Young dancer to play CBT’s ‘Mermaid’
By Bethany E. Larson, Special to The Post and Courier
James Peronto (left) partners Melissa Rauton (right) in "The Little Mermaid"
Melissa Rauton was once a shy Charleston Ballet Theatre dance student who idolized the company members and strove for technical perfection. Saturday, she will dance the lead role of Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid,’ part of this year’s CBT program for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.
‘I’ve always looked up to the company, and performing with them is just amazing,’ said Rauton, 17, who began tap and jazz classes at the age of 3 and transitioned into ballet when she was 9. Already trained in three different dance styles and thirsty for more, she relished the opportunity to audition for CBT’s Broadway Dance Project when it launched in 2004.
Designed by CBT dancer Stephen Gabriel at the behest of company Artistic Directors Don and Patricia Cantwell, the Broadway Dance Project provides ambitious, local dance students training in Broadway-style dance.
‘Students audition for Broadway Dance Project at the beginning of each September,’ said Gabriel, who is in his 14th season with CBT, ‘and I choose the dancers I think are most suited for the production. We work on the production for nine months, starting in September and performing in May. The last two years we’ve been in Piccolo Spoleto and it’s been really rewarding.’
Rauton has auditioned and danced with Gabriel’s handpicked children’s company every year since it began.
As a testament to her loyalty and dedication, Gabriel created last season’s Broadway Dance Project production of ‘The Little Mermaid’ with Rauton in mind for the lead role of Ariel.
‘I didn’t even like dance until I started classes at CBT,’ admitted Rauton, who recently received a dance scholarship to attend Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts, where she will major in dance with a focus in ballet. She added, ‘Seeing as it’s my last year here, I’m so honored to play the lead.’
Outside of Rauton, ‘The Little Mermaid’ cast is made up of five CBT company members and the 27 young dancers, ranging in age from 11-17, enrolled in the Broadway Dance Project.
‘Sometimes,’ said Gabriel, ‘the students are so young that they don’t really know the technique, but they have that in other classes. My real job is to try to teach them to perform.’
Performance is a skill Gabriel knows well. Growing up in Kansas City, Mo., he fell in love with Broadway at a young age and found jobs dancing with shows in Branson, Mo.
‘Everyone used to tell me I should dance in Las Vegas or New York,’ said Gabriel, ‘But I always thought that ballet was more of a challenge, and I like being challenged. However, I do like to choreograph in a lot of different genres — modern, Broadway and ballet. Sometimes it just becomes a fusion of them all.’
The love of a challenge, as well as the overarching love of all dance styles, is something that Gabriel and Rauton share, which is perhaps what makes him the perfect mentor for the young dancer.
But for Rauton, the biggest part of the challenge isn’t learning choreography or remembering technique while also performing, it’s emotionally connecting with her character. The role of Ariel requires a vast emotional range, from exuberant to heartbroken. The dancing comes naturally to Rauton. The acting does not.
Knowing she struggled with emoting and acting, Gabriel cast her in roles with over-the-top personality. For example, she danced the role of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Broadway Dance Project’s ‘Off to Oz,’ which debuted in 2009.
‘I’ve always been more of a shy dancer,’ said Rauton, ‘and Stephen has helped me learn to act and dance at the same time. He kept challenging me year after year. I feel so grateful to him, and honored to have the opportunity to dance with CBT. I definitely think they helped me get better in every aspect.’
Bethany Larson is a Goldring Arts Journalism Program writer. Reach her at blarson@syr.edu.
If you go
What: ‘The Little Mermaid.’
When: June 5 at 1 and 3 p.m.
Where: Charleston Ballet Theatre’s Studio, 477 King St.
How much: Adults $26, Children 6-12, $16.
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