Gorham's Esty Twins Offer Twice the Enchantment to Maine State Ballet's "Nutcracker"

Leigh-Ann and Sara Esty, seniors at Gorham High School, will captivate audiences in Maine State Ballet's Nutcracker this holiday season. The Esty twins will mirror each other on stage as demi-soloists in the Waltz of the Flowers segment. In other shows, Leigh-Ann will dance as the Marzipan Shepherdess while Sara will perform as the Dew Drop Fairy or the Sugar Plum Fairy.

At age seven, the Esty twins started dancing at the Maine State School for the Performing Arts, Maine State BalletÕs affiliate school. Over the years, the twins have likely been cast in all the different Nutcracker roles, along with lead parts in the ballet companyÕs spring performances. Sara and Leigh-Ann spent three summers at the School of American Ballet in New York City before being invited to the Miami City Ballet program last summer. Miami City Ballet has asked them to return next year, so the girls now are postponing college decisions to pursue dance opportunities.

Additionally, Leigh-Ann and Sara both sing in the Gorham Chamber Singers and have appeared in two high school musicals, Fiddler on the Roof and The Little Shop of Horrors. Leigh-Ann has interest in attending art school down the road; Sara's primary goal is to dance professionally.

Maine State Ballet's Nutcracker will be performed on two weekends, November 29 and 30 and December 5, 6 and 7, for a total of seven performances at Merrill Auditorium. Tickets are on sale through Porttix, (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. For more information, call (207) 856-1662 or visit www.mainestateballet.org.

Maine State Ballet, established in 1986, has become the leading professional dance company in the State of Maine. Working together, Maine State Ballet and the Maine State School for the Performing Arts encourage students to become active, intelligent young artists who will emerge as artistic leaders in their communities.

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