each other.”

     Lilac Fairy is one of the leads of the ballet and she is in all four acts, so Addie and I talked about her stamina. “I am going to need about two gallons of water pre-intermission and two gallons post intermission, and I will be sucking oxygen in the wings. In Act I, the Birthday Party Scene, I am on pointe the whole time doing all of these bourres. It seems and appears easy, but it is so tough, and I have to look calm and pretty. There can be no tears. We have established levels of difficulty during Sleeping Beauty. The dancers have developed a code and hand gestures to express those levels as part of our comic relief. It’s ‘Fairy Bonding.’ Those bourres are a HIGH level!”

     Kisler Hathaway Whitworth, assistant rehearsal director, daughter of Lady Leah Lafargue Hathaway, artistic director emeritus, has been an important part of the training process for Sleeping Beauty. Addie says, “Kisler has really helped everyone so much, she has put so much into it, she’s great. She’s super positive. If you’re having trouble with a step, she just looks at you and can tell you how to fix it. I know that there is no way I’d be doing my variations as well as I am without her help. She’s really funny and a ham. She’s performing in the ballet and she’s still got it; she’s a pro.”

     Adelaide is grateful for the opportunity to perform a full length ballet with the Symphony with the amazing costumes and sets, and especially the growth as a dancer. This has translated into some great choices for her future – so where will she go to college? “I am still undecided. I am just excited to have choices. But wherever I am, dance will be a part of my life.”

     I said at the beginning of this piece that I am grateful too. For 15 years it has been my joy to watch Adelaide and Gabrielle enjoy the art and discipline of classical ballet and to participate behind the scenes. I never would have imagined my life as a ballet mom, but I have had the most fun being a part of LCCB. Adelaide made a great choice for herself, and for me. I think she will continue to make great choices in life. Who knows where she will lead me next.

     Adelaide is the 17 year old daughter of Kelley and Luke Saucier of Lake Charles. She is a senior at St. Louis Catholic High School. Adelaide has studied ballet for 15 years, the last 10 with Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance and Lake Charles Civic Ballet; in addition she has participated in summer intensive workshops at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Dallas Metropolitan Ballet. Over the years, lead roles in LCCB productions have included The Flirt in Daguerreotype 2007 and 2010, Clemmy in Once Told to Me, Mary and Snow Queen in Rudolph. She also was a part of the 2004 cast of Petrouchka with the Lake Charles Symphony. Adelaide is still deciding where she will attend college next year, but has been accepted to dance programs at Chapman University in Orange, California, Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas where she is an alternate for the Nordan Fine Arts Scholarship, and has received a Loyola Scholar Award to Loyola University in New Orleans.


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

Interview with Julia Basone

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

     I can tell you from hanging around the studio and theatre, that dancers are most definitely athletes. The beauty and grace you see on stage has a lot of blood, sweat and tears behind it. No pain, no gain? You bet! I have seen more bloody bruised toenails on these dancers’ feet than I ever did when I was running marathons – note the past tense. Not to worry, Julia Basone is part of the Sleeping Beauty cast and she brings with her some very special skills learned during her time as a trainer for the St. Louis Catholic High School athletic teams.

     Most everything Julia has learned as an athletic trainer has been useful in treating herself as a dancer-athlete. “I have learned how to tape wrists and ankles, how to use ice packs, the correct heating pad temperature, when to use heat and when to use cold. It has also been great because I want to go into physical therapy for my profession.” While Julia mostly works with the football teams, she spends the entire school year in athletic PE where she treats any athlete who may need assistance, basketball players, soccer players, you name the sport. I asked her if she could see a connection between ballet and football, “Yes. In ballet, your technique has to be perfect and we learn patterns in choreography. That is sort of like their plays on the field.”

     Julia and I talked about her roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Fairy of the Songbirds in the prologue, and Cinderella with Adrian Durham in the finale. “There has been a big transition from the summer. This has been a year of growth because of the amount of work that has gone into the parts I wanted. It’s the biggest year yet! I initially wanted Annabelle’s (Bang) part and Annabelle wanted mine. We had a bet that she would get the part I wanted and I would get hers – and that is exactly what happened.” I asked her about the difficulty of her fairy role, also called Canary Fairy, because it is so quick and bird-like. “If I miss one step, I could be done. I have to hear every single note and stay with it. The jump is awkward, but it has become natural to me. My pointe work is so much better now.”

     Julia’s partnership with Adrian Durham, Prince Charming to her Cinderella is very comfortable. Although they learned the choreography later than their other parts in the ballet, it has been easy and they are having a lot of fun working together. They are frequent partners in the studio and shared the stage in the Russian dance during Rudolph this past December.

     So what does it feel like now that opening night of The Sleeping Beauty is almost here? “I am happy because as a ballet company we are stronger. Everything has come together so nicely. I feel like I am coming out of my shell because this is my first solo and I’m glad I have the opportunity to do it. I am excited to work with the Symphony, and if they happen to slow down Canary, well, don’t tell Lady Holly, but I won’t complain.” Funny, Julia – we know you can handle the tempo beautifully and we can’t wait to see it on Saturday night!

     Julia is the 15 year old daughter of Robin and Sigmund Basone of Lake Charles. She is a sophomore at St. Louis Catholic High School. Julia has trained for 11 years with Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance and Lake Charles Civic Ballet. She has participated in many LCCB productions, but especially remembers being harnessed and flying away as the Balloon Girl in Carnival in Venice 2010. Most recently Julia played the Kari Doll and Russian Dancer in Rudolph 2011. 

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

Interview with Adrian Durham

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

     Well, there aren’t that many guys at the ballet studio. The men are definitely outnumbered, but that hasn’t deterred 15 year old Adrian Durham. He’s at the studio as much as the girls, working hard and perfecting his craft.

     I’ve been around the studio a great deal during my time on the board, gotten to know the kids, but I realized that I had never talked to Adrian about how he arrived here. It turns out to be one of those stories you hear about in the movies about a movie. “I saw the movie Bojangles with Gregory Hines. After that, I started tap dancing all over the house. Margaret’s mom, Mrs. Lie, suggested I come to the studio to take tap. Then Lady Leah got me to be a Robot in Rudolph. That started my transition to ballet, and then I gave up tap.”

     Wow, just like that! Now Adrian not only takes company classes and rehearses 5-6 days per week, but he attended the Houston Ballet Academy's 2011 Summer Intensive and has been accepted to attend the 2012 Houston Ballet Summer Intensive. That’s intense training! I asked him how he decided to audition that first time in 2011. “Well, Katelyn’s mom, Mrs. Rhonda, suggested it, and I thought, ‘Why not?’ I wasn’t really serious about it; I just figured I’d try. Then I got in, so I decided I should go. That was the turning point. I loved it. Before Houston, I liked ballet, but after Houston, I decided that is definitely what I want to do. I would like to get into Houston Ballet and stay there after I graduate from High School.”

     Houston Ballet has not only inspired Adrian’s dream for a future in ballet, but it really gave him an opportunity to work with more male dancers and to focus on those skills particular to their gender. He says it was perfect timing because he may not have gotten the parts he has for Sleeping Beauty and Rudolph without that training. Both performances have included partnering skills, and he was able to do quite a bit of that in Houston.

     In both Sleeping Beauty and Rudolph, Adrian partners with Julia Basone. He says that they are very comfortable with the partnership and have worked together quite a bit in the studio. Their Russian dance in Rudolph was certainly a big hit with Lady Leah Lafargue Hathaway, artistic director emeritus of LCCB. I was watching one of the performances with her when she asked, “Who is that young man?” I answered, and she got over the fact that the young Robot is now a young man, she said, “Well, we need to use him more. He knows what he’s doing!”

     And that is why LCCB is grateful for the movie Bojangles!

     Adrian is the 15 year old son of Pat and Arthur Durham of Lake Charles. He is a homeschooled sophomore. Adrian has trained for 6 years with Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance and Lake Charles Civic Ballet. In 2011 Adrian participated in the Houston Ballet Academy's Summer Intensive and will attend again in 2012. Adrian has been in many LCCB productions, most recently sharing the stage with Julia Basone as Russian Dancers in the 2011 Rudolph production. They are pleased to be partnering in The Sleeping Beauty finale as Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Photos by Cameron Durham

Interview with Marissa White

Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

     Books, barista, ballerina, bed.  Put another way: school, work, studio, sleep. That is how our busy Fairy of the Crystal Fountain, Marissa White, spends her time. As the manager of Joe Muggs coffee shop in Books-A-Million she works about 45 hours per week. Add to that 12 hours of class at McNeese, plus rehearsals at the ballet studio, there is no doubt that Marissa is an expert in time management!

     Marissa’s family has been a part of LCCB from the beginning. Her grandmother, Debi Buras White, founded the company with Lady Leah Lafargue Hathaway in 1968. Over the years the legacy has included many members of the White family; Marissa’s parents, aunt, uncle, sister and cousins have all performed in LCCB productions. Only her brother escaped the stage – it seems Marissa had no choice and lucky us, because she is beautiful!

     I sat down with Marissa to talk about her upcoming roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Fairy of the Crystal Fountain in the Prologue and Princess Florine in the Finale. First, we talked about Fairy of the Crystal Fountain in the Prologue. “The challenge for me is to remain fluid with my arms and continuing the movement. The arms are doing something completely different from the feet. It’s like a river, moving water and fluidity. My costume represents water. I really wanted the part of the Crystal Fountain.”

     Marissa then explained the role of Princess Florine. “Princess Florine is Prince Desire’s sister. She had been trapped in a tower and a blue bird freed her by teaching her to fly away. I imagine that while I’m dancing.” Playing the role of Marissa’s blue bird is David Sanders of Dallas, Texas. David and Marissa danced together in 2008 when David spent a summer here in Lake Charles working with Les Jordan of North Central Ballet.  That connection is the reason David will be joining the LCCB cast of Sleeping Beauty. Marissa says the partnership is going well. “David really works to make me look good, and gives me a lot of security. He’s a big actor and has a big personality. I have to work to match that, so that’s the challenge for me. Also, he’s 6’3” and I’m 5’4”, so I have to dance big. It’s been fun and really nice to reconnect.” In the finale, the beautiful Princess Florine and Blue Bird are guests at the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Desire. They dance a beautiful and difficult pas de deux.

     So is Marissa showing any signs of fatigue with her hectic schedule and the big performance looming? No, not at all; as she says, “I stay organized and have my routine.” And now, if you need a good latte, you know where to go!

     Marissa White is the 21 year old daughter of Judy and Mike White. She is a junior accounting major at McNeese State University and manager of Joe Muggs coffee shop. Marissa has trained for 16 years with Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance and Lake Charles Civic Ballet. She has been a featured performer in many LCCB productions including Spinster in Daguerreotype, Snow Queen, Reindeer, and Arabain in Rudolph, and Colinda in Louisiana Saturday Night. Marissa hopes to own her own coffee shop one day.

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

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: 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!

Lake Charles Civic Ballet Takes Rudolph Around the World: A total educational experience

Photo by Cameron Durham

Guest Writer: Erica Guillory

As I watched my son practice for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Ballet, I was drawn to the educational experience it provides for children of all ages.  I am a teacher who thrives on creative opportunities that will broaden the minds of my students beyond the realm of the everyday learning routine.  

The history of Christmas as it relates to many cultures, countries, and traditions are embedded within the amazing ballet pieces presented. Santa discusses the rituals of countries such as Russia, China, and Switzerland. This ballet experience can provide many avenues for culture awareness development. Also, it can provide a plethora of in depth research that will challenge the mind of students across the parish. Teachers could use this opportunity for writing, comparing and contrasting the American culture to those of the countries discussed in the Ballet.  State benchmarks and GLE’s definitely can be met on a higher level, which is the goal of all teachers.  Students will also be able to develop a love for ballet, theatre, and telling a story through the art of dance. 

Opportunities like this are those in which education should thrive upon.  This total experience could cover a multitude of subject areas and student work.  It is a great learning opportunity presented in a creative way. As educators and parents we must take advantage of those opportunities that will broaden the minds of our children. The Lake Charles Civic Ballet can provide that opportunity. Take advantage.

Pictured in photo from "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' Around the World, Russian dance:  

Adrian Durham; Julia Basone

Dance, Conversation, and a Party with Friends

                                       Photo by Romero & Romero Photography


Guest Writer: Kelley Saucier, LCCB President

Lake Charles Civic Ballet took the opportunity to say thank you to sponsors, arts organization leaders, city officials, and special guests on Sunday, November 13, 2011 at Central School Theatre. The event, Sneak Preview & Behind the Scenes with LCCB, hosted by Heather Ieyoub of KVHP Fox29, gave the audience an inside look at the coming season and an opportunity to get to know the choreographers and principal dancers of LCCB as Ms. Ieyoub put them all in the "hot seat" on stage. Lady Holly Hathaway Kaough stated that LCCB's ambitious season, which includes the Christmas classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in December 2011 as well as The Sleeping Beauty in March 2012 with the Lake Charles Symphony, would not be possible without the continued support from the community. It was a wonderfully intimate gathering of special friends of LCCB who where treated to pre and post performance fare. We all had so much fun and look forward to our next opportunity to interact with our supporters: our Costume Preview Party for Patron Sponsors on March 2, 2012 at L'Auberge Lake Charles. If you aren't a sponsor yet, it's not too late to join and be a part of all the fun!

Pictured in photo: Adelaide Saucier, Drew Anderson

PASA's Backstage Pass

Yesterday, Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, with the generosity of Capital One and Chevron, presented a daytime performance of Complexions Contemporary Ballet at Angelle Hall UL Lafayette. Louisiana students were entertained and educated during the hour long look into the life of this company and its dancers.

Students were shown a condensed version of a professional dancer’s day—from morning until night on the day of a performance. The glimpse lasting 60 minutes carried our students through morning warm up—consisting of barre and center work, on to the daytime rehearsals, and ending with the nighttime show. Complexions male dancers were greeted with hoots and snickers by our audience of middle school and high school students, but were soon awarded cheers and applause. The young audience quickly gained an appreciation for the skills and talents of these artistic athletes. The PASA daytime performance ended after a Q & A session between the Complexions dancers and the students.

“to dance is to move on a level far beyond athleticism. Yes, there are speed, power, balance, and endurance—all the things that define athlete. But then there are grace, beauty, form, emotion, and the power of communication. There is art.” __DanceMagazine, February 2002

Later that evening, UL Lafayette provided the location for a Complexions Dance master class taught by Assistant Ballet Mistress Sabra Perry. A master class provides ballet students with the opportunity to build their dance knowledge. 

The class of approximately 50 dancers was given a brief introduction of the company and its artistic staff then went straight into a barre warm up. Sabra was very personable and gave great analogies to help the dancers learn some of the movements from two of the company’s ballets. All the movements were ballet based, with the upper-body lines lengthened to create the contemporary style. After the class, Ms. Perry answered questions and visited with the dancers. Lake Charles Civic Ballet members in attendance included Elizabeth Gates, Drew Anderson, Ashley Eaves, and Katelyn Chargois.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet will be performing tonight at Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette at 7:30PM. From New York City, Complexions Contemporary Ballet is an artistic treat everyone must see.

Pictured in bottom photo left to right:

Katelyn Chargois, Sabra Perry, Ashley Eaves, Drew Anderson, Elizabeth Gates

Frozen Talents

Photo from Lois Greenfield website

Photography and ballet are both skilled arts that take years of training to develop. If you ask a ballerina when she mastered her skill of ballet, she will tell you that a dancer is always working to master the art of ballet. Photography is the same. Combining these art forms can be challenging, but truly exciting.

The relationship of photographer and artistic director is not unlike the relationship of the choreographer and the dancer. Lake Charles Civic Ballet has had the privilege of collaborating with several photographers—professional and amateur.

For a photographer’s camera to successfully capture a dancer’s motion, the dancer must possess the physique and technique to display the movements and shapes selected by the artistic director, and the photographer must possess the talent and timing to capture the precise moment of the movement. The resulting photograph represents many layers of talent. Years of training, dedication, and skill—for everyone involved—frozen for all time.

LCCB is a pre-professional ballet company. On opening night of Resonating Fields at Historic City Hall, LCCB dancers, choreographers, photographer, and artistic director viewed the exhibit as guests, as well as teachers and students of the art of ballet.  Thank you to Lois Greenfield for sharing her talent with the city of Lake Charles. 'Like' Lois Greenfield on Facebook at Lois Greenfield Dance Photography Workshops.

50 is the New 30

by Rhonda K. Chargois

Southwest Louisiana doesn't have a professional ballet company to claim as their own. The closest thing we have is a visit from the Moscow Ballet and their Nutcracker sponsored by a local ballet studio. We are fortunate to have our own civic ballet—Lake Charles Civic Ballet. LCCB dancers are students. For the most part, they are middle school and high school students, with a few college students and professional dancers that participate regularly in class and in performances.

Our company dancers are connected. Not that they come to class every afternoon and visit with everyone face to face. They’re connected online. They interact with friends, family, teachers and brands through Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube; they read and create blogs like Tumblr, Blogger, or WordPress. Smart businesses will meet these younger consumers where they hang out if they expect to be noticed by them and have an impact. Most ballet companies are smart. LCCB wants to connect. We may be over 40, but we're acting much younger. I guess you could say we're fighting our age. 

In our efforts to stay young and connect with new ballet fans, we have become much more social. No, we don't visit in class, but we are connected with people and businesses through social media outlets. We are a nonprofit arts organization which means we are supported by a limited budget. We depend on the support of grants, sponsors, and volunteers. And just in case you didn't notice—social media is cheap, but it isn't easy.

Facebook should be fairly easy, right? Twitter is different and may take more time to understand if you've never tweeted. Blogging moves into more work. Flickr, YouTube, Foursquare, they all have something fun to offer to a company looking to 'get social' on a budget. It's like an addiction. You add one social account, and the next thing you know you're adding another and another. But remember, every account has to be updated, monitored, and actively used, or you may as well remove the word 'social'.

I'll admit. When my own children were younger I was against social media, but once my children were old enough to become 'social' it became my job as a parent to monitor their activity. As I monitored, we learned together the best ways to connect with the good and stay away from the bad content online. Now that I'm 50 which we all know is the new 30, I can connect with the younger generation. Connecting for LCCB means sharing what's happening inside The Ballet and what's happening in ballet outside our community. The Nutcracker is great Christmas fun, but ballet is so much more.

Our Social Media Team has a mission to track down the most current online ballet information and discussions. We want to share that information with our dancers and anyone else who may be interested. We want to share the links to our favorite blogs and Facebook Pages on The Ballet blog soon (just as soon as I learn how to do that—Jjk). Some ballet companies have beautiful websites, informative blogs loaded with eye catching photos, and they're connected with social media in every way imaginable. Other companies are stuck back in a time warp before there was social media.

Last week I heard a mature woman exclaim she would be coloring her hair until the age of 100. Lake Charles Civic Ballet has a group of volunteers who believe our company is a valuable addition to our community and the world of ballet. Connect with us, and let's be social. We'll be the elderly women with colored hair staring at our smart phones and clicking away on our laptops.

Inside the Wardrobe: Part II

The Houston Ballet Wardrobe Department occupies a good portion of the second floor in the new downtown Center for Dance. Bolts of fabric, costume accessories, and racks of ballet costumes are just a few of the staging areas inside the wardrobe. Wardrobe Manager Laura Lynch moved our small group of visiting moms past the ballet bibles to an office space reserved for guest designers and local artisans. This area provides their guests with ample office space complete with desks, work surfaces, and plenty of storage space to work side by side with HB wardrobe staff.

Just past the guest office space in the northeast corner of the wardrobe is the Spray Room and the Dye Room. Where some tutus are designed to be spray painted to give them a distinctive color and shape many times the fabrics are dyed. The Dye Room houses several washer/dryer sets with one set reserved just for dying fabrics. In the corner of the room stands a restaurant grade food vat used to heat the dyes to a higher temperature for those hard to dye fabrics. There is a separate hot water tank to serve the high demands of this room. Laura explained the multiple techniques used to clean ballet costumes. The techniques include hand wash, machine wash, dry clean, and ozone treatment. Dry cleaning is the hardest on costumes because the chemicals break down the structure of a costume and the fabric. Ozone treatment is more costume friendly. Houston Ballet has plans to install an ozone facility on the premises. Costumes are routinely spot cleaned with a fine mist of straight vodka. Most of the moms had never heard of this technique.

the thread wall in 'notions central'

Anyone in Houston would love to have the views designed into this building. Walls of windows surround this end of the department. One of the most colorful spots in the costume area is called ‘notions central.’ Here you will find trimmings, buttons, beads, and spools of thread in every color imaginable. ‘Onie’ White, wardrobe volunteer, shared her bead story with our group. During a rehearsal for Marie one small area of beading broke loose from one of the costumes scattering the beads across the stage floor—a potential safety hazard for the dancers. Onie was given the job of removing all the beading from the costume so the beads could be reattached in a more secure manner. By the time she finished her job, the beads filled a large hat box. Everything on stage is larger than life.

Cutting and sewing requires light and power. The wardrobe department has power brought into the room from the floor and the ceiling. Several outlet locations are necessary to run the commercial sewing machines and irons. Here is where Laura says the design could have been improved. If the electrical outlets in the ceiling had been installed on tracks, the space would be more versatile. I don’t think anyone is complaining about that one small error in design. Scraps of thread and run away pins are always a safety concern so no slippery floor tiles in the wardrobe—concrete floors throughout. AFA Code requires one dressing room be handicap accessible, and fatigue mats are standard equipment in every dressing room since dancers can’t stand still for 

longer than 15 minutes per fitting. That must be a union rule.

 theatrical wardrobe cabinet

Only costumes for the current jobs are housed inside the wardrobe and the Academy Summer Showcase was on the books the day of our visit. The wardrobe department has moved three times over the years, but the bulk of the costume and prop inventory remains at HB’s warehouse location. The warehouse offers some climate controlled space and houses costumes, props and scenery for the company’s extensive repertoire.

One table in the wardrobe held two partially constructed costumes for Cincinnati Ballet’s all new Nutcracker. Laura’s department is one of only a few professional ballet companies that ‘job out’ work in the off season. This generates income for their department and work for local artisans. Laura shared her complex system for scheduling contract workers around a ballet season. It is extremely important to stay on budget, but also to provide enough work to attract the local artisans. Laura answered all our questions and shared many helpful tips such as where to buy practice tutus, how to clean and care for our purchases, and career opportunities in the arts.

Just a few days later Laura Lynch was seen entering the dance lab to attend one of the performances of the Academy Summer Showcase. She was just another guest—to most, but a few of us seated in the audience knew differently. Our small group of moms will forever remember the day we were invited inside the wardrobe.

Many thanks to Houston Ballet, Laura Lynch, Onie White, and Debby Brown for inviting us inside their new home at the Center for Dance in downtown Houston, Texas.

The Dancers and the Maestro Meet

Photo by Cameron Durham

It’s not easy to enter the Rosa Hart Theatre via the loading dock door during a July deluge, but somehow, photography equipment, costumes, dancers, Lady Holly and Bohuslav Rattay, the charming new conductor of the Lake Charles Symphony, made it. The purpose? A publicity photo shoot for the March 2012 production of The Sleeping Beauty. Maestro Rattay kindly took time out of his busy Summer Pops schedule do the shoot with LCCB principal dancers. Bohuslav  (Bo Hu slav, dancers discovered it is pronounced with the accent on the second syllable) is, as Katelyn Chargois put it, “cool.” He is at ease in front of the camera and jokes around on the set. The dancers enjoyed getting to know our new conductor. 

And what about those yellow sneakers? To honor Bohuslav, the girls showed up in colored Converse All Stars, only to discover that the Maestro’s famous footwear is actually a brand called Diesel. He says they are very comfortable.

Photo by Cameron Durham

While on set, Maestro Rattay told me that he is excited about conducting the Tchaikovsky score. Although he has worked with ballet companies in the past, this will be his first time conducting The Sleeping Beauty.

Talk about a busy schedule! Conducting the Lake Charles Symphony is not the Maestro’s only job. He is currently the music director of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Ball State University and has a busy guest conducting schedule. Rattay is originally from Prague, Czech Republic, so he also spends time in Europe. Bohuslav has said many times that he loves the people and the culture of Southwest Louisiana, and is most happy to be here. In a recent email conversation he shares, “I am eagerly looking forward to working with the young dance talents of Southwest Louisiana and foreseeing that this production of The Sleeping Beauty will awaken the Lake Charles arts community..... “ All involved believe that when combined, the talents of these two distinct organizations create an electrifying synergy greater than the sum of its parts and will add to an already lively arts season in Southwest Louisiana.

LCCB can’t wait to meet with Bohuslav and the rest of the Lake Charles Symphony orchestra in March. Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 7:00 PM. You won’t be disappointed!

Kelley Saucier
2011-2012 LCCB Board President

LCCB Season Sponsorships are available now, and include tickets to The Sleeping Beauty. Call Kelley Saucier at 337-513-5808 for more information. You may also visit the website at www.lakecharlescivicballet.com.

Lake Charles Symphony Season Memberships are also available now. For more information call their ticket hotline at 337-433-1611 or visit their website at www.lcsymphony.org.

Inside the Wardrobe: Part I

Photo by Katelyn Chargois / fabric bins in Houston Ballet Wardrobe Department

During the last week of Ben Stevenson Academy 2011 Summer Intensive, a select group of moms were given the opportunity to peer inside the wardrobe department of Houston Ballet. Located on the second floor of their new home downtown in Houston Ballet Center for Dance, the Wardrobe Department is expertly managed by Laura Lynch. Laura provided our small group of visiting moms with an insider’s view of ballet wardrobe and costumes. She shared information on the department's organization, their attention to detail, and the reasons for the bare beauty of their new space. Many thanks to Debby Brown, 'Onie' White, and Laura Lynch for sharing their ballet home with us, and this rarely seen view of a professional ballet company.

In a smaller market, a wardrobe department runs with mostly volunteer labor, but a professional company “must” depend on a hired work force. Laura's team consists of only one volunteer, Hermione 'Onie' White, and Onie considers her work in the wardrobe department a labor of love. She shared several of her own personal stories relating to the wardrobe, but one experience appeared particularly special. With instruction and assistance from a visiting designer, Onie constructed her first tutu out of scraps of tulle. Admittedly the adventurous project challenged her skills. Following the designer's hand drawn sketches and working for over 500 hours on her creation, Onie gained a true understanding and respect for those who work in the wardrobe and costume industry. 

Houston Ballet's wardrobe department is made up of many different areas each with a specific purpose. There is a shoe wall—no pointe shoes here. HB has a special Shoe Room for pointe shoes. These are all decorative shoes and boots created for the many character costumes. The photo above shows the bins that hold bolts of fabric used by the department. There are rolling tutu trees, library shelving filled with boxes of costume accessories, and many staging areas reserved for precise needs. Along one wall are the Ballet Bibles—one for every ballet. Each bible contains the details for every piece necessary to recreate a costume. Swan Lake has four separate bibles of its own. Onie told us about the Stitch Bible. The book contains directions and details to sew or repair any costume. The directions are very specific. To replace a missing button you must reference details such as the button location on the costume, the fabric, and the stitch to use. If you do not follow the bible details, then you must remove your work and begin again. The strict attention to detail required by the department is one of the many things that makes their business such a success. 

A wardrobe department is truly a magical place. The full-time staff and contract artisans of Houston Ballet work behind the scenes, but their talents are seen by all of us who share a love for ballet and the theatre. We will have more to share on our visit Inside the Wardrobe: Part II.

...all the exercises given...for the barre should be performed. (Naturally, a beginner would take some weeks at least to learn the movements, quite a time to grow accustomed to them, and—in keeping with ballet as a whole—the rest of his life trying to perfect them!) — Kay Ambrose, The Ballet-Student’s Primer