Dancers hope for long careers 37 · Friday, December 4, 2009 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com www.oakvillebeaver.com TOM'S PLACE Continued from page 36 Additional rehearsals on Sunday started at the end of November. This totals about 16 hours of rehearsals a week for the show. The two are among eight students from the school who will be starring as Marie and Misha. Lecomte and Fisher are not paired together, so they will dance different nights. The show is performed at the new state-of-the-art, 2,071-seat Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in downtown Toronto. Lecomte was among the children cast as extras in last year's production, so he knows what it is like to dance on this stage. He said the more people in the audience, the better. "I like the audience and having the big crowd watching me because it makes me feel joyful and I don't get nervous," he said. "Even when I am rehearsing, I feel like I am on stage and I always try hard to make sure I'm ready to go on stage." Fisher said she's excited about dancing on a stage where she's watched so many other ballets. "It is going to be exciting to be on that stage," she said. "I went to see Sleeping Beauty and I said `I'm going to be on that stage, holy cow!'" While their dreams are filled with sugar plum fairies and toy soldiers at the moment, the dancers remain focused on their daily classes. The Fisher family rents a condo in downtown Toronto, so she does not have to make the daily commute to the city. Lecomte lives in the National Ballet School's residence, which he loves. He has family close by, as his older sister, Olivia, 13, is also a student at the school and living in residence. The friends have similar dreams when it comes to their future. "I want to grow into the corps de ballet at the NBS (National Ballet School) company and after that, once I'm done there, I'll probably start being a choreographer," said Lecomte, whose favourite ballet is The Nutcracker. Fisher, whose idol is National Ballet of Canada's principal dancer Greta Hodgkinson, said she also hopes for a life of dance. "I would like to also be in the corps de ballet and I might want to keep going with the company or go travel to other ballet schools in places like London and Paris," she said. The Nutcracker runs at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto from Dec. 12-Jan. 3. For tickets or information, visit www.national.ballet.ca. Dec 3-6 Hamilton Convention Centre 1 Summers Lane (between Main & King) I am bringing a Dream Team of top designer fashions for Men & Women! Sebastian Lecomte HAMILTON WAREHOUSE SALE 149 Suits from First Time Ever !! Biggest Sale Ever!! $ Men's Suits 100% wool designer labels 149 Men's Sport Jackets from $75 Men's Dress Pants from $50 Women's Wear up to 90% OFF Dec. 3-6|Hamilton Convention Centre Th & F 11-8 | Sat 10-6| Sun 11-5 Buy 2 or more for additional discounts starting at $ Featuring 20,000 sq. ft. of Men's & Women's Business Apparel toms-place.com For more information call Tom's Place 416-596-0297 Emilie Fisher