November 19, 2004

Evergreen teen earns scholarship to prestigious ABT summer program

Performs in The Nutcracker in downtown San Jose

“As far back as I can remember, I’ve always dreamed of being a professional dancer,” says Lauren Talley, a 15-year-old Evergreen resident from the Silver Creek community. This freshman from Valley Christian High School is well on her way.

It’s the second time Lauren has received one of only 50 international trainee scholarships American Ballet Theatre (ABT) awards annually to the most promising young dancers in the world. The scholarship enables Lauren to return to New York this summer to participate in the six-week ABT Summer Intensive Program.

Lauren Talley is the only teen in Northern California who earned a scholarship from the prestigious American Ballet Theatre this year. She is performing in the San Jose Dance Theatre’s production of the Nutcracker ballet Dec. 10 – 12. Photo by Jeffrey Hosier

“I love New York,” continues Lauren, who attended her first summer program with New York-based ABT at the age of 13. Given the opportunity, she would move to the Big Apple in a heartbeat. “Most scholarship recipients, by the time they’re 18, are offered a place in ABT’s second company,” she adds, hoping that she’ll be no exception.

Raised in Fresno at The Dance Studio of Fresno, Lauren has been dancing for 13 years—tap, jazz, modern, ballet, hip-hop and more. She’s participated in many dance conventions, received scholarships at a few convention circuits and ultimately came in the Top 10 at the Youth America Grand Pre regional competitions. Before ABT, at age 12, she attended the Houston Ballet’s summer program.

Over the years she also played all types of sports and served as the co-captain on her eighth grade cheer squad.
She has danced the lead role in Paquita and the song fairy in Cinderella. Her Nutcracker Ballet roles have included Clara, the doll, the snowflake flower, the Spanish and Russian dancers, the dew drop, the Snow Queen understudy and the Sugar Plum understudy.

Today, she’s affiliated with Los Gatos Ballet, which is partnering with San Jose Dance Theatre in its 39th annual production of The Nutcracker ballet held at the Center for Performing Arts Dec. 10 – 12. You can see Lauren onstage either as the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Spanish dancer or a dew drop.

“She was dancing before she was born,” jokes Lauren’s mom Kathy, who was pregnant with Lauren when she took her older daughter Rachel to ballet classes. As soon as Lauren could crawl, she wanted to be a part of her sister’s class.

Rachel is now a dance major in her first year at the State University of New York Purchase Dance Conservatory on a partial merit-based scholarship.

“Dancing has been her whole life,” says Kathy of Lauren. “She’s got lots and lots of potential. When she’s on stage, she’s luminous; there’s a presence. It’s as if she becomes the role. We’re really blessed and very proud of her.”

San Jose Dance Theatre,
Dec. 10, 11 & 12

Join the San Jose Dance Theatre,(SJDT) in partnership with the Los Gatos Ballet, as they magically transform a San Jose stage into 1830’s New England and fill you with the joy of dance as they perform The Nutcracker in five shows on Friday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m.

With a tradition nearly as rich as Tchaikovsky’s ballet itself, the troupe will take over the stage of the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts to present its 39th annual production of the family classic The Nutcracker, continuing its run as the South Bay’s longest-running ballet. More than 60 amateur dancers, ranging in age from 7- adult will join three professional dancers for the performance.

Many of the youth dancers have performed various roles throughout the years, progressing to key roles in this year’s performance. Seven local girls from the Evergreen-Silver Creek area will be performing in this Nutcracker, including Lauren Talley, Daisy Berg, Kendal Bovenizer, Rachel Bovenizer, Casey Krygier, Tara Rodriguez and Janna Stocker.

Adrianna Dougherty is a local dancer who has danced in the last 10 San Jose Dance Theatre’s Nutcracker performances. “Christmas is just not the same for me without The Nutcracker, especially the SJDT Nutcracker,” said Dougherty, 17, of San Jose. “The high quality of the costumes, props, choreographers and professional dancers make dancing in the San Jose Dance Theater’s Nutcracker a great experience for all of us dancers.”

This year Marcie Ryken-Achkire will serve as artistic director as well as dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy for this timeless San Jose tradition. At age 16, Marcie began her professional career with San Francisco Ballet. While there, she competed and won fourth place in the 1982 International Ballet Competition at Jacksonville, Miss.

Ryken-Achkire brings 20 years of professional dance experience, including working as a guest artist, performing leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes.

Performing as the Cavalier, Jekyns Pelaez of the Diablo Ballet has also toured extensively throughout the United States, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the International Children’s Festival. His repertoire includes Nutcracker, Carmen, Cinderella, Lilac Garden, Rodeo, Giselle, Don Quixote, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet.

Also performing as the Snow King and the Arabian is Benjamin Pierce. Pierce performed with American Ballet Theater for seven years and has been a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. He has appeared as a guest artist with companies throughout the United States, South America and Japan.

Join the SJDT for their 39th Nutcracker—the second longest running production in the Bay Area. Tickets range from $22-$42 and are available at (408) 286-9905, and www.ticketguys.com. Call for information on group, student and senior discounts or visit the San Jose Dance Theatre Web site at www.sjdt.org.