At just 15 years old, Lucy Webb has made strides as a student dancer on the pre-professional track at the Georgia Ballet. She’s performed various roles in productions of The Nutcracker, including a Chinese dancer, a mouse, and Fritz. This year, she makes her lead debut as Clara. We sat down with her to learn more about her life as a dancer behind the scenes.
How long have you been dancing, and how long have you been with the Georgia Ballet?
I’ve been dancing for about nine years now, and I’ve been with the ballet for five years.
Is dance more of an art form, a sport, or a combination of both for you?
I think it’s both. When I’m training, I definitely focus on the athletic side, but when I go on stage, I get to embody a character.
Do you get stage fright, and if so, how do you handle it?
I definitely do. They say nerves and excitement are the same feeling; you just have to pick one. We perform shows for the school and for the public. I find the public shows a lot scarier. I use the 5-4-3-2-1 method to deal with the anxiety. It’s when you find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
How do you get yourself into character to perform a role?
I’ve been listening to the music a lot to prepare and trying to imagine myself at the party.
What are you excited about for this role?
I'm most excited to dance in the party scene. I just love the music and the variation there. There's a lot of acting that we get to do in the party scene, which is also fun. I get a little bit of freedom because I kind of get to make it up. I think I'm going to like doing the Chinese dance, too. That one has really hard turns and a little duet. I’m also excited because my costumes are blue. It’s my favorite color. Clara’s dresses are usually pink, which is actually my least favorite color.
The Georgia Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker runs from December 18 to 23 at The Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. Visit georgiaballet.org to view show times, purchase tickets, and learn more.