Fort Pierce teenager Rylee Green and five-year-old Layla McCarthy are redefining what it means to be a ballerina.
Not only can 14-year-old Rylee perform a perfect pirouette, but she can also land a front tuck.
Layla is partially paralyzed from the waist down and spends the majority of her time in a wheelchair, but she doesn’t let that stop her on the dance floor.
FOLLOWING: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ wakes up for one night only
Gymnastics and ballet
“To me, they’re both really fun,” said Rylee, who started gymnastics when she was three. “To be honest, I don’t know why, but I started to like dancing a lot and I asked my parents to find me a place.”
Fast forward eight years to this Saturday, Rylee will star as Princess Aurora in Vero Classical Ballet’s summer production of “The Sleeping Beauty.”
“I started screaming and crying when I found out I got the part,” Rylee said.
Although she only takes three ballet classes a week, Rylee thinks her time in the gym played a big part in landing the role and transforming her into a better ballerina.
“Obviously stepping back isn’t going to help too much, but they’re both getting stronger,” Rylee said. “When I was little, I had a lot of strength in my legs and that helped me to go further in the dance and to be able to do a little more.
Even though Rylee enjoys both ballet and gymnastics, she admits there are a few benefits to ballet, like being able to wear puffy costumes and a tiara. She can also stay on the ground more and not have to overcome her fears as she often has to do in gymnastics.
But dancers also have to learn solos, work with partners and maintain sequences, which can be difficult, she said.
little dancer
Dressing up and wearing a beautiful tutu is also a big draw for fellow dancer, Layla McCarthy.
Thanks to a scholarship, Layla has been taking special lessons with the Vero Classical Ballet for the past year in hopes of becoming a ballerina.
“She always loved to dance, she even had a yellow ballerina on her first birthday cake,” Layla’s mother Christine McCarthy said. “So to be able to see her being herself and enjoying the dance and sharing it with other people and feeling good about yourself is just wonderful.”
With the help of the barre, some modifications, and teacher Amy Trammell, Layla can stand and perform moves, including her favorite position, the arabesque, just like any other ballet student.
“Since she started doing ballet, she’s been able to do so much more, her balance has improved, everything has improved,” McCarthy said. “I think it shows other kids that even if they don’t move the same way, they can still move beautifully.”
When she started, Layla wouldn’t even get up from her chair, her mother said.
“She was very shy and didn’t want the kids to see how she was doing,” McCarthy said. “Now she wants to dance on stage by herself. Her confidence level is sky high now and she’s telling everyone she’s a ballerina.”
“Sleeping Beauty”
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Or: Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center, 1707 16th Street, Vero Beach
Tickets: $15
Information: 772-564-5537 or www.veroclassicalballet.com
