Some Holiday Magic: “Babes in Toyland” Welcomes More Young Stars
/Interview with Ballet Fantastique Academy Student Emmy Stewart
Every year, the holiday season brings a sense of magic and wonder to the world of ballet, and Ballet Fantastique’s upcoming Thanksgiving weekend production of Babes in Toyland: A Holiday Story at the Hult Center is the jazziest of all!
And this year…something extra special is in the air: Forty children from ages 5 to 15 are getting ready to take the spotlight alongside our professional dancers on the beautiful Hult Center Silva Concert Hall stage!
This will be Ballet Fantastique’s fourth Babes in Toyland production run at the Hult Center. To mark this special occasion, BFan Resident Choreographer-Producers Donna Marisa and Hannah Bontrager have added new youth roles to the story for Academy of Ballet Fantastique students.
“This opportunity to shine on stage is also an important opportunity for our young Academy students to learn, grow, and be inspired by the professional dancers who will share the stage with them,” says Hannah.
“We’re so proud of their hard work! Performing in a production on this scale and this stage is truly a memory for a lifetime. The magic of the children’s performance and bright spirit and energy gives back to our community and to our company. They have something so important to say about the meaning of the season—bright hope for the future at what feels like such a dark time in our world. Giving them this voice and chance to dance is a gift to us all.”
Academy of Ballet Fantastique Students IN 2022 Babes in toyland, PC Bob Williams
We had the opportunity of sitting down with one of these rising dance stars from Academy of Ballet Fantastique, Emelia (Emmy) Stewart, who will be performing as a Toy Soldier, Peppermint Candy, and Little Lamb in BFan’s Babes in Toyland!
Emmy Stewart at the Philadelphia art museum
Q & A
Q: Emmy! Tell us a little bit about yourself—where are you from, what is your age, what roles do you dance in the performance?
A: My name is Emmy Stewart, I am from Eugene, Oregon, and I am ten years old. In the Babes in Toyland performances, I dance the roles of a Toy Soldier, a Peppermint Candy, and a Lamb.
Q: What classes do you currently take at Ballet Fantastique? What is your week of dance training like? Do you have any favorites?
A: I take ballet technique class, pointe class, character, variations, jazz, acro, and theater. Pointe class is my favorite right now, it’s with Ms. Ashley and Ms. Donna. We train five days a week and for about 2-4 hours a day.
Q: What excites you most about getting to perform in Babes in Toyland?
Emmy performing in the academy showcase
A: I love the music, and I love getting to bring joy to the audience. I also love getting to dance with my friends and my teachers on stage.
Emmy at the hult center stage door
Q: You have performed in other professional performances with Ballet Fantastique. Can you tell us a little bit about it and anything else about your experience on the big stage?
A: I love getting to dance on the big stage in front of so many people. I think it’s so fun we get to do this! I have been watching these shows since I was two years old, and watching my teachers perform. It is really fun and a dream come true to get to dance next to them now in these shows.
Q: How has performing and rehearsing alongside the professional dancers inspired you?
A: I love getting to watch the professional dancers practice before we have our Academy rehearsals. It inspires me to dance even more in my rehearsals.
Don’t miss seeing Emmy and the next generation of artists shine on the big stage IN babes in toyland!
Ballet Fantastique’s retroglam original Babes in Toyland: A Holiday Story is Nov. 25 & 26 at the Hult Center for Performing Arts, featuring Duke Ellington’s epic jazz Nutcracker, plus other jazz holiday classics! Ballet like you’ve never seen before.
Emmy with dance instructor & BFan dancer Cari koepplin