For as long as she can remember, 15-year-old Marlee Van Ostrand has dreamed of dancing the role of Clara in The Nutcracker. This past December, her childhood dream became a reality when she performed the part in the 23rd annual production of the Stillwater Nutcracker.
Marlee has been dancing with the St. Croix Ballet since she was 4 years old. Currently, she dances six days a week (a total of 20 hours), but doesn’t mind the time commitment. “I have a really tight-knit group of friends there and I think that dancing feels really beautiful,” she says.
Over the summer, Marlee will further her dance skills at a St. Croix Ballet three-week intensive program. The program ends on August 22 with a free outdoor public performance at Stillwater Pioneer Park, a way for the dancers to give back to the strongly supportive community.
Marlee is planning on continuing her dance career through high school and college, and would like to do more with the performing arts as she gets older.
&
For more information, visit stcroixballet.com
