Erin Burt Returns to NADT to Dance Swan Lake

When a body moves, it's the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and I'll tell you who you are. ~ Mikhail Baryshnikov

It can be argued the most beautiful art comes from the most vulnerable places within us. When an artist delves within, into that rich soil of soul and unearths pain, joy, truth it is a magical thing to behold. This is what we can expect from Erin Burt as she breathes life into the classic and well loved ballet, Swan Lake.

Since graduating from NADT in 2014, Burt has been working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. This staging of Swan Lake teams pupil with teacher as Mr. Garrison teams with Miss Burt to bring a dream into fruition. “This is very exciting for me personally because it is the culmination of the ultimate mission of NADA/NADT, the opportunity to train dancers in our school and company and then to hire them to perform as professionals,” Garrison explains. This will be Burt's professional debut. "This opportunity has been very special to me, as it has always been my absolute dream role. ...I’m thankful that the Garrisons and all my teachers have supported me to dance this role, as it is one of the most demanding in ballet repertoire," Burt said.

Demanding might be a slight understatement as Burt will be dancing the dual roles of Odette and Odile. While NADTs presentation follows the ballet's original choreography, there are subtle changes of expression which command Burt to expose darker places within her as yet untapped on stage. Explains Burt, "I’ve had to dig deeper into my own experiences and extract particular emotions that could help me relate to the characters I am portraying. It takes time and experience to truly embody the role. I want the audience to wonder about the Black Swan, as she is mysterious and darkly mesmerizing and to feel the agony and betrayal of the White Swan when the Prince mistakenly swears his love to (her). I want the audience to be right there with me and to feel these powerful emotions."

And Burt says taking us there will require everything she's got physically and psychologically. "The choreography alone requires pure strength and commitment, and I’ve learned to trust myself and my body with the pressures of demanding physicality. I’ve drawn inspiration from a multitude of classical principal dancers so that I can develop my very own White and Black Swan," says Burt.

It is not lost on Burt that she is a role model for all the younger NADA/NADT dancers. Hundreds of students have watched her over the years and are waiting with great anticipation to see her performance. To the young and talented dancing alongside her or sitting captivated in the audience, Burt has a message: " I hope they understand how important it is to be individual and your authentic self, and to know that there is always something special about you."

Do not miss this bold and rousing presentation of Swan Lake...for there is magic at play.

Purchase tickets online today! Performances March 17 and 18
www.northatlantadance.com