Dancer lands a leading role in ballet

EAST COUNTY — Putting on the white sparkly tutu and jewel-covered crown for her role as the Snow Queen in “The Nutcracker” means something more than two days of fame for 15-year-old Isabelle Starner.

For nearly 10 years, Starner worked toward getting the part in Diane Partington’s rendition of “The Nutcracker,” playing a variety of other roles over the years.

“It feels amazing,” Starner said. “It’s crazy, but fun, and I enjoy it.”

The ballet, produced by Partington’s Ellenton-based studio, comes to the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., for two days, showing at 7 p.m. Dec. 21 and 1:30 p.m. Dec. 22. Admission is $28 for adults, and $16 for children 12 and under.

Starner will showcase her part the first night.

Starting out as a snow flurry in 2004 — Starner’s first year in the production— she progressed to more advanced roles, including her portrayal of Clara in 2010.

“Starting out as a flurry and now being the Snow Queen — it’s really a full circle,” said Starner’s mother, Tina. “It put a big smile on her face.”

Starner’s enrollment in Partington’s more advanced classes, and the fact she’s now too old for the role of Clara, kept Starner quiet about her hopes of being chosen for the more advanced, sophisticated role in the ballet. Telling only her mother that she wanted the part, she was afraid she wouldn’t be chosen, Tina Starner said.

In the spring, Partington’s ballerinas put on a “Swan Lake” production, for which Starner had a leading role. After the show commenced, Starner showed more confidence in dance practices.

The newly found self-assurance Starner portrayed caught Partington’s eye when she was making selections for the Snow Queen. With no formal auditions for the role, and the decision centered on Partington’s impression of the ballerinas’ abilities shown in practice, Starner received word in September that she and Kristi Jones would share the part.

Since landing the role, Starner adopted a more rigorous practice schedule in preparation for the show.

She rehearses Saturdays and stays after her Tuesday night classes for 30 minutes to perfect maintaining her balance during turns — something she struggles with in her new role.

Jumps, arm extensions and en pointe routines — tip-of-the-toe dancing — are not among her weaknesses, however, and also helped her score the position as the authoritative figure on stage.

“The Snow Queen is in charge of everybody when she’s on stage, which is nice, because if you mess up on stage, no one knows since you’re the only one doing it,” Starner said, jokingly.

Starner believes blossoming from a flurry to a queen shows she matured as a dancer and proves that hard work pays off.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit partingtonclassicalballet.com or sarasotaopera.org.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].