It’s becoming a tradition.
The New York City Ballet takes up residency at Saratoga Performing Arts Center each summer and invites Capital Region children to dance alongside them. This year, 34 local dancers, including 15 from Saratoga County, were chosen to share the stage with some of ballet’s elite.
Mahogany Akita of Saratoga Springs is only 11 but her dance resume reads like a young professional. This is her third year auditioning when the NYC Ballet comes to town and each year her roles grow.
The first year I got an understudy part and last year I auditioned and I got into ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and that was fun, said Akita, who has danced for five years. `This year I auditioned and there were two different productions going on and I ended up getting into both.`
Akita will perform in `Circus Polka` and `Magic Flute.` She said dancing well enough for one performance is honor enough, but dancing her way into two shows was unexpected.
`I was really shocked because when I told my ballet school they said that was unheard of, getting two parts in the NYC Ballet being a child, so I felt excited and I felt really nervous because I didn’t know if I was going to remember the moves or not,` said Akita, who attends Saratoga City Ballet.
The NYC Ballet will perform at SPAC from Tuesday, July 5, to Saturday, July 16. Being in multiple shows will both ease her nerves and help her dance perfectly, said Akita.
`Sometimes I get nervous but there’s more than one show so the first show I’ll probably be nervous, the second show I’ll probably be a little better and by the time the third and fourth show comes along I’ll be perfect,` said Akita.
The magnitude of what she’s a part of isn’t lost on Akita.
`I find it really interesting to see the principal dancers dancing to the music just like we’re dancing to the music,` said Akita. `When I’m dancing with the principal dancers from the NYC Ballet I feel that I’m really getting good at ballet because I’m actually dancing with them, which is really elite.`
She takes each performance as a dance lesson.
`It’s helpful because if I was ever to audition for the New York City Ballet I would know how to dance because I’ve seen them dancing before next to me, so it’s helpful,` said Akita.
It would be easy to flaunt her talent, but Akita said remaining down to earth and taking everything in stride is important to her.
`You just stay humble and can’t get a big head about everything. You have to make sure you don’t rub it in people’s faces that you got in stay true to yourself,` said Akita.
The trick to ballet dancers finding long-term success is to have a good head on their shoulders and to approach dancing with an open mind, said Akita.
`You have to stay strong and be able to take criticism and not cry about it because the mistresses can be kind of mean and don’t take you talking or fooling around. You have to brace yourself to be yelled at, it’s very serious,` said Akita.
But the discipline is worth it, said Akita, because she loves ballet.
`I enjoy the art of ballet. I enjoy the feeling of dancing to the music and flowing along with everything. I just like the art form of it,` said Akita. `I think it’s taught me poise and good behavior.`
She hopes to one day try out for the New York City Ballet when she’s old enough and if she reaches her goal of snagging a lead there, she wants to become a ballet teacher.
`Anything is possible. If you don’t think you can do something, just try it; it doesn’t really matter, just try,` said Akita.
Other Saratoga County children who were selected were Lilah DuBoff, Alison Genevich, Molly Genevich and Grace Goodell of Saratoga Springs; William Halm and Samantha Whitman of Burnt Hills; Hanna Hanson and Hanna Valiquette of Clifton Park; Emily Heym and Elisabeth Claire Usack of Gansevoort; Gwenda Law of Charlton; Emily Lewis of Ballston Spa; Halie Maple of Halfmoon; and Gianna Papa of Ballston Lake.
`We are thrilled to be bringing our region’s young talent to the SPAC Amphitheatre stage this season. This is a dream come true for these children who will have the opportunity to dance alongside New York City Ballet stars on a stage that has showcased the finest artists in the world,` said Marcia J. White, SPAC’s president and executive director of SPAC.
For a full schedule and description of performances and to purchase tickets, visit www.spac.org.
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