last bite
dancing
the dream
What do you love best about The
Nutcracker, and about playing the
sugar plum fairy? I love that it is a
Christmas tradition. It incorporates
the beauty of ballet with the magic
of Christmas. Every ballet company
does it.
How many times have you seen
The Nutcracker as an audience
member? I started going when I
was 3, with my grandma. It became
our tradition. I started dancing in
it professionally when I was 17 so I
guess I watched from the audience
for 14 years.
If you weren’t dancing that role,
what part would you love to play?
Tough question! It’s always been my
dream to be sugar plum fairy since I
was a little girl...and the role of aunt
Josephine — which I also get to do
this year!
Do you have a favourite ballet
of all time? To watch, Romeo and
Juliet. To dance, it’s Swan Lake!
How many hours do you dance in
a week? I dance everyday. It’s about
40 hours each week.
What do you love eating during
the holiday season? Holiday
appetizers like little bites of puff
pastry with Brie and cranberry!
What is your favourite Christmas
cookie? Christmas shaped sugar
cookies.
Visions of the sugar plum fairy
come true for Jaimi Deleau,
RWB's Corps de ballet dancer.
68
ciao! / dec/jan / two thousand eighteen
What is the best gift you’ve ever
given or received? I gave my dad
a watch that was his dad’s, that he
dropped, and got run over by a car. I
grabbed it without him knowing and
had it refurbished. He was touched,
and surprised.
What are your favourite things
about the holiday season?
Spending time with family. We have
a party every year on Christmas Eve
and invite all the dancers (in the
company) who are here and away
from their families for Christmas.