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30 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 17, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene · WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2008 Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE w w w. g e a r m u s i c . n e t 324 Kerr St. 905-339-3515 Visions of a sugar plum fairy dancing in their heads Lecomte siblings starring in The Nutcracker By Ryan Bolton SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Many young girls dream of one day being a ballerina. Oakville's Olivia Lecomte is living that dream. The petite 12-year-old is playing the lead role of Marie (formerly Clara) in the National Ballet of Canada's production The Nutcracker. Lecomte's younger brother, Sebastian, 10, who hopes to one day attend the renowned ballet school, was also cast in the well-known ballet currently running in Toronto. Twirling on her toes since she was three, Olivia was accepted into Canada's National Ballet School last year, where she takes her schooling and trains on the dance floor. Olivia quickly advanced through the school ranks to nab the lead role of the acclaimed dance production. Something that she modestly attributes to her four years of training at Oakville's Allegro School of Dance under the guidance of dance instructor Laura Dacyshyn. "It's tough to even be considered for this school, especially as there is so much competition and kids come from all around the world," said Dacyshyn, who also attended the national dance school. Approximately 1,000 dancers apply annually for the coveted 50 available full-time positions at the school. "It was a huge accomplishment for Olivia to even be accepted into the ballet school and now she's dancing the lead role in The Nutcracker," said Dacyshyn. Sebastian, who is in his third year of dance, but only second year of ballet and jazz, looks up to his older sister as an inspiration. He started by watching his sister dance competitively to a point that he wanted to give it a whirl -- quite literally. And like his sister, he holds Dacyshyn in high regard. "Without Ms. Laura, we wouldn't have made it at all," said Sebastian. "She's the one who is helping us through everything." Although he is not currently a dancer at the national school, Sebastian was chosen to play the roles of chef, guard and a little rich boy in The Nutcracker. He hopes to one day join his sister at the school. As casting was posted in October, Olivia has since been training for two hours, six days a week and occasionally on Sunday. She is humble, however, in filling the shoes of such a big role. "Well, it definitely means that I had enough stamina and I was capable of presenting the role of Marie," said Olivia in her assertive manner, before adding, "It's a lot of work for my mom." Their mother, Julie, has been driving them back and forth to Toronto. "I am extremely proud of them, both of them," said Julie. "Olivia has had a focus of being a dancer for some time and she was under the right direction from Ms. Laura here and I think that's probably where Sebastian got his inspiration from." Both the young dancers see ballet as a form of expression. A means to display their emotions, be it cheerless or content. "(Ballet) is a dance that when you are feeling happy or sad you can just express your movements with dance," said Sebastian. "Every time that I am kind of sad when I come back from school or when there's a problem, when I go to dance I always feel happy about it. I really love dance." "It's just a way of getting my emotions out and expressing myself through movements," Olivia agreed. Julie is proud of her young dancers and plans to attend as many performances as possible within the month. "I have always been a supporter of following their dreams," she said. "Both myself and RYAN BOLTON / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER A "SHOE"-IN: Oakville dancers Olivia and Sebastian Lecomte have landed roles in the National Ballet of Canada's production of The Nutcracker running in Toronto at the Four Seasons Centre. my husband are going to go to as many shows as possible." The Nutcracker opened on Dec. 6 and is playing throughout the month at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. For information or for tickets, visit www.national.ballet.ca. Used bookstore enjoying success as first anniversary approaches R & R Books offers titles by a wide variety of authors: owners By Bob McNamee SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Acting on the premise that `every community needs a bookstore', Robert Campbell and Russell Moreau opened R & R Books in Hopedale Mall at Third Line and Rebecca Street in January of this year. And so far it has paid off. Campbell, 32, of Mississauga, and Moreau, 31, of Milton, say business has been good at the used book store. "The community has been very supportive," said Moreau. "This part of town really needed a bookstore. It's such a community ure to come in here," said Moreau. "They mall. It seems there's something missing can see and find what they're looking for when there's no bookstore." without having to dig through boxes on the Campbell and Moreau, who both previ- floor." ously worked as manR & R Books carries a agers of Coles book- "We are very selective about the wide selection of titles, stores, describe R & R books we buy because of the from children's books to Books as a "hybrid" as exceptional reading habits of the academic books on phiit's a used bookstore, people in the area." losophy. but also carries some "There's a whole Russell Moreau new books. spectrum here which "We're innovators," R & R Books changes daily," said said Campbell. Campbell. He and Moreau "We specialize in ficpride R & R Books, which won this year's tion as most customers are looking for Oakville Beaver Readers' Award for best something light. Our bestselling book so bookstore, on not being the average used far has been Halton Hikes, which is a book bookstore. about Halton hiking trails published by the "People often comment that it's a pleas- Halton Conservation Authority." The oldest book at the store is a volume of the collected works of William Shakespeare published in 1840 that sells for $70. "It's not in the greatest shape," said Campbell. "People like to look at it and talk about it." The most expensive book in stock is a signed, first-edition novel by American writer James Patterson, which sells for $3,000. "Everything sells," said Campbell. "It's not unusual for a whole shelf of one author to sell at one time." The store specializes in filling special orders. "Robert is a special order master," said Moreau. See Owners page 31