<\/p>\n
Seven-year-old Chauncey Charley has been dancing for just over a month, but already landed a high-profile role.<\/p>\n
The 7-year-old Mancos resident will perform this winter in the holiday ballet \u201cNutcracker,\u201d performed by the acclaimed State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara in Durango on Dec. 13 and 14.<\/p>\n
And Chauncey won\u2019t be the only dance student from the newly opened Semberlyn dance school in Mancos \u2013 all four students and the 15-year-old instructor made it into the ballet. They are 10-year-old Mylee Sena, 9-year-old Micah Black and 10-year-old Nicolette Charley.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor all of them to get into the \u2018Nutcracker\u2019 on their first try is miraculous,\u201d said Semberlyn Crossly, owner of the newly opened studio, recently named Semberlyn, Dance Renew, Thrive.<\/p>\n
Tryouts were held this month.<\/p>\n
Instructor Francesca Bianchi teaches ballet and other dance styles to the students.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really excited as a teacher because I wasn\u2019t sure if any of them would make it in,\u201d Bianchi said.<\/p>\n
Bianchi also will perform in the ballet.<\/p>\n
She has been dancing since she was 3 years old, following in the footsteps of her older sister.<\/p>\n
\u201cI looked up to my sister,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Bianchi\u2019s sister went to the University of Utah on a ballet scholarship.<\/p>\n
The other Semberlyn dancers in the Nutcracker are 10-year-old Mylee Sena, 9-year-old Micah Black and 10-year-old Nicolette Charley.<\/p>\n
The students will head to Durango every Saturday to practice until the Dec. 13 and 14 performances.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are small, but we are good,\u201d Crossly said.<\/p>\n
Crossly added that they have room for more students at the Mancos dance school and that she is adding an Irish dance class.<\/p>\n
She said the competition for the \u201cNutcracker\u201d was tough.<\/p>\n
The production has become a traditional holiday show at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. Artistic director Rodney Gustafson holds true to the original Tchaikovsky masterpiece. It is suited for all ages.<\/p>\n