Maine Ballet #203

Eugenia O'Brien:

All of the aspects that come together on stage are all art forms in themselves. Whether it's lighting design, the music, the costume design, the set design, all of what goes into it requires a level of artistry that must be held high or you don't really appreciate the level of the dance.

Olivia Bartlett:

It gets a little tricky with schoolwork and handling that because there is so much but definitely continuing dancing, I mean you just have to make time for it is something I really love. So I just have to make it work.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

This is Dr. Lisa Belisle and you are listening to Love Maine radio show number 203, Maine Ballet. Airing for the first time on Sunday, August 2, 2015. Maine Ballet continues to grow in popularity, attracting talented teachers and performers from around the globe. This is good news for the next generation of dancers as they seek to gain a toehold in this intensely competitive and rewarding field. Today we speak with Eugenia o', Brien, founder of the Portland Ballet and Portland School of ballet, and 16 year old ballerina Olivia Bartlett of the core program at the Portland School of Ballet about their experience with this beautiful art form. Thank you for joining us. Here at Maine Magazine, Maine Home Design and Old Port Magazine. We are very interested in supporting the arts and dance is an art that Maine is quite fortunate to have well represented Today. We have with us Eugenia o', Brien, who is the founder, artistic and Executive Director, Emerita of the Portland Ballet and Portland School of ballet. She's had 35 years of experience doing the work that she's doing, so we're pretty thrilled to have her here today. Thanks for coming in.

Eugenia O'Brien:

My pleasure to be here.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

I'm interested in your own experience with dance. How did this begin for you?

Eugenia O'Brien:

I was a late starter because I grew up in Kentuckoook, New Hampshire so there was not a lot of cultural awareness at the time and ballet was not really an offering, and I watched anything and everything I could in film and tv. Dom, at the time, I had seen a trailer was what they called it at the time. It was really just a promo for Nureyev and Fontaine appearing in a piece before an English department required Shakespeare film we had to see. And that started my interest, and I pursued it as best I could until I could major in it and go to Boston and train.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

When you say you were a late starter, how old were you?

Eugenia O'Brien:

I got my first pair of toe shoes at the age of 18 and was accepted as an apprentice into New York City Ballet within a year of my training.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So for people who are listening, who aren't as familiar with ballet, that is actually quite a bit older than normal, is it not?

Eugenia O'Brien:

It is. Many grow up with it as part of their routine, like brushing their teeth. But for me, I was doing anything and everything else I could to augment it. So I was doing gymnastics and staying flexible. I was doing theater and was the lead in musical theater productions and just enjoyed everything that really came together with this title of dance because it required music. So I was taking piano and cello, and I was aware of all of the collaborative elements with the only one in dance that I was missing was dance. But I was also terribly determined and passionate.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Was there anyone in your family who was pursuing dance or anything artistic?

Eugenia O'Brien:

Oh, well, this will send many people screaming, I'm sure. My older sister had been able to study ballet before we moved to New Hampshire, and I had always been jealous and wanted to do that and was, of course, primed to follow in her footsteps when we moved. And so that was a shift in my thinking.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Did this experience then lead to your desire to bring ballet to Maine in a bigger way?

Eugenia O'Brien:

I came to Maine because of my husband's desire to continue his schooling, and as a result, came looking for dance. And there was modern dance and there were other dance opportunities, but not in the. That I felt would really train, inspire, and allow people to feel that this could actually be a career choice that had legitimacy rather than something that was considered for poise or other aspects of growth and development for young, especially girls at the time. And I wanted it to be more. I wanted people to know this was an avenue for learning history, for getting excited about music, for really, all of the aspects that come together on stage are all art forms in themselves. Whether it's lighting design, the music, the costume design, the set design, all of what goes into it requires a level of artistry that must be held High or you don't really appreciate the level of the dance. So it really is a huge component and Portland had all of those components. But like my original training was only missing that high quality training level in ballet. So I saw it as an opportunity.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Describe the early days.

Eugenia O'Brien:

The very first classes were held in what was then the all purpose room of the brand new Portland Police Station down on Middle Street. So it was very exciting because we had a huge gymnasium that they hadn't figured out how to use yet. So we were there. We were allowed to keep our bars there and that was where we had our first theft. So that was our first press really was that cultured thief steals ballet bars from police station. But we've moved on from there.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Did they find them?

Eugenia O'Brien:

No. So that was entertaining for several years to imagine somebody doing that. But we now have a, a lovely home. We went through several, several sites. We went from there to 185 Lancaster, which was a wonderful single studio site with a very, very, just deliciously spongy floor. You could watch it move as the dancers went across. So that was fabulous. Then we went to 341Cumberland Avenue and that was a huge space where I first learned how to do taping of joints and mudding and sanding and putting walls up. And then we moved to 25A Forest Ave. For a while and 517 Forest Avenue offers us our wonderful home now with three bright studios, the Portland Ballet Studio Theater, and a wonderful space to train dancers with natural light and, and energy and beauty. Just even in this setting.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How many students do you have currently?

Eugenia O'Brien:

Probably ballpark, 125, 150 summer shifts, a little bit, but you can still sign up. There are classes for men, for women, for adults, for kids. There's a mommy or daddy and me class. For little ones. There's an athletic training class with a lacrosse coach and hockey coach and athletes that are in the area. So a lot of people think, oh, it's Portland Ballet. I don't do ballet. No, it's Portland as a site really for training athleticism and balance in the body.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How many students do you estimate that you've actually had over the years?

Eugenia O'Brien:

Don't really have a guess on that. I know that we have several all around the country and the world from various spots. And they've been with recognizably named dance companies such as Dance Theater of Harlem, San Francisco Ballet, American Repertory, Pittsburgh Ballet, Ohio Ballet, Pacific Northwest. They've danced in Romania, they've danced in Germany, they've danced In Canada, England, Ireland, they're pretty much out there and everywhere. Because you've trained dancers, you haven't just exposed them to dance. And that too is a little bit of a difference. So we have trained and created folks who are making their living as dancers.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

I do not, I must admit, have any children who ended up being dancers. And yet I think that I was always fascinated by it because I grew up during the time of Baryshnikov and I think it was impossible to watch him dance without feeling moved in some way. Do you think that things have changed with dance? As the visual of a dancer has become more readily available through all of the media that's out there now, it has affected it.

Eugenia O'Brien:

I know many people inquire, are you watching any of the dance related competition kind of things on television? And I really, I don't. But with the amount of good films that are out there, they may be a bit less likely to be seen. But the one thing that I know social media has had an impact on, on the fact that you don't see new cutting edge choreography on television. You don't see an evening of modern dance or an evening of the ballet at such and such unless it's a classic, which is in the public domain right now. There is a very real sense that if it's on a public television, not public television and pbn, but on something as public as that, I have a right to tape it and use it. And that's impacting choreographers willingness to share with a televised audience or a YouTubed audience, because you choreographed it for a group in North Carolina and suddenly it's being performed elsewhere and you're written out of the equation. And I do feel. Thank you, Taylor Swift with her whole appeal to Apple right now. It is an important part that we remember. Artists should be paid for their work and artists are doing real valid work. And I think that that's an important part that has created a shift right

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

now that's very interesting. I hadn't thought about it from a choreography standpoint or a dancer standpoint, but certainly music, as you've mentioned, has gotten a lot of recognition as being important. And yet it's also interesting to me because there is something about dance that moves us in a very different way than music itself.

Eugenia O'Brien:

It does for me. When we at Portland Ballet are creating works, I think it imperative that you surprise people, that they walk away going, whoa, I didn't realize that, or wow, I had no idea. Or gee, they're athletes, aren't they? Or I hadn't thought of it that way or I didn't know that about the subject. Or something that moves you or just plain moves you. Which is what it should do. Nel Shipman's the Armed A Mass for Peace is that kind of work that you sit there in silence going, wow, I don't even know how to respond to this. And then an audience erupts and you feel it and you know you've touched people. And that's what the arts, I think have always been looked to as one of their accomplishments. And there were times certainly too where you wanted to just be. That was escapism. I needed that. That was just deliciously mindless. Ah. Loved it. The music was great. The costumes were terrific. That was what I needed. And that's important too. And I think the arts can change a lot of the way you approach things. It is much broader in its acceptance. Now people are less scared to say the word ballet, which used to just imply tutus and tiaras. But it's not. It's storytelling and it's reaching audience members. And because of that people should risk going to the ballet. Please. Because we just plain might surprise you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

We interviewed Peter Nielsen from the Circus Conservatory, and there's an interesting parallel between what you're describing with the athleticism of dance and what he was talking about with the athleticism of being in the circus. And that these are true athletes that we're describing. There's nothing tutus and tiaras about people who dance. These people are in. They have a sense of their bodies that goes beyond what most of us understand.

Eugenia O'Brien:

They do indeed. And they have to. The aspect of demanding that much for your body day after day. It seems really quite preposterous to think that you have to train that hard to sustain it. But you do. And you do need to be in class every day. And those darn toe shoes are hard to work with. And if you think of doing handstands on the ends of your fingers, do remember that all of your weight is on the end of your toes. And you're on one foot going up and down over and over during the course of a performance. If you're barefoot, fine. You're on half toe. It's still a lot of effort for your body. And you have to know where it's going to be. Just like a musician really needs to know what note he intends to play. You have to know what you're doing. And it's. It requires such a constant reinforcement. Many people now can go into their living room and know exactly where the light switch is, you know, where your seat belt is. They have to have that in their body as a muscle memory because things may not go according to plan, and your mind may need to be saying, wow, somebody just broke a jar of marbles on the stage. How am I going to get through this? You have to be able to complete what you're doing, do it well, demand it all the time, and still have room to think and somehow pass on emotion. It shouldn't be terror, unless that's the role. But you need to know that if somebody slipped and fell or there's something that has occurred, you have to constantly adapt. And I think that's why dancers become. Even if they don't dance, they become so trained to adapt so quick, so willing to mentally be prepared to know that I may be in the theater for nine hours. Do I have enough food? Do I have enough food? Do I have a blanket in case I get 15 minutes to lie down? They carry as much. We probably should have something the size of a hockey bag. But there's a lot of thought that goes into protecting how they're going to get through every day. And, boy, are they intelligent. A dancer has to see what a choreographer gives maybe once, and they better have it, because this is an unwritten art form. That's why I use the term storytelling. It is not a written art. It's impossible to write. If you look at the score to a ballet, there are a lot of notes. And if you realize how many body parts you may be creating an image for a note, you can see how preponderously heavy it would be to try to write all of this down. So it's in their minds. It is an unwritten art form right now. Video can assist, but it isn't always exactly what the choreographer wanted, because things may be adjusting. And obviously nobody in their thinking would put a jar of marbles on a stage with dancers. But as an indication of how you've got to be able to think quickly, it really is a valid point that dancers are smart. And it is a very different art form today than it was.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

The dancers that I know seem to have a sense not only of their own bodies, but also the spirit space around them and how they are impacted by the energy of other people, even if they're not dancing. And then they carry themselves in a very different way. It almost seems as if there's some sort of flow of energy that transcends the physical.

Eugenia O'Brien:

It does. It becomes almost their own aura. Many, especially who are training, who are in high School are considered rather aloof or. Or, wow, look at her. And yet it's again, that muscle training and awareness. And they are aware of their space and they have to be. And they have to be mathematical. The patterns they run, the things that they are expected to understand. It is interesting if for some reason you have somebody who's a novice. We had or even trained a situation where we had somebody coming down a staircase that was adorned over the December holidays with, you know, all sorts of decor and little items hanging here and there. And this individual came down in a very wide, lovely gown and stripped the whole staircase by the time she got to the bottom. Simply because you need to be conscious sometimes of what is happening behind you as well as in front of you and on two sides. So it's a complete awareness. And they are astute in that manner. Some people may turn with a backpack on and clean out three people. Dancers don't do that. They know they've got a space that's

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

actually a little different than what I've observed is happening. Is I think that as we've gotten more in our minds and more connected to computers and more, there's more sort of head on a stick stuff going on. So we're not always aware of not only our space, but maybe even how we're impacting other people with ourselves, with our bodies. And it would be great if we could take some of what you're describing from dance and somehow translate that back to a greater awareness of ourselves and our impact.

Eugenia O'Brien:

True, that is a lack right now. And again, I think the athleticism and balance in your body is an important part of really knowing where you are, when you are. They're in that space, whether it's on a street or in a restaurant. There is a different awareness and impact because they are ambassadors of dance. They are not during an off time. They know how to relax, they know how to have a good time. And believe me, they do know how to eat because the bodies demand that they be fueled, but they don't take time off from feeling where they are physically. And they're terrific ambassadors for how to occupy space at all times.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

We had William Seeley on the show. He's a professor at Bates and Bates has a dance program and he was speaking about neuro aesthetics and how neuro aesthetics actually has focused on dance and movement. Because there is a way to actually put sensors on dancers as they are moving and impact. See how it impacts the brains of people who are watching dancers. And that's an amazing thing to know that what you're describing, the ambassadors of space, ambassadors of dance, that it actually is something we can measure now. And it impacts us not just physically or intellectually, but emotionally.

Eugenia O'Brien:

It does. And that's again why I think dances go back in time. It's the most simplistic way of moving. It is what we would do to say we need rain, what, you know, a fertility dance, marriage dances. Everything was ritualistically around dance, but we've removed it from our lives. We have taken away the joy, the indulgence of moving to sound. And now it's become performance art. You go and you sit in a chair and watch and it's got to impact. It must, it has for centuries and millennia. We need to remember that this is the most simple. You don't have to go buy an instrument. Please do. If you are so moved, you don't need to order a script. You don't need to have the other accoutrements move. Listen to music. We'll get the calls that I have a one year old who just every time you put on music, she dances. And it's like, of course that's what they do. And yet we continually, as a society, diminish it and remove it from the schools, remove it from other aspects of our life, because it takes time and oh my gosh, I don't have time. I've got to schedule even moving and putting music on and we shouldn't be there. I've often wondered, with the diminishment of the arts in our high schools, has anybody done a study with the dropout rate, could this be an answer to keeping kids in school who are athletes differently? And that, I think, is an important thought. Dance is ritualistic, basic, and should be automatic to all. We do have an adaptive dance program. This is geared to those children for whom dance may not be so evident. We offer it for children with down syndrome. We offer it with those with cognitive issues that they may be dealing with, as well as children who may be in braces or in a wheelchair. Everybody gets to move.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Eugenia, is it? You were mentioning that dancers do know how to eat. And there has been some question about body image issues in dancers. I'm sure that you've heard this more than once before. What has your observation been over time as to how dance has moved and shifted as a culture to make sure that we keep our young people and former dancers healthy.

Eugenia O'Brien:

Thankfully, it is a shift towards the better. The desire to make sure that students know both male and female. Anybody out there should know and have the Basics for doing anything with keeping their bodies strong, healthy, and able to accomplish the things their mind is telling them they want to do. We have an association with Orthopedic Associates, so OA provides lectures for us with dietitians. We have a wellness program that Mary Stride brings in. We try to direct all of the children who may. And not all the children who may be vulnerable. All the children need the information. Starting really from about age 10 or 11 up, we bring in physical therapists. We work with Back in Motion Physical Therapy. And again, with OA sends folks, we've got Mike Mullen and trainers and people we rely upon to really make sure that we are in check and not misdirecting. And at the same time, educating and providing the information necessary to allow them to be the dancers they want to be. And we also have OA come in. Bill Hines has been. Dr. Hines has been with us probably close to 25 years now, comes in and they do an evaluation on range of motion, bone maturity, all of these things, even before we put a child in pointe shoes. Because saying that every child is equal and deserves to go on pointe isn't always a physical capability. So we really work very hard to maintain health in every level. We are, in many ways a constant during some challenging times for kids because we are always there. And then we are also providing that constant reinforcement on training physically, mentally, and how to sustain the body.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

I would be remiss if I didn't ask about some of your upcoming performances in and some of the performances that you do on an annual basis.

Eugenia O'Brien:

We have a lot of fun with all of them. We really do. It's such an exciting format to have something like the Victorian Nutcracker every year at Merrill Auditorium, because, again, that's a collaboration. We use the Victoria Mansion to inspire our sets and our costuming. The costuming was replicated from some of the paintings and photographs of 1892 Portland, which is when Tchaikovsky wrote the piece. So we tie in all of these things that make it Portland's, and it really adds a different element so that that one we do repeat. And yet the dances are often different. So if you've seen it once, it doesn't mean you've seen it. Come and see it again, because it's different. And we really enjoy that opportunity to connect with the community differently. We do works like Jack the Ripper, which hopefully will never connect with the community as far as inspiration. But it's a wonderful piece that's very appropriate for adult fare at Halloween. So that's in our Repertoire we do Spooktacular, that's just fun for kids to come and see. And we do. We're changing that up this year with Three Tales by Poe. So Nel Shipman, who is our artistic director, moving forward, is going to be developing that. And so that will be fun and something totally new. We have certainly, I think, gained ground from when Nell first came to us as getting the lead in Carmina Burana, which we did at Merrill Auditorium with singers from the Choral Arts Society and members of the Portland Symphony. I think that really was our threshold event that had people go, whoa, okay, the locals are good. And Nell has gone from performer. She then that was a very modern contemporary work. And then she was Giselle and our Giselle, which is the quintessential romantic ballet that we ended up even later touring into Canada and now has gone through the many phases of of ballet and choreography and now to artistic director. And she will be creating some more new pieces as we move forward. Her armed A Mass for Peace is perhaps going to be repeated in the spring and there will be new works in February that will be interesting because we're going to go into the the community and probably be pulling from other choreographers to give them an opportunity to work with our dancers. So this is all an exciting, exciting way to move it forward. We have commissioned music for four full ballets. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was a commissioned piece that Nel Shipman again created this wonderful work and we in actually 2004. It was funny. That was the same year we got Daniela Malta Sabbath and I had seen her performing in Brazil and she appeared on our doorstep that September. She is the director of the school. She too choreographs. Roberto Forleo is the director of the core program, which is our pre professional intensive training program that gets high school credit. He is Italian and he too choreographs and he will be choreographing a work for the symphony in November. So he will be doing the Alice Symphony with the pso. So we are everywhere and lots of new things. Little bit of old, little bit of new, and all of it very exciting.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Eugenia, after listening to this, I'm sure people will be interested in finding out more about the Portland Ballet and the Portland School of Ballet. How could they do so?

Eugenia O'Brien:

Several ways. One is to go to our website for all things Portland Ballet. So go to www.portlandballet.org because we are a nonprofit organization. Full 501c3 I am the founder. It is not mine, it is yours. So please go find us. The phone number is on there. We're at 517 Forest Ave. We have classes, we have professional company dancers and performances. We have a theater. All are available to those wishing to seek any aspect of that. If you're an athlete looking for better balance, look at the courses that that are listed under the school. If you're interested in our performances, it's all right there. So please track us down, find us and really revel in what is the world of dance.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

It's been a pleasure to speak with you today. We've been having a great conversation about ballet with Eugenia o', Brien, who is the founder and artistic and Executive Director emerita of the Portland Ballet and the Portland School School of Ballet. Thank you for spending the last 35 years doing the work that you have in this area and bringing probably at least a generation or two of dancers into the world.

Eugenia O'Brien:

It's certainly been my pleasure. It's been inspiring, it's been fun and I wish more people would dare to enjoy the risk of dancing because it is. It's a delight. Thank you so very, very much.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Our next guest is the daughter of a couple of dear Friends of mine. And it's wonderful to be able to actually speak with her on air, because I think she's going to give us a little insight into an area that I know very little about. This is Olivia bartlett, who is 16 years old and who will be a junior at Portland High School in the fall. She's in the core program at Portland Cortland Ballet. Thanks so much for coming in and speaking with us today.

Olivia Bartlett:

Of course. Thank you for having me.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Olivia, I think I first met you probably about four years ago. You're much taller than you used to be. But this entire time that I've known you, you've been doing ballet.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yes.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How old were you when you first started doing ballet?

Olivia Bartlett:

I've been doing it for 11 years, so about when I was five, four around there.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

That is an enormous commitment.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Why did you decide to start?

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, I think it started with how a lot of little girls start in ballet. Their parents just enter, enroll them in a class, see how it goes. And I really loved it. And I was at a studio that was more like recreational and less competitive. But then one of my teachers came from Portland Ballet, and she began teaching at this other studio, and I really, really loved it, and it was more serious with her. And then she brought me to Portland Ballet, and it kind of went on from there.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

This has actually caused you to change school systems?

Olivia Bartlett:

Yes. Yeah. I decided to audition for the core program, and I first was in pre core, but then when you get into core, you have to leave school early because classes start. Core classes start at 1:30. And so I decided it would be easier to go to Portland High School. A lot of high schools accommodate and talk with Portland Ballet to make the core program work for the students. But we decided it was best to just go to Portland High School because they were the first school to actually work with the core program.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Describe to me what the core program actually is.

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, we dance three hours for five days a week, and then we have rehearsals for other shows and whatnot on the weekends and sometimes after classes. And we have a technique class every day, and we do pointe most days of the week as well. And we have one day a week of modern jazz. And then, yeah, I think that's it. And it's a little bit different every week once we get into learning the dances, because we'll have more rehearsals sometimes in the classroom. Schedule will vary, but that's pretty much the basis of it.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So we're not just talking ballet. We're talking ballet, of course, and the techniques, but we're also talking other types of dance.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, yeah, it's really nice because we have some great instructors. Like we have Roberto Forlia, who's teaching us most of the ballet classes that we have. And then we also have Nell Shipman and Vanessa Baeland, who teach us jazz and modern. So that's another great class to have because it's nice to be able to do more than one thing, especially in the dance world where you have to have a little bit of range.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

What's your favorite?

Olivia Bartlett:

Ballet is definitely my favorite, but I am really interested in contemporary and lyrical because lyrical is very closely tied with ballet. So I love doing lyrical. At competitions. I normally do a lyrical solo too, in addition to my pointe solo. So. Yeah, that's great.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, describe to me what what that means to do a lyrical solo or even a pointe solo for that matter.

Olivia Bartlett:

It's very flowy, I find. Well, that's what I normally do in my pieces. It's ballet, but it's more loose with the technique. You still have to have the pointed feet and the nice lines and everything. But maybe instead of doing a nice clean pirouette and landing, you'll do different arms instead of having them in first the whole time or something else. It's a little bit of a twist on it.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So this is how you're judged is by having clean lines and the way that you land.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, there's a few different things that go into the judges score. There's the stage presence, which that's a pretty big score. And then you have technique, also a big score. And then they have smaller things like how they like your costume and how the whole piece is put together, the choreography.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So is that nerve wracking?

Olivia Bartlett:

I was pretty nervous the first time I did a competition, but my first competition I only did one piece and it was with three of my close friends from dance and we did Little Swans. It was a really cool experience. And I think since we were a lot younger, it's weird because you think when you're younger that it's more pressure. But for me it was less pressure because it wasn't like at this important stage in my life where I have to be able to do this perfectly. And it was just finding out if I really love this and want to do this. It was awesome.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So now you have pressure because you also want to do summer programs big because you're looking forward to the future. Tell me what that's like.

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, I've done many auditions now for summer programs and I think it's a really Good experience just to have a different teacher. And it's like having a master class. And it's just a great experience to learn from other teachers because they may see something in you another teacher doesn't. And it's really nice, too, because if you get into these places, it's fun because then you can go somewhere maybe and learn from even more teachers. Like, I'm going to Cincinnati this Sunday, so. Yeah, that should be fun.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So do you do multiple auditions for multiple schools, or do you audition once and people come to see you? How does that work?

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, I pick out the programs for summer programs. I pick out where I would like to consider going, and I have to talk to my parents. And a lot of the auditions are in Boston for some of the bigger programs. So we have to plan, like, driving out there and everything. And once you go in, you get a number, and the audition size varies. Like, once I was in an audition and there are only two other girls, but then I've also been in auditions where there are, like, 60 girls. So, yeah, there's a little bit of range there. But you go in and you just take a ballet class with the teacher. And it's most of the time for me, it's been an hour and 15 minutes. And then the last 15 minutes, or maybe the last half hour even, they'll have you do a few point combinations to see how you are on pointe.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Where have you been so far?

Olivia Bartlett:

I have been to BASA Ballet in Pittsfield, Maine, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and I'm going to Cincinnati. Yeah, I went to BASA for a few years in a row, and Bostov and CPYB you had to apply to. So it wasn't like the intense auditions, but I have auditioned. Like, to get into core at Port and Ballet, you have to audition for national programs to get into. So I've had to do that. Yeah.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You're going to be a junior at Borland High School in the fall.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Are you going to continue dancing?

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, yeah, definitely. It gets a little tricky with schoolwork and handling that because there is so much. But, yeah, definitely continuing dancing, I mean, you just have to make time for it is something I really love. So I just have to make it work.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So will you be thinking about doing this in college as well, or will you be thinking about college?

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, I've talked to my dance teacher before, and she said that it may be better for me to try and become an apprentice at a company somewhere and then take college classes on the side, because I definitely think getting a college Degree is important, but I think. I mean, a dancer's career doesn't last, like, into old age. So going after that first and then seeing what's next after that with my college degree, I'll see.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So is that the same sort of process where you choose where you might want to apprentice and then you audition for it, or do you apply? How does that work?

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, well, I still have to look into this, like, becoming an apprentice and everything, but you do audition, of course, and it's a much more intense process because at this point, like, the people that are auditioning are the ones that, like, really want this job or position. So, yeah, I mean, it's going to be difficult, but, I mean, if I do that, I'm probably gonna go many different places just to see where I really like it too. Because even if it's a place that I love, like, I want to be in New York City, but if I love another company and just the, like, the vibe of that place better, then that all depends on you. And also who accepts you.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So it's not that different than looking at colleges, really.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty similar. I mean, I'm not sure everything else that goes into it besides the audition, but yeah, it's the same process, kind of. I guess.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So as you've done dance, this has become. Some kids will do sports or they'll do theater in high school, but this has become your sport. This has become your major activity and really has kept you very focused in that field.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, yeah. All my friends going into middle school, a lot of my friends who I did dance with started dropping out of dance and they would do sports, which is, like, great, because that's what they love and what they want to go after. But for me, it wasn't really a hard choice because some people are like, oh, well, she's dropping out. Like, I want to go do that sport too. That'd be fun to do together. But for me, it was more of an individual thing. Like, I love dance, so it's not something I was really going to stop because other people were stopping. So, yeah, I just loved it and wanted to continue.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So does that feel strange to you, that, you know, if you become, say, a soccer player, there's a bunch of other soccer players at your school. And if you're a dancer, do you have that same. That same group of society support from other dancers at your school, or is it really more individual?

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, the group I dance with in the core, we're all very close and we're awesome friends. But there is competition. But there's so much support in our group. It's kind of strange because at a lot of places you'll see there's a big competition, but for us, we're just really close, which I think is nice. Well, like, I know some people in my group, they're planning on going different places and all that stuff, but. So it is individual in that sense, but. And it's individual in the sense that you want to do the best you can in every class and you want the teacher to correct you and you want to get praise when you do something right. But we're all really close, so that's good.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

What are some of your favorite experiences associated with the dance competitions?

Olivia Bartlett:

Is definitely something I really love, just because I think it's helped me with my stage presence a lot. Because you're being judged on it. So you kind of have to do well if you want to do well at the competition. So that's been great. And also going away to Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet a couple summers ago, and I lived with my aunt when I was down there because she lives in Pennsylvania. That was awesome. It was a five week program and there were so many different teachers that came in. And it was just really great because I feel like you can really grow during the summer and especially learning from another teacher, even though it may not be better or worse, it's just different. And it helps you improve in different ways, I think.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

And do you have favorite performances that you've been in?

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, we did Cinderella. I was Cinderella, so that's, of course, a favorite of mine. That was. That was so fun. And we did a production piece called west side Story this past year choreographed by my teacher, Kate Smeddel. And that was awesome. It was just really fun because I love the big numbers and I love the series pieces too, but that was just so fun and there was so much energy in that. That was great.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

What were the songs?

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, there was Maria in there. They had the. They had almost all the songs in west side. And it was kind of combined in a mash up type thing almost. So that was really cool.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Yeah, it was very cool. I love that musical. So I can imagine that would have been a lot of fun to do.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, it was awesome.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

I know, having spoken to your father, that this has been not just a commitment for you, but for your family. And it's something that your family has been very willing to do for you.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, yeah. They're so supportive. It's really great. They come to a lot of my shows but that's the best part, is them driving me to just rehearsal every day, because, I mean, every day they have to pick me up. And the time may change sometimes, too, so I'll have to text them, be like, actually, I'm gonna get out an hour later. They make it work, which is awesome. But they know it's something I love, so I think that's why they support me so much. And, yeah, it's really great seeing them in the audience, though, too. And my little brother, it's awesome that he sits through all the long shows for me, too, because that can be hard since he's younger.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How old is your brother?

Olivia Bartlett:

He's six.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Wow. That's impressive that he's willing to sit through those shows and watch you dance.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah, he's been doing it for a couple years now. Yeah, it's really cute.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Do you think that that's influenced him in any way?

Olivia Bartlett:

Well, yeah, I do think it's really cool, because after a show, he'll be like, liv, that was really great. And I think it's probably good for him just to see all the different things, because at his school, they do, like, all sports and all that stuff, but there's not really arts he's exposed to as much. So I think that's really great for him to see that aspect. Like, sometimes he'll show me a move and he'll be like, look, I know how to do this now after a show, which is really fun, because even if he doesn't want to be a dancer, I think it's cool. He's just exposed to that, because a lot of boys, especially, aren't, and they don't see that stuff as much. So I think that's really good.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

How many boys are in the corps with you?

Olivia Bartlett:

There are actually no boys in the corps this year. Yeah, this past year there haven't been, and I don't think there are going to be any in it next year. But in years past, I know there have been. Yeah, there's a fewer boys at Portland Ballet, and we actually did bring a boy to Ballet Day this past year just to get people interested and see what it's like. So that was interesting. We did a little partnering. That was fun. But a lot of places and bigger places, I guess you could say, have more attendance with boys and everything. But in smaller towns, I think you see that. It's like, no one's gonna really sign up for that type of thing. Whether it's like, peers as being like, that's weird, or something like that. But yeah.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, I encourage any boy who is a singer who has an interest in ballet or dance to pursue it because obviously it's a thing.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah. And they're always gonna have a job because there's so many less boys compared to girl.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Yes. Your ratio is very favorable.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yes.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

So it's probably a good thing to get into, actually, if you're a boy.

Olivia Bartlett:

Yeah.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

Well, Libby, it's been great to speak with you. I know that this has been a lot of hard work for you. I can tell you're passionate about it. And for all the young people, girls and boys, who are listening, I encourage them to go see a performance you might be in with the Portland Ballet. We've been speaking with Olivia bartlett, who is 16 years old, will be a junior at Portland High School in the fall, who is in the core program at Portland Ballet. Thanks for all the beauty that you're bringing into the world through your dance.

Olivia Bartlett:

Thank you for having me.

Dr. Lisa Belisle:

You have been listening to Love Maine radio show number 203, Maine Ballet. Our guests have included Eugenia O' Brien and Olivia Bartlett. Read about Eugenia in the July issue of Maine Magazine and Olivia in the August issue of Old Port Magazine. Follow me on Twitter as DrLisa and see my running travel, food and wellness photos as bountiful1 on Instagram. We love to hear from you, so please let us know what you think of Love Maine Radio. We welcome your suggestions for future shows. Also, let our sponsors know that you have heard about them here. We are privileged that they enable us to bring Love Maine Radio to you each week. This is Dr. Lisa Belisle. I hope that you have enjoyed our Maine Ballet show. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day. May you have a bountiful life.

Olivia Bartlett:

Sa.