For two Saint Joseph鈥檚 students, the last week of the fall 2013 semester was extra busy. In addition to preparing for final exams, sophomore Rhiannon Pelletier and senior Lizzy Dragoni took to the stage at Merrill Auditorium in Portland as principal soloists in Maine State Ballet鈥檚 production of听The Nutcracker, from November 30 through December 8.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a thrill,鈥� said Pelletier, 鈥渟tanding in the wings, knowing you鈥檙e about to step onto a stage before [thousands] of people.鈥� Pelletier, a writing and publishing major from Raymond, Maine, noted that a performance like this is a dream come true.听 鈥淭o be in our home state and give the audience a joyful escape from the real world for a couple of hours is all a dancer could ever hope for. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have the resources to do so.鈥� She performed as a Snowflake, Dew Drop, and the Sugar Plum Fairy on alternate days of the production.
鈥淒ancing in听The Nutcracker听is something quite magical,鈥� said Dragoni, a fine arts major from Scarborough, Maine. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a certain exuberance that comes with performing in front of [thousands] of people. We ballet dancers strive for this rush as we tirelessly rehearse in hopes of delivering the perfect performance. It is an indescribable bliss.鈥� Along with Pelletier, Dragoni also performed as a Snowflake.
For both students, this performance was the next step in their already advanced careers as dancers. Pelletier began dancing with Maine State Ballet at the age of eight, in 2003. After the dance school, she was previously with closed in 2002, her mother took to her a performance of听The Nutcracker. 鈥淚 fell in love with the show,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd upon seeing some of the younger performers, I came to the conclusion that I could do it too. I was enrolled in the next year.鈥� Before Maine State Ballet became part of her life, Pelletier began dancing in 2001, at age six, in Winslow, Maine. Her journey to what she called a 鈥渂ig girl role鈥� has been difficult, she said. 鈥淚t takes commitment and passion for the art, but is one that has taught me invaluable lessons and given me experiences more amazing than I could have ever dreamed.鈥�
Pelletier鈥檚 work with Maine State Ballet includes performing in听Hansel & Gretel,听Sleeping Beauty,听Swan Lake, and听Don Quixote.
Dragoni, too, has been with Maine State Ballet for a number of years and has an established history in dance. It all began at age four at Scarborough Dance Center, studying ballet, tap, and jazz. She then studied with former Rockette Cheryl Greeley at her studio in South Portland. At age 12 she signed up Maine State Ballet. 鈥淎t the time I joined Maine State Ballet, I was dancing on a well-known competitive dance team and also cheerleading. I went to see Maine State Ballet鈥檚听The Nutcracker听at Merrill Auditorium that year and noticed the face of one of my friends from the competitive dance team. I remember thinking 鈥業 can do that. I鈥檓 going to do that!鈥欌�� She enrolled with the company just a few weeks later. 鈥淚 found that ballet gave me passion and motivation.鈥�
In addition to听The Nutcracker, Dragoni鈥檚 credits include roles in听The Magic Toy Shop,听颁辞辫辫茅濒颈补,听Don Quixote,听The Firebird,听Napoli,听Alice in Wonderland, and a forthcoming appearance in听Cinderella.
With a history going back to the early 20th听century, Maine State Ballet has a strong connection with the performing arts in Maine. In 2012 their performances reached audiences of nearly 15,000, according to the company鈥檚 historical biography. For Pelletier and Dragoni, their work with the company gives their professional and creative portfolios a leading edge and is sure to make a significant impression on their careers as creative professionals.
