When Harrison Broadbent stepped out on stage to perform The Nutcracker with the Boston Ballet, everything else faded into the background.
“It’s really amazing,” he said. “I don’t even know how to explain it, it’s like a breath of fresh air when you step out on stage, it’s not even nerve wracking anymore, it’s just something to relieve stress and it’s so amazing.”
Broadbent, 15, a native of Concord and member of the Boston Ballet’s pre-professional program, performed in the Boston Ballet’s Next Generation show on May 24 at the Boston Opera House.
The performance included five different numbers, including the “Peasant Pas de Deux” in Giselle, George Balanchine’s “Walpurgisnacht” and Jaime Sierra’s “Legión.”
Broadbent’s love for ballet, was fostered by experiences growing up in Concord.
“When I was younger, my mom and sister used to go see St. Paul’s School perform The Nutcracker at the Capitol Center and I always wanted to go watch it with them and they were always like, ‘you’re too young.’ They finally let me go with them and watch it and I just fell in love with it,” he said.
This love for ballet, and chance opening in the play which made him fall in love, started Broadbent’s performing career.
“I was around seven years old and my mom saw an ad in the newspaper for an open audition to be in St. Paul’s Nutcracker, because they needed young kids,” he said. “So I went, and I auditioned, and I got in, and you needed to take a certain amount of ballet classes to participate in the performance so that’s where it all started.”
Through all his years performing, The Nutcracker has remained at the top of Broadbent’s list of shows.
“It’s always been my favorite, and I just kind of grew up loving it,” he said. “Especially with Boston Ballet because everything is so grand and beautiful.”
Throughout his career as a dancer, Broadbent has been a part of various different schools, spending time at Eastern Ballet Institute, Bolshoi Ballet in Connecticut and finally, the pre-professional program at Boston Ballet.
Broadbent said he auditioned to be a part of Boston Ballet on something of a whim.
“I was dancing at Eastern Ballet Institute, and I was dancing with one of my friends, and she was going to audition for the pre-professional division at Boston Ballet,” he said.
Broadbent thought, “I should audition with her,” and the pair took a trip down to Boston.
“I was actually too young to audition for the pre-professional program, but they actually said that I could audition for them, and I got in and that’s how it all started.”
In the pre-professional program, Broadbent said he faces a grueling schedule.
“I have my first class around 10, and it goes to around 11:30, practice starts at 2 and goes to 7, they’re very intense and long,” he said.
This intense schedule, Broadbent said, is worth it as he hopes to pursue dance professionally.
“I’m hoping to be in a company in New York City, or stay at Boston Ballet and continue doing ballet, just in a bigger company,” he said.
Broadbent said the ability to continue to perform would allow him to get the incredible rush he gets every time he takes the stage.
“Just that first feeling of stepping out on stage and being able to let everything fade away and taking in the stage, it’s really an amazing feeling,” he said.