Tag Archives: Christie Freebairn Perry

Nutcracker Perspectives!: Thoughts From A IBT Veteran Nutcracker Dancer : Part 3

 YAGP 2014 SEATTLE SEMI-FINALS
Nutcracker Memories ’07 – ‘14
I have been with Imagine Ballet Theatre in the Nutcracker for the past 7 years. My name is Danielle Lee Dreis and every December I have been a part of The Nutcracker directed by Raymond Van Mason. This ballet is filled with magic, dreaming, dancing snowflakes, romance, and childhood memories.
In 2007, I had the honor of performing as a Party Girl, Toy Soldier, Page, and a Gingerette. The opening scene attending Clara’s Christmas party is a fun and exciting scene. The little girls wear bright colored dresses with big bows in their curly locks. I fondly remember the vibrant color of my blue dress that year. The boys wear cute little vests and bow ties around their necks. Dancing as a Party Girl is a huge role for character development. The children play with Clara, happily receive gifts, get excited for the toys, and tire when it’s time to go home. Throughout the entire scene I was able to develop my character by interacting with Clara and the other characters while reacting to the main focus of the scene. As a Gingerette, I jumped out from under the skirt of Mother Ginger performed by Burke Stone. This has always been one of my favorite roles. I loved dancing to the fun and joyful music. Entering under a giant tent like dress and surprising the audience with our colorful appearance was a great way to start the dance. Clapping and cartwheeling until the very end of the song. I always felt special to get the part of blowing the audience a Great BIG Kiss and running off stage. I love that Ray created Imagine Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker with various parts, levels, and characters. As you get older and increase in skill the roles and dancing get harder. I always looked up to the older dancers playing parts like Doll, Snow, Arabian, and Mirliton. 
In 2008, I danced Party Girl once again in the same blue dress. This year I was no longer one of the youngest Party Girls but was continuing to advance in roles. From Party Girl, I changed quickly into a Toy Solder costume. The Toy Soldiers had wooden guns as props and fought next to the Nutcracker. I always enjoyed fighting the Rats because my cousin Vince Hendricks was one of them. In Act 2, I danced as a Page and an Arabian Girl. The Pages enter at the beginning of Act 2 and act as the Sugar Plum Fairy’s servants. We had purple capes and purple feathers on our hats. I enjoyed the spritely dancing and framing of Clara’s entrance into the Land of the Sweets. Backstage I will always remember the quick change from Page to Arabian.  Arabian was always fun for me because I related it to Princess Jasmine from Aladdin. We wore two piece blue silk and chiffon customs with gold coins around the bodice. We also got the opportunity to dance with a silk scarf. I worked extremely hard to get my right splits all year because I knew this dance required the ability to slide into the splits without hands. I love watching and dancing with the Arabian Queen and her Prince dreaming one day I would get the opportunity to dance that part.
In 2009, we performed Nutcracker and I was once again a Party Girl. I received many of the same parts as the year before. I continued to improve as a Toy Soldier, Page, and Arabian. As a Page this year, I felt special because I pushed the sleigh out for Clara. In Arabian I danced every year prior with my favorite Arabian Queen Jessica Barraza. Each year the Nutcracker brings the Christmas spirit and one of the things IBT does as a company is perform to the schools. As a young dancer I really enjoyed performing to children my own age. I knew not very many kids had the opportunity I had to miss school and perform with a wonderful family of
dancers. Another thing IBT does each year is they enter a float in the Ogden City Christmas parade to prepare the community for a rendition of The Nutcracker.
            In 2010, this was the last year I would perform with my sister Marquelle Dreis. I danced both the Snowflake and Waltz of the Flowers with her. She also danced as the Maid, a Mother at the Party, and Spanish. She is and will always remain to be my favorite Spanish dancer of all time. I have always looked up to her and am thankful to have received the opportunity to dance with her for so many years. She is the reason I joined Imagine Ballet Theatre. My other roles included Party Girl and one of the Chinese characters.
            In 2011, I was given the opportunity to perform as the Toy Drummer and did not share this role with anyone. I enjoyed dancing every show. I was a tall Snowflake and flower in Waltz of the Flowers. I shared the role of Mirliton and the main Chinese Queen. I switched characters every other night. I felt very special to have been the first Main Chinese pointe girl where in the previous years it had been a male. Being the first to receive this role the choreography was choreographed on me and Tessa Parkinson.
The next year, 2012, I loved dancing as a Snowflake alongside my best friend, Rachel Duffin, who was Snow Queen at the time. I danced in Waltz of the Flowers and Mirliton and shared the roles of Toy Drummer and Chinese Queen.
The year 2013 was one of my favorite years because I received the honorary role of the Snow Queen. I loved dancing this character because I have always enjoyed dancing in the snow scene as well as getting to wear the beautiful tutu and ice crystal crown. As Snow Queen, in every show, I pushed out the sleigh at the end of the act and danced with the Nutcracker Prince and my favorite Clara, MaKayla Woods. This will always be one of my favorite roles in closing Act I. I was also a flower in Waltz of the Flowers. I not only got the main role of Snow Queen but also played the main role of Main Chinese Queen for every show. This year the main roles were performed by some of my best friends, Catherine Aoki as Clara, Ashleigh Richardson as Sugar Plum Fairy, and I as Snow Queen.
This year 2014 will be the seventh year I am dancing in The Nutcracker with Imagine Ballet Theatre. I’m excited to dance with all the younger dancers in the roles I once had including the pages, angels, and divertissements.  I am so excited to be highlighted in the star role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Sugar Plum was performed in previous years by many great dancers I have always looked up to. My favorite who has danced this role is Christie Freebairn. Looking back when I first began dancing two of the older company dancers I admired were Jennifer Jackson and Macall Bowden who both danced Clara and Sugar Plum at one time. I have always hoped to dance in their shoes, and now the role of Sugar Plum Fairy is mine.
By Danielle Lee Dreis

Imagine Ballet Theatre’s 10th Summer Intensive 2012

 Week 5

Yi Qi Cheng with some crazy dancers!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary Flannery is here teaching the dancers some Fosse.  This is Gary at the New York Public Library showing of the Great American Revue dancing Mr. Bo Jangles by Bob Fosse.

Also preparing for the show this Friday night at 7:00 pm at Peery’s Egyptain Theater.  For tickets call 801-689-8700.  $7.50 till Thursday tickets go up on August 10 to $10.00.

My muscles quiver and my mind is plagued with doubt. We are ever fighting, fighting gravity; a fight we will never win. And yet we jump and spin and leap…we fly, always to return to the earth. My pulse matches the beat of the music, I take strength from the unity. I am reminded why I fight with all that is in me, for unattainable perfection. Because perfection is not perfect; perfection is a vulnerable heart and an open soul.
Written by Emma Chase

Week 4

The week ends today. . . I had a wonderful time teaching the girls (and a boy here and there too!) at Imagine Ballet!! The work ethic here is phenomenal, and the girls are so open to receiving and APPLYING corrections! A sure sign of a great dancer indeed . . . It’s been such a fun experience for me, coming back to teach at IBT every summer. I have known some of these girls for years, and seeing them grow up in not only age but also ability has been a true joy! Well done ladies! And well done with a beautiful school Ray! xoxo~ Allynne Noelle

 

We begin week 4 of our Summer Intensive with Allynne Noelle; a Principal Dancer with Los Angeles Ballet, and Former Soloist of Miami City Ballet.

Allynne as “Odette” in Swan Lake at Los Angeles Ballet.

 

 

 

 

 Week 3  Is coming to an end we have seen the first drafts of the dancers Choreography.  There are several piece with power and emotion embodied in the work. Some that need work and some in the middle.  Now two weeks to the show and things will shift and become.  I hope that you will join us for an exciting evening of dance on August 10th, at 7:00 pm at Peery’s Egyptian Theater cost is only $7.50 before August 9th to help cover the theater costs. Day of Show the cost will be $10.00.  So get in and get your tickets now.

Christie Freebairn Perry former Ballet West Dancer has been teaching this week along with Yi Qi Cheng a former dancer National Ballet of China and Former Ballet West Company teacher.

 

Christie as Lily in The Secret Garden

 

Dancing

Dancing is like a poem
Where each movement is a word
Put together beautifully,
Dancing can almost be heard
Dancing is like a ribbon,
Fluttering in the breeze
Twirling in the grass,
Waving with ease
Dancing is like singing,
Only dancing to the song
Even if you’re on pointe,
Sometimes you’ll get the dance wrong
Dancing is pushing yourself,
Trying to win
After every single dance,
I end up with a grin.
Sierra Leigh Miles
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Forever Dance

Dance is not a movement

Dance is not a thought

It’s more like an emotion

Something that is taught

 

Years and years of practice

Weeks and weeks of pain

But in the end it’s true

We all forget the strain

 

The stage is where is happens

It’s where we all belong

After so much practice

We are forever strong

 

We all know the truth

Of every little girl

They dream and wish upon a star

To let their hearts unfurl

 

To us it is amazing

That dance we seem to do

It is almost a religion

As we try our first pointe shoe

 

Down the supermart isle

And up the brightened street

Dance is in our bodies

Our hearts, they keep the beat

By Danielle Dreis

Week 2

Laurie Sefton comes this week to work on a piece of Choreography.  She is one of the winners of the Rocky Mountain Choreography Festival and will be working with the dancers in the Summer intensive on a piece about “Bullying”.

Laurie Sefton 2012 People’s Choice Winner for her Choreography

Performance Day

By Abby Hardin

 

Inhale slow,

eyes closed.

Jittery sweat fills the air,

and I’m greeted by the aroma,

the smell of work,

of determination.

 

For years my body has suffered,

achieving perfection;

Enduring blisters,

bruises,

aches,

and pain.

Broken body wrapped in a glittering costume.

Nervous face caked with a deceiving smile.

 

Exhale slow,

eyes open.

One,

two,

three steps out.

Instantly,

I am transformed.

Convincing even myself I am not what I was.

A creature glides across the stage,

floating,

turning,

dancing,

filled with an unspeakable joy only then attained

yet never forgotten.

 

One,

two,

three steps back.

Broken body aches,

sweat steeped air is torn through the lungs,

but deceiving smiles now ring with truth,

for I am human again

but forever changed.

Week 2 comes to an end the dancers have focused, danced, ached and thought about dance on many levels.  Now time to thank Laurie Sefton and have a donut.

Week 1 has begun, as always we all have a few sore muscles, which is pretty normal when you try new things.  Ballet, Pointe, Pilates, Yoga, Modern and Choreography all flying around in our heads.  Here are two poems written by Phoebe Rust:

Different sizes,
Different shoes.
Different races,
Different moves.
Differences don’t matter
Upon the stage.
Our minds connect
Despite our age.
United, we dance.
Same hopes,
Same vision.
Same dreams,
Same decision.
Similarities bind us
Under the blinding lights.
We speak the same language,
We see the same sights.
United, we dance.

Now my heart is bewildered,
My mind a melted mess.
Now my body aches,
I welcome the feeling.
Now my eyes are alive,
Yet my soul is lost.
Now my ears are open,
But I hear nothing.
Now I am truly me.

I have asked the dancers participating in this years summer intensive to determine their top 5 choices for University programs that offer dance programs along with other fields of study that they are interested in.  Here are their Top 5 Picks.

Number 1: University of Utah: For Many of the dancers it is because it is close to home, They offer both Ballet and Modern degrees, Emphasis on performing

Web: http://www.ballet.utah.edu/

Number 2: Julliard: Located in New York City the Heart of the Dance world, Excellent training

http://www.juilliard.edu

Number 3: Duke University: They offer programs that travel with the dance program, They also have a first class Science department.

http://danceprogram.duke.edu/

Number 4: Florida State University: They offer a fall semester in New York City and travel abroad to Spain and France.

dance.fsu.edu/Academic-Programs/BFA

Number 5: Brigham Young University:  They offer a wide variety of dance with  a focus on Ballet, Close to home, and for Religious reasons.

http://cfacweb.byu.edu/departments/dance