Ballerinas will be gracing the stage in Fort Langley at the upcoming Fall for Ballet dance show this Saturday.
Coastal City Ballet is opening its 8th season at Fort Langley’s Chief Sepass Theatre on Nov. 24.
Local dancer Sharon Collins, attended the Langley Fine Arts school and will be dancing on the same stage she performed on while she was a student.
“It’s kind of cool to be performing on that same stage except in a small company,” said Collins.
Fall for Ballet is the first show that Collins will perform in as a dancer with Coastal City Ballet, a repertory ballet program based out of Vancouver.
The 19-year-old dancer has been practicing ballet for seven years altogether, and calls it “another language.”
“It’s a very different way of expressing through movement. You can’t speak dance, you have to physically use your body to express different ideas without words.”
Collins said dancing is a lot of work because she never stops thinking about it.
“Even when we go home, we’re not just relaxing. We’re studying the choreography and thinking about all the corrections we’ve been given.”
And there’s many more challenges for the aspiring dancer.
“We want to be perfect, but we know it takes time. Physically, it’s really difficult because of the amount of hours we train and rehearse. It’s gruesome on the body.”
Growing up, Collins also trained at the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver.
She hopes to one day get into a professional ballet company in Canada to stay close to her family.
“I’m on my way to becoming a professional. This is just a stepping stone. I need to keep working hard and smart. Working hard can only get you so far, you have to be smart as well.”
Katie Bois, Coastal City Ballet artistic director said the show has “a little bit of everything,” since the show is mixed repertoire.
“If you like dance or you’re interested in liking dance, this is the show to see because you get a taste of everything.”
According to Bois, Coastal City Ballet dancers train for four to five hours a day, Monday to Friday.
The show is choreographed by Ben Stevenson and Thys Armstrong.
The show starts at 7 p.m. on Nov. 24 at the Chief Sepass Theatre at 9096 Trattle St.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors and can be purchased online or by calling 778-808-3703.