Frightmare before Christmas

Time Reporter 

 

Dancers with the Alberta Dance Theatre have been busy preparing for their upcoming production, ‘Frightmare before Christmas.’

For the third consecutive year Strathmore dancer Neve Raycroft has successfully auditioned for a part in the annual winter show. She will be dancing as a spider, a trick or treater and Mac. The spider is her favourite role. 

“It’s kind of (because) you get to get lost in your character as being an animal that’s creepy and weird,” said Raycroft. 

For the past few years Raycroft’s classmates have watched her perform. This year her Grade 5 class will be taking in a special showing of the performance on Nov. 29. 

“I’m really actually quite touched that she gets so much support. She puts her heart and soul into this and it’s a huge time commitment. She’s 10 and she’s missing out on birthday parties and things like that, so then for them to turn around and support her like that… words can not express how much it means to us to get that support,” said Marnie Raycroft, Neve’s mom. 

“They say they really like the production and they say the costume and the props are really cool. A couple of them say since it’s handmade that it’s really amazing,” said Neve. 

Dancing in front of people you know can be a little tougher than performing in from of a room full of strangers. Neve said it doesn’t really faze her. 

“It’s definitely a little bit nerve-wracking backstage but it’s more exciting than nervous but then once you get on stage and do it then its just all excitement and go, go, go,” said Neve. 

Alberta Dance Theatre is non-profit and so the parents fill different committees and try to make as many of the props and costumes as they can instead of buying them. It can be a big added commitment to an already stressed filled parent, but they make it work. 

“I think you just make it work because she has such a passion for it and she loves it so much and I think it’s such an amazing opportunity for her you make it work for her, just as I would any of my children,” said Marnie. 

The production will run from Nov. 30 until Dec. 2 at the University of Calgary. Tickets are $25 for the Nov. 30 7 p.m. show with includes and opening night after show reception. It is $20 for the other three shows, which are Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 1 p.m.