“The year it was my class’ turn, everyone wanted to be Clara.
After years of casting younger Claras, Gail Choate-Pettit, River Raisin Ballet Company director, thought it was time to change things up.
“Each year we like to change our Nutcracker to keep it fresh.
It’s a great opportunity to add maturity to the role and become the character, instead of thinking about playing the character.
Both Kynzie and Elise fell in love with ballet at an early age and have spent most evenings since then at the dance studio.
“Ever since I stepped into the studio, I had that connection and fell in love right away.
“When I first did ballet at Viva, I remember how I felt, so happy, so joyful.
Kynzie, like Elise, also performs in the RRBC’s annual spring ballet.
I added a waltz combo and turns that went out into an arabesque.
If it’s been a difficult day at school, I have dance later that day and get to be around my dance family.
, ‘You can do hard things, your body can do more than what you think you can,’” said Elise.
It’s fun,” said Elise, who’s also on the Airport Robotics Team, National Honor Society and the student activities and homecoming committees at the Middle College.