By ANA PHELAN, age 10
Performing with the New York City Ballet was a dream come true, and maybe one day I too can become a professional dancer. PHOTO: Ana Phelan
Last June I performed in the New York City Ballet’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Lincoln Center. It was a two-act ballet based on William Shakespeare’s play with music by Felix Mendelssohn and choreography by George Balanchine. The ballet, like the play, is about Titania and Oberon, the king and queen of the fairies, and how they and other characters influence various humans.
Children from the School of American Ballet in Lincoln Center were chosen by the Children’s Ballet Masters to dance the roles of Oberon’s fairies. The ballet masters are teachers from the New York City Ballet. I was fortunate to be cast as one of the small fairies who performed in both acts.
I really loved the scenery in this ballet, because it made the story seem so real. They used fog as an extra surprise, and that made it all very spectacular. The choreography and the music always fit perfectly together, making them extra beautiful, dramatic and funny. For example, you always knew when the fairies were coming when you heard the fast music. The costumes were all unique and fit each dancer and character’s personality well. They all glimmered on the stage and shone bright as the story was told through dance.
Performing with the New York City Ballet was a dream come true, and maybe one day I too can become a professional dancer.
