My Son Lands A Corps de Ballet Contract!

At long last, I can announce that my son, Julian Amir Lacey, has signed a corps de ballet contract for the 2013-1014 Semperoper Ballet season. That means after mid-August or so he begins working as a full company member. Woot! Woot!

It was a long wait…long past January, when we thought he would be told if he had a contract or not. We are all relieved, and he is beginning to look for apartments and getting ready to truly make a life for himself in Dresden.

As you can imagine, this feels like the culmination of 15 years of hard work, determination, perseverance, sacrifice, and commitment. As parents, my husband and I are so proud of Julian. I can’t speak for Julian, but I have to assume he feels his hard work has paid off and that it–and his talent–is appreciated. Not only that, we can all relax a bit since Julian, at the ripe age of 19, will be able to support him self doing what he loves and pursuing his passion.

Although still an apprentice until the next season begins in mid August, most recently Julian performed in a contemporary premier of Romeo and Juliet choreographed by Stijn Celis. You can catch glimpses of him in a leather jacket and white shirt and tie (he is a Capulet) in this trailer–but you have to watch really carefully or rewind. He appears at 0:10-12 third from right at back, 1:19-1:21 on the far left, 1:40-1:42 in the back at center, 2:00-2:05 standing in the back behind the dancer kneeling in front.

Recently he also appeared in Semperoper Ballett’s Copellia as a doll. He was mentioned on this website in a review of the premier of Copellia. You can read the whole review by using Google Translate. In the photo on the site, he is the one all the way on the right in white. My husband, Ron translated the German using Google Translate, and here is just the part that mentions Julian and the apprentices: (Note: Google Translate does not do a great job.)

“There were many, very beautiful, very well coordinated “images” and clever formations. In the secret workshop of Dr. Coppélius particularly impressed by Pedro Rizzi Maciel (Palucca University) as “real”, repeatedly stereotyped moving Chinese-game character alongside Michael Blasko as an astrologer, Casey Ouzounis when August the Strong (a figure from the Dresden story ) and Julian Lacey as Harlequin (all three from the Apprentice)….

Actually, everyone deserved special praise, the students of the University of Dance Dresden Palucca who participate in a Elevenprogrammes and you could collect real stage experience. With much dedication, discipline and grace they fulfilled their demanding tasks like real “pros.”

Ron and I hope to go to Germany in June to see the Palucca Shul show, in which Julian has a nice part. While there we also hope to see him in two Semperoper Ballett performances: An Evening with the Works of William Forsythe and La Bayadère.

Hopefully, Julian’s journey to a professional position has inspired some other young male dancers and given some parents hope as well. I’ll continue blogging, of course. I haven’t had much time recently because I’ve been working on a new book. Plus, I have been concerned about writing about Julian, but I’ll be contacting Semperoper to see if I can get permission to write more about him in the future. Plus, I’ve heard your concerns and questions and I hope to continue addressing them. Watch for some changes to the blog and site in the next 3-6 months!