Alexandra McCausland and Lauren Minor will perform in Four Seasons, their final ballet as high school dancers, the weekend of June 7-8 at The Ridgefield High School. They are both members of the pre-professional division of the Ridgefield School of Dance having joined the studio as high school freshmen.
Alexandra and Lauren have many years of dance behind them, and while not planning to pursue professional careers, both plan on dancing at the University of Connecticut, where they will attend this fall, studying psychology and environmental science respectively.
Alexandra started dancing at the age of two while living in London. Having performed in numerous ballets, the role of Arabian in this past year’s Nutcracker is among her favorites. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, though, is her favorite ballet, the music and being on stage with her friends made it special. A ballet enthusiast, she also is part of the jazz company as a contrast in ballet technique. This love of dance has taught her dedication and hard work. “Dance is definitely a big commitment. Some weeks, it’s every day,” she said. “There’s a lot of training that goes into it so it makes you very focused.”
Having danced in Wilton since the age of three, Lauren joined the Ridgefield School of Dance in 2021, a pivotal year when she was considering giving up dance. She found her passion rekindled in the Ridgefield studio, which quickly became her “home away from home.” Having performed for many years, she said she especially enjoyed her role as Mrs. Stahlbaum, Clara’s mother, in this year’s Nutcracker where she also performed the role of Sugar Plum Fairy. “It felt like a full circle moment as a senior and an apt way to conclude my many years of training. I get to act and dance; it was such a wonderful role,” she said. Besides ballet, Lauren has taken modern and contemporary classes, which broadened her perspective on dance. “They have helped me a lot with ballet and to have a different mentality,” she said. “You can get into a strict ballet mindset but having different ways of thinking about movement, your body and space is really great.”
“high expectations but also knows how to correct us in a very effective way.” “In Miss Jamie Rae’s class, there is this environment where you can try things, fall down, mess up and it’s going to be okay because we will all laugh together and figure out what happened…and make it work” adds Lauren.
“Lauren and Alexandra have been a wonderful addition to our pre-professional division and we will miss their dedication and poise.” says artistic director Jessica Boelts. “They have both grown so much as dancers in these past years, and as always, we look forward to their return to dance when home in Ridgefield.”
Tickets for the June 7 and June 8 performances at the Ridgefield High School are available at https://www.theridgefieldschoolofdance.com/four-seasons-2025 or 203-894-5957. The Ridgefield School of Dance is located at 66 Grove Street.