Earlier this month Houston Ballet’s second company, Houston Ballet II (HBII), traveled to Chautauqua, New York for two weeks of performances, participatory experiences for the public, and master classes for the Chautauqua Festival Schools of Dance. Several Houston Ballet company dancers guested in the second of the two performances, sharing the stage with students from Houston Ballet Academy and Chautauqua.
Current HBII dancer Amelia McGravey first visited Chautauqua in 2017 for the school’s summer program, and reflects on her experiences as both a young student and now as a semi-professional dancer.
Left: Amelia McGravey, age 19, as an HBII in Stanton Welch’s Bruiser. Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2023)
Chautauqua Then
“One of the most memorable moments from my time at Chautauqua in 2017 was participating in a performance of Coppelia with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater (PBT). Like Houston Ballet’s Chautauqua collaboration this summer, PBT traveled to New York to perform with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. My peers and I had the privilege of participating in this production with a professional company, which for many of us was a brand new and exciting experience,” McGravey recalls.
Chautauqua’s summer program helped McGravey prepare for a professional dancing career by exposing her to a vast range of repertoire and styles. Participating with PBT gave her insight into how a professional company and its dancers operate during a performance.
“From my time in Chautauqua, I learned about the importance of individuality in ballet, which is something that I still carry with me today. As ballet dancers, we spend countless hours focusing on perfection. We nitpick our technique and repeat movements over and over again in order to meet the demanding standards of ballet as best as we can. It is often easy for young dancers especially to lose themselves in pursuit of that perfection. During the summer program, I was encouraged to infuse my dancing with my own personality, and become an individual artist as well as a technician.”
Chautauqua Now
Going on tour is an incredible opportunity for any dancer, though not one devoid of all stressors. The frequent and intense rehearsals coupled with normal anxieties of traveling to a new environment can be taxing on the mind and body.
“Both in Japan with the Company in October of 2022 and now to upstate New York in August of 2023, tour was often exhausting and stressful. Particularly in Chautauqua, the physical demands were great, as the HBIIs were working to partake in 5 different ballets total. However, this stress is quickly and completely overcome by the great sense of pride that comes with being a part of Houston Ballet and Houston Ballet II,” McGravey emphasizes.
Photo by Carrie Legg for The Chautauquan Daily (2023)
Despite any apprehension, she was pleasantly surprised upon arriving in Chautauqua to find that very little had changed since her last visit.
“The best part about returning to Chautauqua as an HBII was being reminded of the power of art, and how artists have the unique ability to inspire each other’s work. The community of Chautauqua attracts individuals with a deep appreciation for many types of art, including music and visual arts as well as dancing. It is deeply satisfying to work and perform in a place like this, where we are surrounded by people of similar passions. I remember feeling so inspired and excited about my future as a dancer when I attended the program in 2017, and being reminded of this feeling helped me to push through physical and mental demands and appreciate the art that I was creating and the art that was being created all around me.”
One thing did change, though, was her point of perspective on the whole experience.
“Returning to Chautauqua as an authority rather than a young student allowed me to shift into more of a role model position. I found myself looking to inspire others rather than just looking to be inspired and learn, as I did in 2017. Particularly during studio time with the younger dancers that participated in A Time to Dance, I felt a unique drive to conduct myself as best as I possibly could while both dancing and navigating the rehearsal space. However, when Houston Ballet company dancers joined us in Chautauqua, I once again found myself as the younger dancer looking up to professionals, and it was quite fulfilling to be able to exist in both roles at once.”
Now preparing for the upcoming season with Houston Ballet II, McGravey is able to think back on her recent time in Chautauqua as a source of motivation.
“For me, the most memorable part of the Chautauqua tour was the audience’s reaction during our bows for Stanton Welch’s ballet Play. The HBIIs danced alongside Chautauqua summer program dancers in this ballet, and as we all stood together during bows, the audience stood to give us a standing ovation. The camaraderie on the stage grew stronger as we felt the audience’s excitement and admiration, and once again I was reminded of how proud I was to be a part of something so impactful. It was a really special feeling, and one that I think all of the dancers will remember for years to come.”
By Emily Averitt-Cleveland
En Pointe with Houston Ballet 