That’s largely because since 2007 she’s been a principal dancer with Miami City Ballet, and departing that gig during the holidays isn’t easy.
“It’s about the connection with the younger dancers for me, especially the past two years,” Lauren said.
“That kind of spiraled into coming to Tuscaloosa,” Lauren said, while the Miami City Ballet wasn’t working.
“I’m actually excused for this weekend of shows, to be here,” she said.
Lauren began training at 3, and the first time she auditioned with the Tuscaloosa Community Dancers for “The Nutcracker,” she didn’t land a role.
But it was no idle fantasy once she set to work, and she knew, by 12, she wanted to make dance her career.
It’s Cerdeiro’s second time in Tuscaloosa; he traveled up to dance with Tuscaloosa Community Dancers in a “Cinderella” production in March 2020, just before the world shut down.
“I was about 15 when my teacher said, you know, I think it’s time for you to take the next step,” he said.
” every now and then will teach master classes for TCD, but he doesn’t come and set it,” Phillips said.
The Bama Theatre recently added back more seats, so it’s at 60 percent of capacity, instead of 50 percent, as it has been for most of the year, and Tuscaloosa Community Dancers is having no trouble filling all those spaces, Phillips said.
Just as Lauren once gazed up, starry-eyed, at a glimmering Sugar Plum Fairy, she now serves as inspiration to other children who dream of a life in dance.
Though she recently turned 40, between lifelong athleticism and a healthy regime including gyrotonics, Lauren has no plans to hang up her toe shoes anytime soon.
But in some way or another, yes, I would like to continue to work with dancers.