Local dancers to perform in ‘Nutcracker’

CINDY WOOD/independent feature writer

Sugarplums aren’t the only things dancing in Kelsea Allenbaugh’s head these days. A freshman at Van Wert High School, Allenbaugh is eating, sleeping, and breathing the art of dance as she prepares for an upcoming opportunity that many dancers only dream of.

Hand-picked by Nigel Burgoine, artistic director and choreographer of the Ballet Theatre of Toledo, Allenbaugh will be performing a solo as the lead Russian dancer in this Saturday’s performances of The Nutcracker at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.

She is certainly no stranger to the big stage. As an 11th-year student at Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks, she’s somewhat of an “old pro” on the stage, dancing in countless competitions and grand finales. But this weekend’s performance offers her the opportunity to dance to the accompaniment of a live orchestra, something she’ll be experiencing for the first time.

“It’s completely different dancing with a live orchestra,” said Kim Hohman, Allenbaugh’s dance instructor. “Basically, the conductor will go off of Kelsea, and she’ll run onto the stage, and he will start the orchestra based on her dancing.”

Accustomed to performing to a CD, Allenbaugh will find herself in unchartered territory. Nervous? “Oh my gosh! Yes, I’m completely nervous,” she said with a laugh.

Several other dancers from the local studio will also be on stage, and three of those dancers, Hohman’s daughter, Kylie, Julianne Roop and Chelsea Taylor, will be dancing with the ballet theatre for their second time. The trio, who will perform as Chinese dancers in the show, recently danced in Toledo after a special invitation from Burgoine.

“Nigel invited them to do their show in Toledo, so we were up there for two rehearsals and four shows last week,” Hohman said, adding that local dancers will be on stage during the second act this weekend. “The show is just really entertaining and they put a couple different twists in it to show something other than just classic ballet.”

Allenbaugh has assisted in preparing the younger girls for their performance, along with Kim Hohman and Olivia Moore. “They came and showed the girls their parts, and we’ve basically been practicing the parts and doing the work here ever since,” the DanceWorks studio owner said.

Intense rehearsals and memorization of hitting their marks has made for long nights, but the girls wouldn’t have it any other way. For Allenbaugh, dancing is more than just a hobby. In high school, Allenbaugh is active in cheerleading, and she takes part in cheer, hip-hop, ballet and just about every other class offered at the local studio.

For her, dancing is simply a way of life. “I think I fell in love with dance because of the movie Centerstage, which I think I watched fifty-eight billion times,” Allenbaugh said, adding that she hopes to turn her love of dance into a career someday. “I think I’d like to be a dance teacher, or I’d really like to do dance therapy, which is where you help people with their problems by teaching them how to express themselves through dance.”

Allenbaugh’s signature “move” has to be her sky-high toe-touches that almost make anyone watching cringe in pain. “She has rubber bands for hamstrings,” Hohman said with a laugh.

Allenbaugh will showcase those toe-touches, along with classic ballet and gymnastics, in this weekend’s performances, something her mother is extremely anxious to see. “Oh my gosh, she is so excited. She has been telling everyone,” Allenbaugh said.

Right now, the dancers are preparing for a final rehearsal with the Toledo ballet company on Friday evening, which will be the first time Allenbaugh will actually rehearse with the group. “That makes me nervous, but I’m pretty sure it will be fine,” she said.

Hohman added, “this is just a really different, and wonderful opportunity for the girls to dance to a live band, something they’re not used to,” she said. “I’m so proud of all of them.”

The Ballet Theatre of Toledo will bring its production of The Nutcracker for two shows at 2 and 7:30 p.m. this Saturday.

Some tickets remain for the performances; for ticket information, visit www.npacvw.org or call 419.238.6722.