The dreams of a local dancer have come true. Miranda Greening of Arcola, daughter of Reg and Kim Greening and Jeremy and Carrie Johnston, has been dancing since she was three years of age.
Greening, who is now 16, initially took dance lessons at Drewitz School of Dance in Estevan. Dancing in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe and lyrical, Greening is a well-rounded dancer. Greening now dances under the instruction of Jennifer Dunne from Dance Zone.
Dancing has meant a lot of travelling for the young lady. In order to compete, Greening has travelled to places such as Ogema, Coronach, Yorkton, Regina, Weyburn and Minneapolis. All of Greening's experiences, dedication and determination will mean one thing for the young girl from a small town in Saskatchewan
A chance to perform in a setting that dancers' dreams are made of, the Moscow Ballet. On Nov. 27 and 28, Greening will be dancing in the Moscow Ballet Production of Romeo and Juliet in Regina.
So, how does a young girl get selected for the Moscow Ballet? "My dance teacher sent my mom an email about the audition that was in Regina. Upon emailing her back, asking if I should even bother, she replied 'Of course! You're a performer and that is exactly what they are looking for. Either way, the audition will be a great learning experience.' I was still skeptical. It was my mother who convinced me to go for it, so I did. I didn't tell a soul. An audition for the Moscow Ballet to me just sounded so intimidating."
The audition, which was held on Aug. 15, was directed by Nataliya Miroshnyk who is a ballerina from the Moscow Ballet. "I was so incredibly honoured to be dancing in the presence of such a renowned professionally trained ballerina! Nataliya divided us into five groups and would then show a combination. One by one the groups would perform and if she [saw] something she liked in a girl, she would point to them and have them stand to the side."
Greening was told while she was at the audition, that she had secured herself a place in the performance. When Miroshnyk gave her the word, Greening was in awe. "I couldn't believe it! My sister, my mom and I were so excited."
"They kept saying to me, I knew you would get it Miranda! But to me it seemed unreal! I just kept saying to myself, I am now dancing with a professional ballet company, I can't believe it! It was so exciting, and [it is] a real dream come true!"
In terms of what Greening is looking forward to the most? "I cannot wait to dance in something other than a high school gym. To get to perform in the Conexus Art Centre, is so exciting for me!" "I am also looking forward to representing Arcola, and all the other small towns. I have received so much support from friends, family and neighbours, from all around! It feels good to know that the communities still show interest in the fine arts. And in [some] ways, I feel me dancing in this ballet is allowing more people, who wouldn't necessarily care about Ballet, [to have the] experience and enjoy it!"
As for Greening's favourite thing about dancing? "There are so many things I love about dance," said Greening. "To narrow it down would almost be impossible!"
"First, would probably be performing. I am known for my performing and dramatics, and onstage, I feel at home. I love being the centre of attention and putting on a show for people. The energy of the crowd really excites me, and I feed off it." "Second, with my regular lessons, I dance with a real great group of girls. [We] six ladies always have so much fun together and they really make it an enjoyable experience! I love my girls to death, they are all such great dancers in their own ways, and they all inspire me to dance my best." "Finally, dance is such a safe, fun and healthy way to express any emotion. It always helps me to feel better after a bad day, and whenever I am happy, you'll find me jumping around and dancing."
To achieve this level of success, it takes a lot of determination and dedication. As for Greening's motivation and what keeps her going, the answer is quite simple. "Jayde Wallin. Jayde and I have been in dance together for four years, she is one year younger than me, and she is one of my best friends. I'm with her for every dance class, and if I ever get frustrated with any move, or combination, she can always make me laugh and help me stay on track. I am so thankful for Jayde. She always encourages me to do my best."
Not only does dancing three times a week take motivation and encouragement, but Greening feels as though her support system is part of the reason for where she is now. My biggest support is "My mother, Carrie Johnston [and] my sister, Chelsea Greening.
"Moms are without a doubt a girls best support, but I find my mom always goes above and beyond. From encouraging me to just go for it, to putting up with me tap dancing all around the house. She's always allowed me to pursue my passion with dance, and shown me that the sky is the limit. Never once did she ever complain about the fees for new shoes, costumes or extra classes, which add up mighty quickly. I am forever grateful for her putting me in dance and allowing me to stick with it."
"My sister has always been there through everything. She's just an all around awesome support system. Whenever I was too shy or nervous to do anything, she'd always be there to give me an extra push. She's always been the best practice partner, as she was in dance from age 3-17."
Greening currently dances three times a week with Mondays dedicated to her regular lessons, Thursdays revolving around the hip hop lessons she gives to younger kids and Sundays, which are dedicated to the Moscow Ballet rehearsals.
Not only a dancer, Greening is active in volleyball, long boarding and curling in addition to working at the Arcola Co-op gas station. After high school, Greening plans on continuing her education in hopes of obtaining a degree in broadcast journalism.
"I hope to continue on with dance, whether it be instructing, taking lessons or just for recreational purposes. Being in my grade twelve year, not a day goes by that I don't think about how sad I will be when my dance season is over."
"Moving away to a city for University may expose me to new forms of dance and I may end up taking something new and exciting, like Bollywood dancing, or perhaps Ballroom. One thing for sure, dance will always be a part of my life. Whether it's dancing with the Moscow Ballet again, or simply dancing in my kitchen, I will never stop. Dancing is my passion."
