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ON STAGE
Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company will bring a holiday tradition back to the stage with performances of the “The Nutcracker.”
Photo by Chas Sumser Photography
Loudun Ballet Performing Arts Celebrates Fift h Anniversary
BY JAN MERCKER
For the past 18 months, Lindsay Yee and her fellow dancers at Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company have been putti ng in countless hours of training with few opportuniti es for public performance. “We’re all so thankful that we’ve been safe and healthy throughout the pandemic. Our studio has worked so hard this whole ti me, and it’s really made us stronger,” Yee said. “We love performing so much, and when we don’t have live performances and live audiences, you don’t get the whole experience.” Yee, a senior at Heritage High School and the Academies of Loudoun, starred in LBPAC’s fall show—the company’s fi rst live performance since the COVID pandemic hit. “Deep in the Forest” was an original ballet writt en and directed by LBPAC’s arti sti c director Maureen Miller and based on her childhood fascinati on with fairy folklore and was performed in October. LBPAC is bringing back a live “Nutcracker” this year aft er releasing a modifi ed fi lm version last year because of COVID restricti ons. The fulllength “Nutcracker” is scheduled for Dec. 3-5 at Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville. LBPAC returning to its pre-COVID practi ce of hiring professional male dancers to partner with the company’s dancers in key roles including the Cavalier, Nutcracker and Arabian Prince. LBPAC executi ve producer and founder Cherie Maroni said dance has been a lifeline for many of her young performers during the pandemic. And now it’s ti me to get them back on stage connecti ng with audiences. “They were so stoic through COVID. Dance is their life. It’s sort of one of the only things that they conti nued to have that was normal through COVID,” she said. “They pushed through and
ON STAGE 13
