Holly Cook
For Jesse and Sam Warner, the Nutcracker always has been a
family affair.
This year, 8-year-old Jesse will play a horn boy and 11-year-old
Samantha will play a party boy and Polichinelles.
The Warner children have been in the Colorado Ballet’s
production for eight years, along with big brother Chris and mom
and dad’s help backstage.
This year is no different.
Since September, the Warner’s mom, Ann, has carted the dancing
duo from school in Centennial to the Colorado Ballet studios at
13th and Logan Street in Denver.
Sometimes rehearsals last until 9 p.m.
At 4 p.m. the two are full of energy, stretching on the couch
while they give up their favorite part about being a dancer.
From their abundant energy, you’d never know Sam and Jesse take
ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and tap classes in between Nutcracker
rehearsals.
“It’s just fun,” Jesse said. His casual demeanor and confidence
make him seem much older than 8. According to him he’s “almost 9,
anyway.”
When he’s not dancing, the Ames Elementary student plays soccer,
and keeps up on his school work.
“When I tell my friends I dance they’ll tell me ‘you’re a
girl,’” he said. “But it’s just fun for no particular reason.”
While it’s fun for her brother, Sam takes it a little more
seriously.
“I want to compete,” she said. The T-shirt over her leotard and
pink tights affirms her statement.
The word “Aspirations” is puff-painted in neon green across her
back. It’s the name of her competitive dance team.
She also started taking pointe classes this year. Pointe
distinguishes the mature ballet dancers of the group and takes a
higher level of skill.
Sam says her toes haven’t been bloody yet, but she’s had some
blisters.
She said she would eventually love to play the part of Clara in
the Nutcracker, now that she’s on pointe.
Clara leads the whole production as a young girl who dreams her
Nutcracker prince doll comes to life, taking her to a land of
dancing snowflakes, Sugar Plum fairies, and acrobatic Russian
dancers.
For Jesse, being a Russian dancer would be pretty great, but
he’d rather play the Nutcracker Prince.
“A lot of my friends tell me I should play that part,” he
said.
Maybe someday they’ll get their chance.
Whether it’s their favorite dance teacher jokingly picking on
brother and sister, or it’s the fellow dancer who chats it up with
mom in between classes, it’s obvious the family has talented roots
in the company.
Sam and Jesse are among eight Centennial dancers to perform in
the ballet. Rachel Lie, Silken Kelly, Madison Grimm, Meg MacDonald,
Rachel (Corcoran) Parmer and Jordan Trigg also are in the cast.
The production runs from Nov. 29 to Dec. 27. For more
information visit, www.coloradoballet.org.