Looking back, Cole McMason should have at least been a little bit nervous when the scenario unfolded.
But then again, he was just 8-years-old, a mere three months into ballet.
Seven years ago McMason was part of Studio West Dance Academy’s production of “The Nutcracker Suite,” playing one of the “party boys,” a considerably smaller role in Act I of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece.
“I was on the stage, but that was about it,” the now 15-year-old McMason remembers. “I didn’t do much of anything during the actual ballet. I was just kind of there.”
Someone who wasn’t there one night, however, was the dancer who played Fritz – one of Dr. Stahlbaum’s kids who, while hardly the lead, was required to do much more than your supporting party boy.
Traffic had delayed the dancer’s arrival and instead of making everyone from the audience to the Sugar Plum Fairy wait around, they turned to McMason to step in.
“I wasn’t even the understudy. I had spent the last couple months just watching them rehearse. I was just sitting on the stage, taking it all in,” said McMason, who lives in Olympia and will be a sophomore at Charles Wright Academy in the fall. “When they asked me to do it, I immediately agreed.”
Giddiness easily trumped nerves. McMason admits now had he fully understood what was being asked of him, he most likely would have panicked and been far more reluctant to accept.
But at the time, he just wanted to be out on the stage, performing.
“I thought it was just the greatest thing to be out there,” McMason said. “They really went out on a limb with me. It never entered my mind at the time that I was probably in over my head.”
Over the years his passion for ballet grew, as did his talent for the performance dance.
The young kid who was a novice, yet incredibly eager to jump right into the production when called upon, is now spending his summer with the Boston Ballet as part of the company’s Summer Dance Program.
“When he started he had challenges,” said Stephanie Wood, co-director of Studio West Dance Academy. “He wasn’t very flexible, but he was determined to improve. Before class, when he was younger, you would see this little boy, full of energy, running around, but the moment he got on that ballet bar he was completely focused on what he was doing. He’s been dedicated since he started here.”
Participants in the five-week intensive summer training program were required to audition before being selected to attend. McMason was one of the few dancers from around the country to be accepted.
The program teaches a wide range of classical ballet training such as technique, pointe, variations, conditioning and character.
“I am exhausted,” McMason said, “but it’s been so cool to learn from everyone here. I knew almost nothing about the program and came in with the mindset of learning everything I could.”
The Boston Ballet, with its strong reputation both nationally and internationally, is a significant leap from where McMason studied last summer at the Walla Walla Dance Company.
“I think I called my parents every night (last year) and never left my dorm room. I was overwhelmed by everything,” McMason said. “This year I haven’t had much time to call them. I’m trying to do everything I can. (Coming to Boston) was definitely a big next step, but I think it’s been manageable.”
It’s exactly the payoff Wood envisions for all her students.
“We encourage our dancers to try different studios,” said Wood, who has 10 students currently participating in summer intensive programs around the nation. “If you want to be successful, it’s vital to receive training from different teachers. It will make you a better dancer. You have to get out of your comfort zone if you want to improve.”
The summer program will help McMason inch closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a professional dancer, an accomplishment Wood believes is achievable for her gifted student.
Interestingly, ballet took a backseat to another activity for McMason just a few years ago.
“Soccer was actually my favorite of the two when I was 10 or 11,” McMason said. “There came a time when I knew if I wanted to get better at soccer I needed to dedicate more time to it, but I wasn’t willing to do that. I didn’t want to sacrifice ballet for it. Over time soccer just became less and less as ballet became what I was passionate about.”
That enthusiasm has only increased since he arrived in Bean Town.
“I’ve always tried to watch (other dancers) and see what they do well and try to learn from that,” McMason said. “The performances are so much fun, but I love everything about it. I love being a part of the rehearsals just as much. Hopefully, this is something I can do professionally. I am definitely going to give it everything I have and find out.”
