BY KAREN BOSSICK

It was a mere 90 days until Sun Valley launches its 2017 ski season. But no one was thinking about skiing at Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge.

Pink-ish beige ballet pointe shoes autographed by Kimin Kim and other ballet stars lined tables, instead of ski boots. Ski racks had been pushed aside to make room for portable barres set up throughout the room.

And the three teen-age males and 39 females in the room were squeezed into tights and balera camisole leotards, instead of ski parkas.

Each rested a hand on the barres, their posture ramrod straight, their eyes focusing straight out in front.

With a few words from Stella Abrera, a principal of American Ballet Theatre, the room became a blur of single leg squats, standing splits and legs swinging through the air like pendulums.

It was all part of a Day for Dance, one of several free classes taught to 200 students ranging from 8 years of age through college age, by dancers taking part in the three-day Ballet Sun Valley Festival held Aug. 22-24 organized by Sun Valley native and American Ballet Theatre principal Isabella Boylston at the Sun Valley Pavilion.

The dancers, from the American Ballet Theatre, New York Ballet and other companies, taught classes on ballet technique, pointe work, jazz and even choreography. The classes were provided free, thanks to a generous donor, and the dancers got to watch the dancers perform, as well.

“It can be life changing for a young dancer to be in the presence of such accomplished dancers as Stella Abrera or Tiler Peck,” said Hilarie Neely, director of Footlight Dance Centre. “Stella was so patient. She was gentle and encouraging, humble and giving in her approach. The support of dancers like these can give young dancers the inspiration to continue on in their pursuit of a dance career. They see that it’s possible that their dream of dancing in a professional company could one day come true.”

Abrera, wearing a sleeveless top and blue and red bell bottoms stretch pants, walked the room past tiny space heaters as she told the dancers to move their foot out and in, out and in—fast.

As the dancers swung their legs, a medium-sized black and white dog managed to get past the first of the sliding doors to check out the scene. He pressed his nose up against the glass on the second set of doors and watched Abrera move around offering suggestions, a smile on her face.

The dancers had come from all over the country, including Salt Lake City, Idaho Falls, Portland and San Francisco. But many, like Lemuel Bronwyn, were local kids who have danced with Footlight Dance and Sun Valley Ballet.

Those in Abrera’s intermediate-advanced class would have been pretty impressive to watch by themselves.

But, compared with Abrera, they looked a little clumsy, as every move she made was so free flowing, so graceful, so effortless.

Some grimaced as they tried to stand on one foot while holding their hands palm to palm over their heads. In seconds, a few had to break their pose, putting their hands back on the barre to stabilize themselves.

But it didn’t seem to shake their poise. And they didn’t have time to kick themselves as Abrera moved on to something new.

She exhorted them to lift their legs straight up in front, before repeating the effort behind them, as she clapped out a rhythm.

“Try to hold an extension, reaching your arms upward,” she said. “Really start focusing on being one with the music.”

The opportunity to see some of the world’s best ballet dancers, who came from as far away as the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia; the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen and the Royal Ballet in London, has been a heady experience for the youngsters.

Neely likened it to having the winning Super Bowl team or World Series champions play a game in Sun Valley.

“For dancers it was a dream come true to have the best in the world on our doorstep,” she said. “Many of our dancers had never experienced ballet at this level. And it was an eye opener for them, seeing the dancers’ athleticism, beauty, grace and expression and how they could leave audience members in tears, laughter, even awe.”

Dancers and dancers Moms were equally effervescent.

“My daughter was in awe,” said Nicole Ching of her daughter Carly. “She saw the first performance and I don’t think she went to sleep until 1. It was almost more fun watching her than the performance—her eyes lit up and she was mesmerized. She loved Misty Copeland and she was equally enthralled with Kimin Kim in the ‘Don Quixote’ piece. To be able to learn from some of these same dancers—how amazing is that in little Sun Valley, Idaho?”

Marina Shepard, who studies at the Center for Movement Arts in Portland, agreed: “It was certainly a more professional setting than I’m used to. And it was amazing being in class with kids from different backgrounds, kids studying at a more professional level.”

Hilarie Neely and Helen Colette, who taught Isabella Boylston her first pointe, watched Boylston perform Tuesday and Thursday nights with broad smiles on their faces.

“We are all so proud. It is an amazing feeling to see someone that you have worked with be so confident and poised in the career that they have chosen,” said Neely. “It’s always a joy for our faculty members to watch our dancers succeed as adults. For someone to go on with dance with the passion we all share is exciting!”

Collette used to teach Boylston—then known as Hilda—when she was 5 and 6.

“I loved seeing her in ‘Afternoon of a Faun.’ That piece must be 50 years old. But I’ve never seen it performed live before, and it was interesting seeing how she and Eric Underwood presented it,” she said.

“Actually, the performances all the dancers gave were absolutely the best. Perfect turnouts, beautiful arabesques, moves executed impeccably. Our kids are used to looking at up at the best dancer in class. They’re not using to seeing professionals. This gave our kids a look at what real dancers look like.”

Dozens of youngsters attended the two performances, and Neely hopes that they will be inspired try it out for themselves at either her Footlight Dance Centre or Sun Valley Ballet.

“I hope they find the joy in movement that we have as teachers. It is a very fulfilling art form to express with our bodies as the instrument,” she said. “You never know what will click with dancers. Maybe something will kick one of them into the next realm, give them the confidence to say, ‘I can do this. I can become a professional dancer.’ ”

Boylston agreed.

“I think the young dancers had an awesome time as they learned from dancers who were the best of the best. It was so amazing we could offer the classes and hopefully inspire the next generation.”