Pointing out their future

Joyce Scherer

The anticipated letter arrived in the afternoon mail and Erin Britt

knew a small slice of her future could be in the making -- or not. But

doubt faded quickly when she found the letter was indeed an acceptance to

the prestigious American Ballet Theater’s summer dance program.

Quite a fete, considering Erin, 17, is one of only 500 aspiring

dancers selected from a field of 3,000 nationwide to participate in one

of the four programs held in New York, Michigan, Alabama and for the

first time, California.

“Sometimes at auditions, they are not looking at you at the right

time, or you are having an off-dance day and the one chance to be noticed

is gone,� said the Huntington Beach resident.

And even Amanda Janesick, 17, who was selected for last year’s ABT

summer program in New York, agrees the March auditions were pretty

unpredictable.

“You have about 75 girls in one room and you are trying to show

yourself,� said Amanda, also of Huntington Beach, who too was relieved to

get the go-ahead letter. “I’ve heard you can be accepted one year and not

the second. This would be the worst situation for me because it would

mean I had not developed from the previous year. It is nice to reassure

myself I am still improving.�

American Ballet Theater’s Summer Ballet Intensive, a three-week summer

event for dancers ages 13 through 18, includes classes in dance

technique, pointe work, partnering, choreography and repertory. In

addition, seminars are offered in nutrition, yoga, dance history, acting

and music theory. The California program, hosted by Orange County

Performing Arts Center and directed by Former ABT soloist Rebecca Wright,

is primarily made up of former and current ABT dancers including Leslie

Brown and Robert Hill.

The course -- which began this week -- will culminate with two Aug. 25

performances at Irvine Barclay Theater.

According to ABT executive director Louis Spisto, it was very

appropriate for the center to be selected as the California site

considering the working relationship the two creative forces have

experienced since 1986.

“It is a wonderful first for us to be at the center,� said Spisto, the

former executive director of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. “And really

it only makes sense since we were among the center’s first companies

presented and have been returning almost every year.�

Jerry Mandel, the center’s president, agrees with his longtime friend

that matching the two institutions was a natural fit.

“We have always wanted a summer intensive session and to do this with

ABT is remarkable,� he said. “Also, this is another way the center can

reach out to the dance world. We are already known for being one of the

major presenters of great ballets, but in addition, we are concerned

about the future dancers. And right now we have more than 100 kids from

all over the West who are very good dancers.�

The program, which tries to intermix young dancers throughout the

nation, costs $1,000 per student, although scholarships are available.

Next year, Spisto says, a yet-undisclosed fifth site will be added to the

program. He said the summer courses, which were started in the mid-1990s,

have received positive reviews from students and parents.

“The first evaluation is: Did the dancer receive a good experience and

did they grow? The second is how many dancers go on professionally? We do

not expect 500 young students to become professionals, but to get to the

point where they are able and comfortable enough to do that if they

chose,� Spisto said. “We hope all the students will love the dance and be

part of it whether they are dancing or part of the audience.�

Spisto said this summer’s program has already produced seven young

dancers, who will join the ABT Studio Co., a training ground in which

young dancers may move on to the full company within two years.

“That is saying a lot about a studio which has dancers from all over

the world, yet has accepted seven young students from a summer intensive.

It tells you we are attracting and developing quite a high level of

talent,� he said.

And as the program evolves, Spisto said, the summer program continues

to build a reputation as a place for “really good young dancers.�

“It is an environment that allows young dancers to excel,� he said.

“Although, we do not run a program with a single goal of attracting

dancers to ABT, but rather our primary objective is to serve students

throughout the country.�

But if 14-year-old Kristen McIsaac of Fountain Valley has it her way,

one day she will be dancing for the company.

“I was checking the mail every day because it was very, very important

for me to be here,� said Kristen, who had just finished a pointe class

and admitted it was “very difficult.� “I know I am going to be a stronger

dancer because of the new techniques and style of dance I will be

learning.�