Newberg Graphic Online

Overcoming autism to take the stage and dance

Youth performance — Elementary student Caitlin Hall earns a scholarship to dance at a Portland studio; will appear in ‘Nutcracker’ production

• By: Laurent Bonczijk  
• Published: 11/9/2009 1:38:15 PM

Photo By: Laurent BonczijkDancing girl
Caitlin Hall has been training at Portland Festival Ballet for several months now. Between her regular classes and rehearsals for the Nutcracker, hardly a day goes by that she doesn’t dance.

   An Antonia Crater Elementary School student is training nearly daily to play three parts in an upcoming production of the Nutcracker in Portland.
   Caitlin Hall, 11, a fifth-grade student, started dancing as a way to conquer her autism. “I’ve been dancing for about seven years,” she said, “I do ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop.
   “I can’t live without dance. I’ve done it all my life. I like it so much because it helps me exercise.”
   Dawn Hall, her mother, said that as a child Caitlin was diagnosed with high functioning autism. She learns just fine in school (“she’s very bright,” Dawn said), but she struggles socially. “Dance is probably the one area where she truly feels that she belongs.”
   It’s easy to see that as Caitlin is rather shy and quiet when talking, but almost instantly opens up as she steps inside the dance studio to perform warmups before one of her classes.
   Dawn said her daughter worked with Shannon Groves in Newberg for seven years before she started training at Portland Festival Ballet earlier this year. It’s a good opportunity, Dawn said, because the school offered her daughter a full scholarship.
   Instructor Anita Mitchell said that had she not been told about Caitlin’s autism, she wouldn’t have noticed from the youth’s behavior on the dance floor. “She doesn’t allow it to rule her,” Mitchell said, adding that Caitlin fits quite well with the rest of her young charges. She praised Caitlin’s work ethic, saying it showed in her practice and adding that “she’s got quite a lot of talent.”
   Caitlin will play the roles of soldier, angel and party girl in the December production of the Nutcracker at Portland Community College. Angel “is a really hard one”, Caitlin said as the dancers appear to be floating in mid-air, “it’s because we’re on demi-pointe.” She explained that it’s a dance move where the performer is walking on their toes.
   Soldier is an easier role, but departs from the graceful moves of ballet as the character moves in stiff fashion. With party girl the challenge is to act extremely excited but to do it naturally even though the part is entirely scripted.
   Performances of the Nutcracker are at the Sylvania Campus at 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 12, and 1 and 4 p.m. Dec. 13. Call 503-245-5269 for tickets or go to portlandfestivalballet.org. Prices are $24 for adults, $22 for children and seniors, and $20 each for groups of 10 or more.

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