BALLET BRINGS ALICE TO LIFE
BENOWA ballerina Madeline Johnson has been dancing for only two years, but already has been cast in a lead role in the inaugural Gold Coast Youth Ballet Company’s production of Alice.
Alice is choreographed by Shane Weatherby, a former principal dancer for the Queensland Ballet, and will be staged at the Southport State High School hall for four shows next week.
Madeline, 14, from Gwen Wilson’s First Position Ballet School in Ashmore, will play the role of the White Rabbit after beating out hundreds of other seasoned dancers at the auditions.
Another Benowa performer, Paris Porter, 15, will play the role of the March Hare and a Flower.
Madeline, a Benowa High School Year 9 student who trains for ballet seven days a week, said she “cried happy tears” when she found out she was to play a dream role.
“I was so excited,” she said. “It has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait to go on stage.
“Ballet dancing makes me feel so free and happy.
“It has been a lot of fun and it is something I just love doing.”
Madeline, who dreams to be a professional ballet dancer, said when she was not training she was perfecting the craft in other ways such as studying Youtube videos of other professional dancers.
The “obsessed” dancer has had minor roles in other productions such as Nanny McPhee and Rapunzel but was looking forward to her first starring role.
Mum Tracey Johnson said it was an amazing achievement and she was proud of her daughter.
“She just has this natural ability, this natural grace about her. It is hard to believe she has only been dancing for two years,” she said.
“She got the role over dancers who have been dancing their whole lives, so it is very impressive to see how far she has come in just a short time. She’s a natural.”
Alice, based on Lewis Caroll’s novels Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass, is directed by executive director Dianne Cassillis and Mr Weatherby.
Ms Cassillis, the owner of Gwen Wilson’s First Position School, previously danced professionally with the Dance Theatre of Victoria.
Alice will be performed on June 22 and 23 at 11am and 2pm at the Southport State High School. Tickets are $25 to $39.95.