FLEMING ISLAND \u2014When\u00a0students\u00a0Layla, Amelia,\u00a0Isabela\u00a0and Ro\u00a0are not\u00a0studying\u00a0for\u00a0math tests and conducting\u00a0super cool\u00a0science experiments,\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0memorizing the choreography for yet another showstopping routine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the young performers, dancing is their passion.\u00a0Attending All-Starz\u00a0Dance Studio\u00a0on\u00a0Fleming\u00a0Island, their dedication is\u00a0evident.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
But if\u00a0you told them\u00a0last\u00a0year\u00a0they\u00a0would take their talents to a bigger-than life production,\u00a0they\u00a0probably\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0have believed you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group made their grand debut in the First Coast Nutcracker\u00a0and Community Nutcracker\u00a0beginning on Dec. 12.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The weekend-long\u00a0First Coast\u00a0production is annually put on by the Jacksonville Symphony. The 50-year-old\u00a0show features\u00a0live music and over 130 local ballet dancers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0The Community Nutcracker, showing since 1992, features 200 local performers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Nutcracker tells the tale of a young girl, Clara, who embarks on the journey with her magical Nutcracker Doll on Christmas Eve.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Isabela and Amelia were cast\u00a0in the First Coast Nutcracker\u00a0as angels who lead Clara into the Land of Sweets, while Layla was part of the Rat King\u2019s army of rats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ro, who performed\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Community Nutcracker,\u00a0was a party boy.\u00a0Each performed in multiple\u00a0shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group auditioned during an extensive\u00a0and competitive\u00a0process\u00a0back in August.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were taught a little bit of choreography that\u2019s performed within the ballet,\u201d said All-Starz Dance\u00a0Studio\u00a0Instructor Cathy Finne. \u201cSo,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0the choreographers, and the casting directors for each of the ballets that watch them as they perform these excerpts. From there,\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0when\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0awarded with their envelopes that say if they have a role or not for that year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The dancers said opening their fancy envelopes was\u00a0nerve-wracking. Layla, 12, said the suspense was jarring.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing how behind the scenes is and how they go through the process of picking everyone and the suspense of waiting and seeing if you made it,\u201d she said about\u00a0auditioning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finne said they had all seen the show last year during a studio trip. The elaborate theatrics, intricate blended\u00a0choreography\u00a0and opportunity to train with industry professionals was\u00a0a no-brainer.\u00a0As competitive dancers, it would be a drastic\u00a0switch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But\u00a0Layla said she wanted to see how it felt for herself.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Isabela, 12, said being onstage felt exhilarating. With around 3,000 eyes on them, it was one of the largest audiences\u00a0she\u00a0had ever performed in front of.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ro was the youngest to take\u00a0part in his production. His mother, Gabby\u00a0Thompson, said at just 8 years\u00a0old,\u00a0it was where he was meant to be.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody else only\u00a0take\u00a0nine and up. But they took\u00a0boys,\u00a08\u00a0and\u00a0up,\u00a0and he was the youngest boy there,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the most amazing thing ever.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For each of their parents, watching their children on stage showed a step forward in the progress each has made since they started dancing, especially their dedication.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When they\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0at school during the week, weekends\u00a0were dedicated to\u00a0perfecting their craft. Amelia attends Fleming Island Elementary, Isabela attends Thunderbolt Elementary, Ro attends Swimming Pen\u00a0Elementary\u00a0and Layla attends Orange Park Elementary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey practiced every weekend. We\u00a0went\u00a0to JU\u00a0(Jacksonville University)\u00a0every weekend since September,\u201d said Allie\u00a0Blaylock, Amelia\u2019s mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt speaks volumes for their level of talent,\u201d Finne said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Allie said that Amelia, 10, is already preparing for next year. In fact, all four already know which role\u00a0they\u2019ll\u00a0be playing next.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0what they work for, right? So,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0super rewarding as their teacher to see their hard work. I mean, these kids are here, probably\u00a0majority\u00a0of them, sometimes seven days a week,\u201d Finne said. \u201cThey work super hard.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FLEMING ISLAND \u2014When\u00a0students\u00a0Layla, Amelia,\u00a0Isabela\u00a0and Ro\u00a0are not\u00a0studying\u00a0for\u00a0math tests and conducting\u00a0super cool\u00a0science experiments,\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0memorizing the choreography for yet another showstopping routine.\u00a0…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":482808,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5136],"tags":[5229,15024,15015,15023,15026,3188,15016,723,15021,7310,15020,15022,7648,15018,15017,15025,15019,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-482807","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jacksonville","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-argyle","10":"tag-clay-county","11":"tag-doctors-inlet","12":"tag-eagle-harbor","13":"tag-fl","14":"tag-fleming-island","15":"tag-florida","16":"tag-green-cove-springs","17":"tag-jacksonville","18":"tag-keystone-heights","19":"tag-lake-asbury","20":"tag-margaret","21":"tag-middleburg","22":"tag-orange-park","23":"tag-pace-island","24":"tag-penney-farms","25":"tag-united-states","26":"tag-united-states-of-america","27":"tag-unitedstates","28":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","29":"tag-us","30":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115815256675559559","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=482807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/482808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=482807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=482807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=482807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}