Evey Carsten has been a flower, a soldier and a snowflake. Now, she’s preparing for the spotlight.
Carsten, 16, will dance the lead role of Clara in the Premier Dance Company’s production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at the Helena Civic Center Dec. 21 and 22. One of the best-known roles in ballet, it’s the culmination of a long and happy journey for the Montana City resident, who began dancing when she was three.
“I love what I do and wouldn’t give it up for the world,” says Carsten, whose family came to Jefferson County from South Dakota when she was two. “There’s just so much adrenaline and excitement before the curtain goes up. But then, we just do what we practiced and put on a good show.”
“The Nutcracker” tells the story of a grand Christmas Eve party at the Stahlbaums’ lavish home in the late 1800’s. One of the guests, Clara’s Uncle Drosselmeyer, presents her with a gift of a wooden toy nutcracker. The prized gift is damaged during a scuffle with her jealous brother, and Clara goes to bed dreaming of a battle between mice and tin soldiers where her heroic act magically transforms the nutcracker into a prince. She travels with him to his court in the Land of Sweets, enjoying wintery scenes, festive celebrations and romance.
The ballet features lively and memorable music, and, of course, beautiful dance pieces. It has been performed during the Christmas season around the world since it was premiered at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg in 1892 — and by the Premier Dance Company nearly every year since 1992.
And now, it’s Carsten’s turn to fill Clara’s famous pointe shoes. “It’s a little chaotic backstage,” she says, “Especially during the costume changes.” Last year, in her multiple roles with the company, Carsten had five costume changes over the course of each performance. “With Clara there’s only two,” she says happily.
To prepare, she and her fellow Premier dancers rehearse every day after school, then all day on Saturdays. She also attends dance classes four days a week and works one day at the Montana City Grill, reserving Sunday as her day off to attend to homework and chores. “I’m very busy, but some of the other girls I dance with have even more commitments than me,” she says. “It’s a pretty amazing group of girls to be around. Everyone is so talented and hardworking.”
Carsten says her favorite part of the ballet is the Arabian Dance scenes during the dream sequence. “I’m really more of a contemporary dance fan,” Carsten says. “I think the Arabian role was the most modern.”
Carsten attends Helena High School, and when not in a studio or on stage, she likes to draw in her spare time. “And do homework!” she adds quickly for the benefit of her mother, Katie, who has joined the interview. When asked if her drawings are as good as her dancing, Carsten dismisses her work as “just something she does.” Katie interrupts: “She is a wonderful and talented artist! She’s just being modest!”.
While Carsten says she will always want to be involved in dance in her life, she’s not sure a professional career lies ahead. “There’s just so much practice and work involved,” she says of becoming a professional dancer. “I’m sure I will be involved in some way.”
