Video: Tupelo Ballet Prepares for ‘Les Sylphides’

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — More than 20 middle school and high school girls are preparing for their spring ballet performance this weekend.

They’ve been practicing several days a week since early January.

Tupelo Ballet is presenting Le Sylphides, an 18th century romantic ballet. It’s a new style the SE dancers are learning.

“Its been very exciting. I think its been a little bit different for the girls but I think overall its going to be a really beautiful ballet and I think our audience will enjoy it very much,” said Sharon Long, artistic director of the Tupelo Ballet.

This routine tested the dancers’ abilities, but their dedication is paying off.

“Getting the steps in order because its such a different ballet then what we’ve normally done. This one doesn’t really have a story line, its more just romance. So definitely just getting the steps in order,” said Dancer Alivia Roberts.

“Probably learning the counts because their not your typical eight counts, so definitely that,” said Dancer Emory Hamblin.

“Its such a different style of dancing, so trying to shift our normal dancing to a different style has been really difficult,” said Dancer Zoe Windham.

Although putting together a ballet performance takes a lot of hard work and practice, organizers say participants can learn skills that they can use throughout their life.

“Well, the discipline that you have each week when you come to class. You wear certain things, everybody should wear their hair a certain way, everybody should look the same way and just the sheer discipline that it takes to come to class and be committed to an ending like a show, I think is very good,” Long said.

You can see more of their performance next Saturday at the Tupelo Civic Auditorium.

A fairy tea will be held Saturday morning prior to the show. For ticket information, visit www.tupeloballet.com