Young Mid Sussex dancers enjoy a taste of dancing with the professionals

Phoebe Simmons, aged 14, from Hassocks and Anna Stephens (11), from Burgess Hill were selected to join EYB in a competitive video audition earlier this year.

All the young dancers taking part are currently experiencing the life of a professional dancer in rehearsals. They will perform alongside international professional dancers in English Youth Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe on November 1 and 2.

Phoebe is playing Teenager and Spanish Dancer. She attends VB Dance and Downlands Community School Hassocks. Anna is playing Snowflake and Sweet. She attends VB Dance and Burgess Hill Girls School.

EYB principal Lyndsey Fraser will be taking the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the production. Before joining EYB she danced with the Vienna Festival Ballet.

“I wish I had danced with EYB when I was young. The dancers learn so much about performance skills and the artistry of ballet. I love working as a principal dancer with EYB because I get to dance fantastic roles and teach and watch the young dancers progress. The sets and costumes in the production are superb and the whole experience is one the young dancers and the audiences will never forget!”

In the show, on Christmas eve, Clara is given a nutcracker doll by Uncle Drosselmeyer. That night she dreams that the Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince and together they embark on an exciting adventure. First, they defeat the seven-headed Rat King and his army before traveling through the Snow Forest. Finally, they reach the glittering Kingdom of the Sweets where the Prince introduces Clara to the Sugar Plum Fairy. Divertissements of spectacular dances, each representing a sweet is given in her honour. The sweeping Sugar Plum pas de deux with the Prince brings the dream to a glorious close; Clara and audience will leave the Kingdom of the Sweets with Tchaikovsky’s famous score playing in their minds.

The cast were selected in big virtual audition back in July this year. The young dancers were sent a short audition class to learn and then film themselves performing. The videos were submitted to EYB to choose the 65-strong cast. There were over 130 young hopeful dancers who prepared and sent videos.

There are 65 young dancers in the production. The cast will have rehearsed for 60 hours over ten days of rehearsals at weekends. At rehearsals, the dancers experience the working life of a professional dancer. EYB take over three large rehearsal spaces that are used simultaneously. Rehearsals always start with company classes for the dancers to warm-up. The dancers need to keep an eye on the complex rehearsal timetable throughout the day.

EYB director Janet Lewis said: “The cast have shown great enthusiasm and excitement in their Nutcracker rehearsals. The children are obviously so pleased to be back dancing again and taking part in a ballet that they love. Since the past year of Lockdowns with the many restrictions, they are displaying a sense of freedom that is boosting their self-confidence and wellbeing. The cast are working hard not only on their ballet technique but on their performance quality that expresses the part they are dancing. The incentive is to be back performing again in the theatre.”