Lake County Gazette

Last month, students at Hidden Lake Secondary School attended a special performance by the esteemed Colorado Ballet Company within their own building. The high school gym was converted into a stage, complete with backdrops, costumes, and orchestral music, transforming the everyday space into an enchanting venue.

“It’s hard to appreciate something you don’t understand, right?” said Director of Education and Community Engagement Emily Herrin. “Ballet has a traditionally rather classist history. There are a lot of barriers in access, so we’re really trying to break that down by bringing dancers and teachers out into the community. ”

Arranged by Hidden Lake teacher Kendra Schreck, the From the Page to the Stage assembly occurs at requested locations, whether it’s a school gym or a Girl Scout troop meeting. “It’s a really amazing opportunity [for the dancers] because they get to work with our rehearsal directors and our ballet masters on choreography that’s typically soloist or principal level, which tends to be really late career opportunities. ”

The students watched respectfully as seven professional dancers from the Colorado Ballet Studio Company performed excerpts from ballets based on folk tales and literary classics. The dancers' elaborate costumes included a dark witch, pastel fairies, a Scottish kilt, and even modern tennis attire.

Herrin explained how stories are translated into dance and answered questions about pointe shoes, male roles in dance, and more. The assembly concluded with audience participation where students and teachers were invited to attempt some challenging dance positions. The dancers shared insights into their rigorous practice routines, emphasizing the athleticism and dedication required to master their craft.

Herrin expressed her hopes for the impact on these students: “Anything would be a win, even if it was just, ‘I thought I hated ballet, but it’s actually not that bad.’ Maybe they saw part of this process of setup and takedown today... I don’t want to sit at a computer all day; I’m not a dancer; maybe I can be the one doing the tech behind the scenes. ”

She continued: “Any connection that they make to the art form... ideally, it would be fantastic. Do they become patrons of the arts? Appreciators of dance? Do they notice how dance can be part of a healthy lifestyle and choose to engage recreationally just for fun? Does it give them something to talk about after today? Great! For us, it’s all a win. ”