November 8, 2023 • 28 mins
Celebrate the holiday season in Columbus by going behind-the-scenes of the community’s favorite experiences and events. Dive into the secrets and stories of BalletMet’s beloved performances of The Nutcracker, and hear dancer David Ward and costume & shoe supervisor Caitlin Headley share what’s special about the holidays and life in Columbus.
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Live fun of the experienced Columbuses.Live Forward Live podcast introduces you to a
new frontier of undiscovered possibility. Columbusis a city with an energy of its
own. Join Boxer, Kelsey andtheir guests for an insider's look at a
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destination that invites visitors and locals aliketo share and explore. We'll go behind
the scenes of popular attractions, uncoverbest kept secrets for things to see and
do, and meet people who embodywhat it means to live forward. Welcome
back to Live Forward, Live andExperienced Columbus podcast. This voice is Boxer,
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the other is Kelsey Web Kelsey.Good deb you back. It's great
to have you with us, especiallyduring this podcast because the theme is Celebrate
Columbus. It's showcasing the wonderful activities, tractions, unique markets, and all
the ways that Columbus community celebrates theseason. First, you're gonna get to
meet a real life ballet met dancer, David Ward, who has been with
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us for quite a while here inColumbus, but his journey getting here because
he's from England originally. David,Welcome, Hi, good to have you.
And our other guest is Caitlin Henley. Who is the costume and shoe
supervisor for Ballet met by the way, holy creative batman. I bet that's
not really exciting. So you're incharge of all the costumes and the shoes?
I am, yes, well,being ready and yeah, making sure
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everybody has the shoes they need todance, and I can't imagine how chaotic
that must be, especially on showdays. Yes, so are all the
shoes the toe shoes for the ladiesyoung ladies, and then our men wear
like a canvas ballet flat most ofthe time, okay, and sort of
depends. Sometimes we make specialty shoes, but for Nutcracker not so much.
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Whoa those shoes are so cool,like you look at them in person and
how could anyone put a foot inthere and then dance? By the way,
to find out, have you beento the Nutcracker? Have you experienced
the nut? Is there anything morespecial, more holiday than that? It's
beautiful? Put me there. I'mready for Santa. It's it's a must
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see experience. I think it's yes, yeah, yeah, absolutely, Well,
look let's get started, David.Why don't we start with you?
You grew up in England, ornhave raised there is this something as a
bally Matt dancer. Is this somethingthat you've you've always wanted to do?
What was like growing up? Likegrew up in London, Southeast London,
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and I moved here when I wastwenty three. I danced in a company
in England for five years prior tothat, and I've I never intended to
stay, honestly, but I've beenhere for a really long time and I
love the city. It's really grownon me over the years. And I've
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been been with Ballytmet. I waswith them for seven years. I took
some time to freelance and I cameback. I came back, but I
never actually left the city. Youknow, Kelsey, I'm thinking when you're
you're hearing David talk, you knowhe grew up in London. There's probably
everything you could just about imagine.Why Columbus. I always like to ask
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that, why Columbus? Why?Yeah? Why? How? You know
what? I came here for thejob, right, and there was there
was some connection between the previous joband this. But and I did some
auditions in other places, but Ilanded some great roles here honestly in the
beginning, and it sent me offin this kind of journey of a really
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getting to do some of my dreamroles over the years. So not that
I stuck it out. I wantedto be here. Yeah, well it's
great to hear. How's Columbus treatedyou, by the way, how did
you feel? Did you feel welcomed? I did? Yeah, you know
what, Columbus has changed a lottoo. I came here in nine to
ten and Columbus is like a wholedifferent city. Yeah, it really is.
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Yeah, there's great food and notthat there wasn't before, but you
know, you know, the universitystudents would drop out and like go home
for the summer and then the wholecity would go dead. That's not the
case anymore. Oh yeah, certainlyisn't. Well from David. Also,
we're gonna hear more about David's storyin just a bit. But Caitlin Headley,
who's the costume and shoe supervisor forballet Matt born E Racer, Where
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you from? I'm from Springfield,So okay on the road a little wait,
yeah, just down the road andlook you're you're now the metropolis of
Columbus. And I mean, didyou start in love with costumes and shoes?
How did that start for you.I did, so I did theater
when I was younger, in highschool and things, and actually I'm a
I'm a buck guy. So Iwent to OSU for theater and I before
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I came back and to Columbus afterI graduated. I bounced round a bit.
I was out on the East coastin New York and Connecticut, and
then I was on the west coastin Oregon, and I ended up back
here at Bowlying Met because I sortof wanted I want to be back closer
to my family. And this isnow my tenth actually my tenth season Crass.
(05:16):
Thank you, but it's been greatto kind of, like what David
said, just watch the city transformover the past ten years, because it's
wildly different from where I was incollege. And yeah, it's exciting.
It's a fun place to be.That's all four of us do have that
comma with the transformation of this city. Been here long enough to see it.
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Yeah, Caitlin, how does yourlove for costumes and shoes and ballet?
Grow? Like? Were you alittle girl who dressed up her dolls
or how do you hone that craft? I grew up, you know,
I was definitely like a kid whoplayed with barbies and dressed up and you
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know, play pretend and all ofthose things. Barby does have the goods.
The foot that's like a ballet foot. She does a point. So
but you know, I I reallyloved sort of. I think like a
lot of people started out thinking maybeit'd be fun to be on stage and
that's not me. But I lovethe collaborative experience of the arts, and
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just on my end, I makingcostumes is fun. Doing that is fun.
So it's just sort of, youknow, in terms specifically with ballet
I wasn't really involved with the danceor anything growing up, but coming here
and working with Ballet Met just likea great appreciation for, you know,
what our company does. And sortof it's a very different in terms of
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costumeing than it is with I thinklive theater and things like that. So
it's always a fun challenge. Isthere a difference between costume and shoes and
your job with what you're doing withBallet Met versus what you've done maybe with
other theater in the past. Definitely, specifically with the shoes, it's sort
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of a whole, almost a wholeseparate job dealing with shoes, specifically,
I don't with our point shoes especiallyall most of our women have a shoe
that's custom made for them, sothey've worked with a shoe fitter over the
years and we and they're cut downand the insoles are made specifically how they
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want to help them be able todance the best that they can. So
keeping all of that in line,making sure those are ordered. Some of
our shoes you have to order almosta year in advance because they're all handmade
all over the world. So wow. So this is a question for both
of you. You're the supervisor ofthe shoes. You wear the shoes,
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David, So our dancers very particularabout their shoes. From a supervisor standpoint,
I think yes, but with goodreason. Yeah right right. I
mean if you can't move and feelcomfortable in your shoe, you know,
not being a person who specifically answers, but I think David, by David,
let's hear from your end as adancer. You know what I have.
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I have less issues with my shoesmen. Men generally have less issues,
that is true. That being said, I often have, like I
have a good relationship with the wardrobedepartment, and I'm probably I'm probably in
there more than most of the mento sort out costumes and work out every
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fit and whatever. There are colleaguesand different people you have to work with
that you really have to have agood working relationship. Would you say that
wardrobe costume meter is one of thoseDavid, Yeah, definitely. You know
what that was like one of thefirst things that people said to me,
like once you go in into yourprofessional career, like get along with the
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wardrobe. They make you look good, the the one's putting you in the
outfits, Like yeah, ye oh, it's just so important to the production.
Like, well, you know,you you do all the hard work,
but then when the costumes arrive.I mean I grew up in theater
and I never not like ballet ordance or anything. But when we would
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do you know, you you rehearseover and over and over again. But
then you finally put on your costumesand then the character you know comes alive,
right for sure? Yeah, andyou're in charge of that. Caitlin,
do you have like shoe nightmares,like one shoot those missing or I
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sometimes have shoe nightmares about things notbeing there and having their shoes. Yeah,
really hard to avoid that have youhad those issues where things go missing
just you can't explain it, ora couple of times not not in recent
years. Okay, okay, soyou're you're pretty buttoned up. We try
This is Love Forward, Live andExperienced Columbus Podcast. Our guest this week
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David Ward, who's a Ballet Metdancer here in Columbus, and Caitlin Headley,
who's a costume and shoe supervisor forBallet Met. Guys, let's talk
about the holiday season. It's sucha special time of the year for Ballet
Met. David, Let's start withyou first, you know, describe it
for us, the performances for thosethat haven't experienced it. You know what,
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we have a lot of performances overnot Cracker. We don't do no
other production during our season. Dowe have that many shows and the back
to back I think we have maybetwenty one performances this coming season. And
you know it's spectacular and and wedo some outreach programs and we have our
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for us not Cracker. We havesome different programs to get you know,
different audiences in. Yeah, andwe invite a lot of schools, local
schools to come in to see theperformance. Is I didn't. I didn't
grow up performing Nutcracker like a lotof dancers in the US. So my
first my first Nutcracker was when Iwas like eighteen, when I joined the
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company. Yeah, so I stillkind of enjoy it. That's great,
David. How as a dancer,how intense is the Nutcracker? Like,
I'm sure you can do it inyour sleep now, but how intense is
it to master the performance? Yeah? I mean it's it's classical ballet,
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right, and we do a mixturethroughout our season. We do modern work,
we do contemporary work. Just justrecently we did nine Sinatra songs as
that's basically bare room dance. Nutcrackeris classical ballet. And so something like
the sugar Plum Fairy, like alot of people know sugar Plum Fairy dances
with the Cavalier. That's a that'sa six seven minute part, goes straight
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into in generally goes straight into asolo for each of those characters, then
goes into a coda where the dancesthen dance again for another three minutes,
and then there's a finale. Imean it's a good fifteen sixteen minutes of
like high end caudio yeah, soit's tough. Who needs a gym?
We have to prep for that.Yeah, Caitlin, how about on your
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end as the wardrobe and jew supervisorfor the costumes. What's that like,
especially for the holidays? The Nutcracker? How intense is it? It is
a it's a process that we startpretty early. So we've kind of been
planning for this for a while becauseon top of costuming our company, we
also costume all of the students fromour academy who are in the production as
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well. So the nice thing aboutI like to say, Nutcracker is sort
of a train that will just goand hopefully you're on board with it.
But because we've done it so long, we have these systems in place that
make it, while challenging, notnecessarily as hard as some other productions.
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Yeah, but how early are youpreparing for this during the year, Like,
how far in advance? So westarted talking about casting with the academy
students in like the beginning of September. Okay, So, and do you
have the same role every year?Do you have to audition over and over
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again? Good question? Yeah,we we do not. We're different from
like a musical theater company where wehave to audition. If we have an
outside choreographer come in, then theymight want to see a little bit more
of your your dancing to be ableto cast that role. But something like
the not Cracker. Generally, ifyou've done the if you've done the role
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last year, probably going to bein it, in the same character,
in the same role. I mean, people people grow with the company.
So yeah, you get opportunities asyou as you kind of flourish. And
has your family been here to seeyou? You know what, My my
mother just came last year to seeDracula, which is kind of a long
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time performer, you know, productionthat Bally Mets put on, and she
just came to see that and shehasn't danced, She hasn't seen me dance
in over ten years prior to that. Yeah, so it was but that
was real special. It was special. Yeah. Would she think of Columbus?
Where did you take your mother?Yeah? Great question. On the
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town German village, I think yeah, I mean German village. It's nice
walking and yeah, especially this timeof the year and then getting ready for
the holidays, like they have thebeautiful Christmas market and all that. Yeah,
so you know, David, you'regiving us the aspect of a ballet
met dancer. Caitlin, you're givingus that aspect from you know, the
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costume and shoe supervisor. Take usbehind the scenes on show night. What
is what is a show night like? You're going to take us backstage?
Tell us about is there chaos?What is it like? Hopefully there's not
a chaos goal on our end.So my team, my wardrobe team,
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there's five people total who are backstagedressing during the performance, but they're actually
there an hour before everyone starts gettingready, and that's when we do things
like cleaning, finishing up blondry forNutcracker. For all of our performances,
but especially for Nutcracker, we haveusually four or five different cast so we
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have to make sure that the costumesare moved to who's going to be performing
in that next production. There areany repairs that need to happen, that
those are done and have everything inthe place before half hour, which is
when everyone starts getting ready, andthen they are down. The wardrobe team
is down backstage. They help withany changes that need to happen. I
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know a big one is always whenour little Clara changes from her party dress
and her night gown. That's alwaysa big fun one before the big battle
scene. Yeah, and just youknow, making sure because it is live
and things happen, just being availableif there are any issues, and to
make sure that everything's on stage theway it's supposed to be. Yeah.
How big is your staff? Bythe way, how many members are backstage
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helping the dancers and the and thecharacters. So we have five people in
the wardrobe? Okay? Stage?Okay, David, How about your perspective
take us behind the scenes on shownight. What's it like? Opening night
is you know, for everybody islike a special night. Yeah, and
so we our preparation is is alittle tough for that. And there's definitely
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like high anxiety a little bit,you know, for for a lot of
the dances. But yeah, Imean it's a it's a big production.
There's a lot of children involved,and so it's it's it's it's a lot
for all of us. Yeah.So what's your what's your what's your worst
fear like for you? Is itstumbling? And for you is it like
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the butt of a costume splits?That'd be bad, right, that has
happened to you? David Man.Yeah, worst fears. I mean it
used to be like forgetting choreography,honestly. Yeah, I mean that's like
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you know, most dancers nightmare andit does happen sometimes. But I think
as you get, as you getolder and you dance for a long time,
like you just you just kind ofpick it up. Yeah. Yeah,
it's not such a big worry.Yeah. I mean I've had I've
had dreams about missing entrances, forsure. That's always the thing, right,
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you know, I like I can'tget there in time, and I
can hear the music come out andit's my entrance, and I can't get
there in time. So there's thatis Is there any cool secret or something
that the rest of us wouldn't knowthat only you guys would know behind the
scenes about whether it's opening night oranything with the Nutcracker that you could share
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at all. Maybe that's just areal loaded, open ended question. Yeah.
Our super substititions or like a specialYeah, anything special that goes you
know, I don't personally have anysuperstitions. I know A lot of dances
do, right, Okay. Alot of the females like like a big
one is like they like kind ofkiss the floor. Oh wow, like
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a kiss to the floor to likebe like that's a safe space because the
floor is like our friend. Youknow, if we hit a slippery patch,
that's game over. Oh yeah kindof stuff. Yeah. So for
me, I don't have too many, but I A big thing for me
is like staying calm, especially formy partners. Yeah, I don't want
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to if they feel like I'm nervousand I'm or my head is not in
the game, then how does thataffect them? You know? And I
mean the partnership is like the guy. The guy is supposed to hide behind
the girl. So you're you're liftinghumans all the time, right I am.
Yeah, And that's a lot ofpressure, right, I love it.
I would think. So you workingout a lot too, I mean,
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are you a lot of Yeah?It just depends on the role,
honestly, Like nut Cracker is moreathletical physical. It's not so much like
I'm not going to the gym everyday, but you know some of the
other roles which are like you know, maybe have four part of doors with
two different girls, right, Imean, yeah, I gotta I gotta
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do something. I gotta do someweight training by the way, and David,
you talked about this a little bitearlier. This is a live forward,
Live and Experienced Columbus podcast. We'recelebrating Columbus and this time of the
year, the joyous time of theyear, of the holiday season and the
Nutcracker of course, specifically with DavidWard, who's a Ballet Met dancer,
and Caitlin Headley, who is apart of the costume and shoe supervising department
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for Ballet Met. David, Ithink you said earlier is there is there
twenty one performances. I think thereis twenty one twenty one. It might
be mistaken, but either way,I mean that's quite a few performances.
So how do you keep the energyrolling and the momentum going with so many
performances? I mean, after likethe fifteen sixteen time, you're like,
oh, oh boy, you gottado it again. How do you keep
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it going? Honestly, like,there was you know what a good time
in the pandemic when we had justcome back and we had a performance I
think I think the night before ChristmasEve and it got canceled due to COVID,
you know, yeah, And whenI came out of stage door.
I walked to the front of thetheater and there was a lot of really
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disappointed young children leaving the front ofthe house. I think it's for that
reason, you know. I mean, there's a lot of people that show
up that really want to see theNutcracker, and they want see those images
of Sugarplum Fairy and the and theChinese dancers and all those excerpts in the
second act and then all the familystuff in the in the first act.
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I mean, they came for thatshagic and so yeah, we're going yeah,
yeah. I know so many dadswho bring their daughters to the Nutcracker.
It's a tradition for them every year, and I'm excited about when my
daughter gets to that point, we'lldo the same thing. Brandon has a
little girl. How old is shenow? She's too she's too I don't
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know if she's quite ready yet,but maybe maybe in a few years we
can. But I don't know anysuggestions, and what what's a good age
to start bringing I have a sevenyear old and a three year old,
okay, and my three year oldcame last year to the my first Nutcracker.
Okay, so it's a very abbreviatedperformance and it's a it's a good
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one for little kids, Okay,I don't mind like little activity and them
getting up in the aisles and dancingand that kind of stuff. So it's
a it's a different type of performance. By it's a really good one to
come to. Okay. So forboth of you, Holidays and Columbus.
When you're not at the theater,where are you going? Do you go
to Wild Lights at the zoo?I mean, what do you love about
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holidays and Columbus love? I lovewild Lights for years, but yeah,
hoping maybe to take my little nephewthis year. How about well, Caitlin,
though specifically there there must be somethingyou venture out and go, soak
up when it comes to the holidayseason of Columbus, what is it for
you? I you know, Ithis sounds crazy. I spend a lot
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of time at home. Because itseems like David might agree, we spend
a lot of time at the theater. So I have a lot of traditions
with my family in town that wedo. So it's your safe place,
yeah, you know, it's it'syeah cozy, your your comfort zone.
No, I I completely get that. You know, A Columbus is no
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stranger to performing arts. You know, you talked about, you know,
going to Ohio State and their theaterprogram. Calin we could start with you,
how would you describe the you know, performing arts community and Columbus.
I think that over especially in thepast, you know, since I've moved
back here, I've definitely seen itgrowing and expanding. I think there's a
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lot of support for all different typesof arts in Columbus, which is really
exciting and fun like, it's beenreally amazing to be a part of over
the past, over many years i'vebeen here. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Well, David, your perspective,you were born and raised in London.
How does Columbus compare when it comesto the performing arts community. It
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is different, It is different.I mean you're in Europe dances maybe a
little heavierly supported by the community,but kind of government funding. Oh okay
sure, but uh yeah, Imean obviously we're a smaller town London's biggest
(24:03):
city. Of course, I grewup five miles out of the city,
so it is different, is different, But I enjoy smaller companies and regional
companies and they do. I mean, we're but we we are actually doing
work that big companies would have ontheir programs, which is pretty amazing for
(24:26):
this city. Yeah, I'm actuallyI'm actually going back to London this this
winter and I haven't done that fora really long time. Good for you.
Now did you meet your Are youmarried? I'm married? Okay?
Did you meet your partner here inColumbus? I did? She? She
grew up in Grand View and yeah, she she danced for Daytum Ballet,
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which is neighborhood city, Okay,and she she danced there for quite a
long time. She came back toBallymette and she danced here. And she's
retired now and she's going to schooland she teaches dance. Oh that's great.
Do your kids dance? My daughterdances. Yeah, she does.
I don't know if she loves it. That's all right, that's right.
(25:11):
I think you know. I don'texpect her to have a profession in dance.
Hopefully should do something that makes moremoney. Right, David and Caitlyn.
As we wrap up in Kaitlyn,we could start with you, how
would you what do you want peopleto know about ballet met How would you
describe that? How? How whatdo you want them to know, I
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think just beyond the you know,shows that we do with the company and
our academy, that there are alot of opportunities for people of all ages,
just kind of I think we're tryingto reach out to all groups around
Columbus. I wanted to actually highlightsomething that we're we're doing pay what you
(25:56):
Want performances, and there are fourfor that Cracker I think, so I
would invite anybody to check the informationabout that out on our website. Well,
that's fantastic. Pay what you wantperformances, Okay, to hopefully make
make art more accessible to everybody,which is very important to all of us
at bally Met. I agree.And by the way, as a as
(26:17):
a father who has a son who'san actor. When it comes to the
academy, what are the ages?Just out of curiosity, how does that
work? Do you know? Wehave like little pre ballet classes oh okay,
four or five? Yeah, youknow, all the way up to
adult classes. That's amazing. Yeah, David, what do you want people
to know about Ballet met? Ithink people should come to nut Cracker.
(26:41):
Yeah you know, yeah, Imean, I know, I know it's
a tradition every year, but Yeah, it's a fabulous performance and you know
you get to see us at theOhio Theata. Yeah, I mean it's
a beautiful Theata and it's a bigcast too. It's you know, it's
not just the company we have.We use the four Academy in the production.
(27:03):
And yeah, by the way,selfish question, what's the secrets of
standing on your tippy toes? Andwhat's your what's your record? How long?
No records? You know? Uh, you know, men have like
Caitlyn was saying, men have thecanvas shoe. So we work on like
a demi point, like on youron, not on your full point,
(27:26):
you know, Okay, on thedemi point and yeah, I don't know,
maybe seven turns something on that.Whoa, I'm gonna try that when
I get home. I'll record andwe cannot think enough. David Ward,
Ballet, met dancer and Caitlin Headley, who's the costume and shoe supervisor for
(27:48):
Ballet. Matt, I'm very fondof Columbus Kelsey. I know you are
too, especially during the incredible seasonthat is the holiday season. I encourage
you to go see The Nutcracker Andthis has been fascinating to get to hear
the other side to how ballet metand the Nutcracker works. So Caitlin and
David, thanks for your time andgood lost. Enjoy every moment. Thank
(28:11):
you for having me, Thank you, thanks for listening to Experienced Columbuses Live
for Live for this podcast and others, go to experiencecolumbus dot com.
Live fun of the experienced Columbuses.Live Forward Live podcast introduces you to a
new frontier of undiscovered possibility. Columbusis a city with an energy of its
own. Join Boxer, Kelsey andtheir guests for an insider's look at a
(00:24):
destination that invites visitors and locals aliketo share and explore. We'll go behind
the scenes of popular attractions, uncoverbest kept secrets for things to see and
do, and meet people who embodywhat it means to live forward. Welcome
back to Live Forward, Live andExperienced Columbus podcast. This voice is Boxer,
(00:45):
the other is Kelsey Web Kelsey.Good deb you back. It's great
to have you with us, especiallyduring this podcast because the theme is Celebrate
Columbus. It's showcasing the wonderful activities, tractions, unique markets, and all
the ways that Columbus community celebrates theseason. First, you're gonna get to
meet a real life ballet met dancer, David Ward, who has been with
(01:07):
us for quite a while here inColumbus, but his journey getting here because
he's from England originally. David,Welcome, Hi, good to have you.
And our other guest is Caitlin Henley. Who is the costume and shoe
supervisor for Ballet met by the way, holy creative batman. I bet that's
not really exciting. So you're incharge of all the costumes and the shoes?
I am, yes, well,being ready and yeah, making sure
(01:30):
everybody has the shoes they need todance, and I can't imagine how chaotic
that must be, especially on showdays. Yes, so are all the
shoes the toe shoes for the ladiesyoung ladies, and then our men wear
like a canvas ballet flat most ofthe time, okay, and sort of
depends. Sometimes we make specialty shoes, but for Nutcracker not so much.
(01:53):
Whoa those shoes are so cool,like you look at them in person and
how could anyone put a foot inthere and then dance? By the way,
to find out, have you beento the Nutcracker? Have you experienced
the nut? Is there anything morespecial, more holiday than that? It's
beautiful? Put me there. I'mready for Santa. It's it's a must
(02:15):
see experience. I think it's yes, yeah, yeah, absolutely, Well,
look let's get started, David.Why don't we start with you?
You grew up in England, ornhave raised there is this something as a
bally Matt dancer. Is this somethingthat you've you've always wanted to do?
What was like growing up? Likegrew up in London, Southeast London,
(02:38):
and I moved here when I wastwenty three. I danced in a company
in England for five years prior tothat, and I've I never intended to
stay, honestly, but I've beenhere for a really long time and I
love the city. It's really grownon me over the years. And I've
(02:58):
been been with Ballytmet. I waswith them for seven years. I took
some time to freelance and I cameback. I came back, but I
never actually left the city. Youknow, Kelsey, I'm thinking when you're
you're hearing David talk, you knowhe grew up in London. There's probably
everything you could just about imagine.Why Columbus. I always like to ask
(03:19):
that, why Columbus? Why?Yeah? Why? How? You know
what? I came here for thejob, right, and there was there
was some connection between the previous joband this. But and I did some
auditions in other places, but Ilanded some great roles here honestly in the
beginning, and it sent me offin this kind of journey of a really
(03:46):
getting to do some of my dreamroles over the years. So not that
I stuck it out. I wantedto be here. Yeah, well it's
great to hear. How's Columbus treatedyou, by the way, how did
you feel? Did you feel welcomed? I did? Yeah, you know
what, Columbus has changed a lottoo. I came here in nine to
ten and Columbus is like a wholedifferent city. Yeah, it really is.
(04:09):
Yeah, there's great food and notthat there wasn't before, but you
know, you know, the universitystudents would drop out and like go home
for the summer and then the wholecity would go dead. That's not the
case anymore. Oh yeah, certainlyisn't. Well from David. Also,
we're gonna hear more about David's storyin just a bit. But Caitlin Headley,
who's the costume and shoe supervisor forballet Matt born E Racer, Where
(04:30):
you from? I'm from Springfield,So okay on the road a little wait,
yeah, just down the road andlook you're you're now the metropolis of
Columbus. And I mean, didyou start in love with costumes and shoes?
How did that start for you.I did, so I did theater
when I was younger, in highschool and things, and actually I'm a
I'm a buck guy. So Iwent to OSU for theater and I before
(04:56):
I came back and to Columbus afterI graduated. I bounced round a bit.
I was out on the East coastin New York and Connecticut, and
then I was on the west coastin Oregon, and I ended up back
here at Bowlying Met because I sortof wanted I want to be back closer
to my family. And this isnow my tenth actually my tenth season Crass.
(05:16):
Thank you, but it's been greatto kind of, like what David
said, just watch the city transformover the past ten years, because it's
wildly different from where I was incollege. And yeah, it's exciting.
It's a fun place to be.That's all four of us do have that
comma with the transformation of this city. Been here long enough to see it.
(05:38):
Yeah, Caitlin, how does yourlove for costumes and shoes and ballet?
Grow? Like? Were you alittle girl who dressed up her dolls
or how do you hone that craft? I grew up, you know,
I was definitely like a kid whoplayed with barbies and dressed up and you
(05:59):
know, play pretend and all ofthose things. Barby does have the goods.
The foot that's like a ballet foot. She does a point. So
but you know, I I reallyloved sort of. I think like a
lot of people started out thinking maybeit'd be fun to be on stage and
that's not me. But I lovethe collaborative experience of the arts, and
(06:26):
just on my end, I makingcostumes is fun. Doing that is fun.
So it's just sort of, youknow, in terms specifically with ballet
I wasn't really involved with the danceor anything growing up, but coming here
and working with Ballet Met just likea great appreciation for, you know,
what our company does. And sortof it's a very different in terms of
(06:49):
costumeing than it is with I thinklive theater and things like that. So
it's always a fun challenge. Isthere a difference between costume and shoes and
your job with what you're doing withBallet Met versus what you've done maybe with
other theater in the past. Definitely, specifically with the shoes, it's sort
(07:12):
of a whole, almost a wholeseparate job dealing with shoes, specifically,
I don't with our point shoes especiallyall most of our women have a shoe
that's custom made for them, sothey've worked with a shoe fitter over the
years and we and they're cut downand the insoles are made specifically how they
(07:33):
want to help them be able todance the best that they can. So
keeping all of that in line,making sure those are ordered. Some of
our shoes you have to order almosta year in advance because they're all handmade
all over the world. So wow. So this is a question for both
of you. You're the supervisor ofthe shoes. You wear the shoes,
(07:54):
David, So our dancers very particularabout their shoes. From a supervisor standpoint,
I think yes, but with goodreason. Yeah right right. I
mean if you can't move and feelcomfortable in your shoe, you know,
not being a person who specifically answers, but I think David, by David,
let's hear from your end as adancer. You know what I have.
(08:16):
I have less issues with my shoesmen. Men generally have less issues,
that is true. That being said, I often have, like I
have a good relationship with the wardrobedepartment, and I'm probably I'm probably in
there more than most of the mento sort out costumes and work out every
(08:37):
fit and whatever. There are colleaguesand different people you have to work with
that you really have to have agood working relationship. Would you say that
wardrobe costume meter is one of thoseDavid, Yeah, definitely. You know
what that was like one of thefirst things that people said to me,
like once you go in into yourprofessional career, like get along with the
(08:58):
wardrobe. They make you look good, the the one's putting you in the
outfits, Like yeah, ye oh, it's just so important to the production.
Like, well, you know,you you do all the hard work,
but then when the costumes arrive.I mean I grew up in theater
and I never not like ballet ordance or anything. But when we would
(09:20):
do you know, you you rehearseover and over and over again. But
then you finally put on your costumesand then the character you know comes alive,
right for sure? Yeah, andyou're in charge of that. Caitlin,
do you have like shoe nightmares,like one shoot those missing or I
(09:41):
sometimes have shoe nightmares about things notbeing there and having their shoes. Yeah,
really hard to avoid that have youhad those issues where things go missing
just you can't explain it, ora couple of times not not in recent
years. Okay, okay, soyou're you're pretty buttoned up. We try
This is Love Forward, Live andExperienced Columbus Podcast. Our guest this week
(10:05):
David Ward, who's a Ballet Metdancer here in Columbus, and Caitlin Headley,
who's a costume and shoe supervisor forBallet Met. Guys, let's talk
about the holiday season. It's sucha special time of the year for Ballet
Met. David, Let's start withyou first, you know, describe it
for us, the performances for thosethat haven't experienced it. You know what,
(10:26):
we have a lot of performances overnot Cracker. We don't do no
other production during our season. Dowe have that many shows and the back
to back I think we have maybetwenty one performances this coming season. And
you know it's spectacular and and wedo some outreach programs and we have our
(10:48):
for us not Cracker. We havesome different programs to get you know,
different audiences in. Yeah, andwe invite a lot of schools, local
schools to come in to see theperformance. Is I didn't. I didn't
grow up performing Nutcracker like a lotof dancers in the US. So my
first my first Nutcracker was when Iwas like eighteen, when I joined the
(11:11):
company. Yeah, so I stillkind of enjoy it. That's great,
David. How as a dancer,how intense is the Nutcracker? Like,
I'm sure you can do it inyour sleep now, but how intense is
it to master the performance? Yeah? I mean it's it's classical ballet,
(11:31):
right, and we do a mixturethroughout our season. We do modern work,
we do contemporary work. Just justrecently we did nine Sinatra songs as
that's basically bare room dance. Nutcrackeris classical ballet. And so something like
the sugar Plum Fairy, like alot of people know sugar Plum Fairy dances
with the Cavalier. That's a that'sa six seven minute part, goes straight
(11:56):
into in generally goes straight into asolo for each of those characters, then
goes into a coda where the dancesthen dance again for another three minutes,
and then there's a finale. Imean it's a good fifteen sixteen minutes of
like high end caudio yeah, soit's tough. Who needs a gym?
We have to prep for that.Yeah, Caitlin, how about on your
(12:18):
end as the wardrobe and jew supervisorfor the costumes. What's that like,
especially for the holidays? The Nutcracker? How intense is it? It is
a it's a process that we startpretty early. So we've kind of been
planning for this for a while becauseon top of costuming our company, we
also costume all of the students fromour academy who are in the production as
(12:41):
well. So the nice thing aboutI like to say, Nutcracker is sort
of a train that will just goand hopefully you're on board with it.
But because we've done it so long, we have these systems in place that
make it, while challenging, notnecessarily as hard as some other productions.
(13:01):
Yeah, but how early are youpreparing for this during the year, Like,
how far in advance? So westarted talking about casting with the academy
students in like the beginning of September. Okay, So, and do you
have the same role every year?Do you have to audition over and over
(13:22):
again? Good question? Yeah,we we do not. We're different from
like a musical theater company where wehave to audition. If we have an
outside choreographer come in, then theymight want to see a little bit more
of your your dancing to be ableto cast that role. But something like
the not Cracker. Generally, ifyou've done the if you've done the role
(13:43):
last year, probably going to bein it, in the same character,
in the same role. I mean, people people grow with the company.
So yeah, you get opportunities asyou as you kind of flourish. And
has your family been here to seeyou? You know what, My my
mother just came last year to seeDracula, which is kind of a long
(14:03):
time performer, you know, productionthat Bally Mets put on, and she
just came to see that and shehasn't danced, She hasn't seen me dance
in over ten years prior to that. Yeah, so it was but that
was real special. It was special. Yeah. Would she think of Columbus?
Where did you take your mother?Yeah? Great question. On the
(14:26):
town German village, I think yeah, I mean German village. It's nice
walking and yeah, especially this timeof the year and then getting ready for
the holidays, like they have thebeautiful Christmas market and all that. Yeah,
so you know, David, you'regiving us the aspect of a ballet
met dancer. Caitlin, you're givingus that aspect from you know, the
(14:48):
costume and shoe supervisor. Take usbehind the scenes on show night. What
is what is a show night like? You're going to take us backstage?
Tell us about is there chaos?What is it like? Hopefully there's not
a chaos goal on our end.So my team, my wardrobe team,
(15:09):
there's five people total who are backstagedressing during the performance, but they're actually
there an hour before everyone starts gettingready, and that's when we do things
like cleaning, finishing up blondry forNutcracker. For all of our performances,
but especially for Nutcracker, we haveusually four or five different cast so we
(15:35):
have to make sure that the costumesare moved to who's going to be performing
in that next production. There areany repairs that need to happen, that
those are done and have everything inthe place before half hour, which is
when everyone starts getting ready, andthen they are down. The wardrobe team
is down backstage. They help withany changes that need to happen. I
(15:58):
know a big one is always whenour little Clara changes from her party dress
and her night gown. That's alwaysa big fun one before the big battle
scene. Yeah, and just youknow, making sure because it is live
and things happen, just being availableif there are any issues, and to
make sure that everything's on stage theway it's supposed to be. Yeah.
How big is your staff? Bythe way, how many members are backstage
(16:22):
helping the dancers and the and thecharacters. So we have five people in
the wardrobe? Okay? Stage?Okay, David, How about your perspective
take us behind the scenes on shownight. What's it like? Opening night
is you know, for everybody islike a special night. Yeah, and
so we our preparation is is alittle tough for that. And there's definitely
(16:44):
like high anxiety a little bit,you know, for for a lot of
the dances. But yeah, Imean it's a it's a big production.
There's a lot of children involved,and so it's it's it's it's a lot
for all of us. Yeah.So what's your what's your what's your worst
fear like for you? Is itstumbling? And for you is it like
(17:07):
the butt of a costume splits?That'd be bad, right, that has
happened to you? David Man.Yeah, worst fears. I mean it
used to be like forgetting choreography,honestly. Yeah, I mean that's like
(17:30):
you know, most dancers nightmare andit does happen sometimes. But I think
as you get, as you getolder and you dance for a long time,
like you just you just kind ofpick it up. Yeah. Yeah,
it's not such a big worry.Yeah. I mean I've had I've
had dreams about missing entrances, forsure. That's always the thing, right,
(17:51):
you know, I like I can'tget there in time, and I
can hear the music come out andit's my entrance, and I can't get
there in time. So there's thatis Is there any cool secret or something
that the rest of us wouldn't knowthat only you guys would know behind the
scenes about whether it's opening night oranything with the Nutcracker that you could share
(18:14):
at all. Maybe that's just areal loaded, open ended question. Yeah.
Our super substititions or like a specialYeah, anything special that goes you
know, I don't personally have anysuperstitions. I know A lot of dances
do, right, Okay. Alot of the females like like a big
one is like they like kind ofkiss the floor. Oh wow, like
(18:37):
a kiss to the floor to likebe like that's a safe space because the
floor is like our friend. Youknow, if we hit a slippery patch,
that's game over. Oh yeah kindof stuff. Yeah. So for
me, I don't have too many, but I A big thing for me
is like staying calm, especially formy partners. Yeah, I don't want
(18:59):
to if they feel like I'm nervousand I'm or my head is not in
the game, then how does thataffect them? You know? And I
mean the partnership is like the guy. The guy is supposed to hide behind
the girl. So you're you're liftinghumans all the time, right I am.
Yeah, And that's a lot ofpressure, right, I love it.
I would think. So you workingout a lot too, I mean,
(19:22):
are you a lot of Yeah?It just depends on the role,
honestly, Like nut Cracker is moreathletical physical. It's not so much like
I'm not going to the gym everyday, but you know some of the
other roles which are like you know, maybe have four part of doors with
two different girls, right, Imean, yeah, I gotta I gotta
(19:44):
do something. I gotta do someweight training by the way, and David,
you talked about this a little bitearlier. This is a live forward,
Live and Experienced Columbus podcast. We'recelebrating Columbus and this time of the
year, the joyous time of theyear, of the holiday season and the
Nutcracker of course, specifically with DavidWard, who's a Ballet Met dancer,
and Caitlin Headley, who is apart of the costume and shoe supervising department
(20:07):
for Ballet Met. David, Ithink you said earlier is there is there
twenty one performances. I think thereis twenty one twenty one. It might
be mistaken, but either way,I mean that's quite a few performances.
So how do you keep the energyrolling and the momentum going with so many
performances? I mean, after likethe fifteen sixteen time, you're like,
oh, oh boy, you gottado it again. How do you keep
(20:29):
it going? Honestly, like,there was you know what a good time
in the pandemic when we had justcome back and we had a performance I
think I think the night before ChristmasEve and it got canceled due to COVID,
you know, yeah, And whenI came out of stage door.
I walked to the front of thetheater and there was a lot of really
(20:51):
disappointed young children leaving the front ofthe house. I think it's for that
reason, you know. I mean, there's a lot of people that show
up that really want to see theNutcracker, and they want see those images
of Sugarplum Fairy and the and theChinese dancers and all those excerpts in the
second act and then all the familystuff in the in the first act.
(21:11):
I mean, they came for thatshagic and so yeah, we're going yeah,
yeah. I know so many dadswho bring their daughters to the Nutcracker.
It's a tradition for them every year, and I'm excited about when my
daughter gets to that point, we'lldo the same thing. Brandon has a
little girl. How old is shenow? She's too she's too I don't
(21:32):
know if she's quite ready yet,but maybe maybe in a few years we
can. But I don't know anysuggestions, and what what's a good age
to start bringing I have a sevenyear old and a three year old,
okay, and my three year oldcame last year to the my first Nutcracker.
Okay, so it's a very abbreviatedperformance and it's a it's a good
(21:52):
one for little kids, Okay,I don't mind like little activity and them
getting up in the aisles and dancingand that kind of stuff. So it's
a it's a different type of performance. By it's a really good one to
come to. Okay. So forboth of you, Holidays and Columbus.
When you're not at the theater,where are you going? Do you go
to Wild Lights at the zoo?I mean, what do you love about
(22:15):
holidays and Columbus love? I lovewild Lights for years, but yeah,
hoping maybe to take my little nephewthis year. How about well, Caitlin,
though specifically there there must be somethingyou venture out and go, soak
up when it comes to the holidayseason of Columbus, what is it for
you? I you know, Ithis sounds crazy. I spend a lot
(22:37):
of time at home. Because itseems like David might agree, we spend
a lot of time at the theater. So I have a lot of traditions
with my family in town that wedo. So it's your safe place,
yeah, you know, it's it'syeah cozy, your your comfort zone.
No, I I completely get that. You know, A Columbus is no
(22:57):
stranger to performing arts. You know, you talked about, you know,
going to Ohio State and their theaterprogram. Calin we could start with you,
how would you describe the you know, performing arts community and Columbus.
I think that over especially in thepast, you know, since I've moved
back here, I've definitely seen itgrowing and expanding. I think there's a
(23:19):
lot of support for all different typesof arts in Columbus, which is really
exciting and fun like, it's beenreally amazing to be a part of over
the past, over many years i'vebeen here. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Well, David, your perspective,you were born and raised in London.
How does Columbus compare when it comesto the performing arts community. It
(23:41):
is different, It is different.I mean you're in Europe dances maybe a
little heavierly supported by the community,but kind of government funding. Oh okay
sure, but uh yeah, Imean obviously we're a smaller town London's biggest
(24:03):
city. Of course, I grewup five miles out of the city,
so it is different, is different, But I enjoy smaller companies and regional
companies and they do. I mean, we're but we we are actually doing
work that big companies would have ontheir programs, which is pretty amazing for
(24:26):
this city. Yeah, I'm actuallyI'm actually going back to London this this
winter and I haven't done that fora really long time. Good for you.
Now did you meet your Are youmarried? I'm married? Okay?
Did you meet your partner here inColumbus? I did? She? She
grew up in Grand View and yeah, she she danced for Daytum Ballet,
(24:49):
which is neighborhood city, Okay,and she she danced there for quite a
long time. She came back toBallymette and she danced here. And she's
retired now and she's going to schooland she teaches dance. Oh that's great.
Do your kids dance? My daughterdances. Yeah, she does.
I don't know if she loves it. That's all right, that's right.
(25:11):
I think you know. I don'texpect her to have a profession in dance.
Hopefully should do something that makes moremoney. Right, David and Caitlyn.
As we wrap up in Kaitlyn,we could start with you, how
would you what do you want peopleto know about ballet met How would you
describe that? How? How whatdo you want them to know, I
(25:33):
think just beyond the you know,shows that we do with the company and
our academy, that there are alot of opportunities for people of all ages,
just kind of I think we're tryingto reach out to all groups around
Columbus. I wanted to actually highlightsomething that we're we're doing pay what you
(25:56):
Want performances, and there are fourfor that Cracker I think, so I
would invite anybody to check the informationabout that out on our website. Well,
that's fantastic. Pay what you wantperformances, Okay, to hopefully make
make art more accessible to everybody,which is very important to all of us
at bally Met. I agree.And by the way, as a as
(26:17):
a father who has a son who'san actor. When it comes to the
academy, what are the ages?Just out of curiosity, how does that
work? Do you know? Wehave like little pre ballet classes oh okay,
four or five? Yeah, youknow, all the way up to
adult classes. That's amazing. Yeah, David, what do you want people
to know about Ballet met? Ithink people should come to nut Cracker.
(26:41):
Yeah you know, yeah, Imean, I know, I know it's
a tradition every year, but Yeah, it's a fabulous performance and you know
you get to see us at theOhio Theata. Yeah, I mean it's
a beautiful Theata and it's a bigcast too. It's you know, it's
not just the company we have.We use the four Academy in the production.
(27:03):
And yeah, by the way,selfish question, what's the secrets of
standing on your tippy toes? Andwhat's your what's your record? How long?
No records? You know? Uh, you know, men have like
Caitlyn was saying, men have thecanvas shoe. So we work on like
a demi point, like on youron, not on your full point,
(27:26):
you know, Okay, on thedemi point and yeah, I don't know,
maybe seven turns something on that.Whoa, I'm gonna try that when
I get home. I'll record andwe cannot think enough. David Ward,
Ballet, met dancer and Caitlin Headley, who's the costume and shoe supervisor for
(27:48):
Ballet. Matt, I'm very fondof Columbus Kelsey. I know you are
too, especially during the incredible seasonthat is the holiday season. I encourage
you to go see The Nutcracker Andthis has been fascinating to get to hear
the other side to how ballet metand the Nutcracker works. So Caitlin and
David, thanks for your time andgood lost. Enjoy every moment. Thank
(28:11):
you for having me, Thank you, thanks for listening to Experienced Columbuses Live
for Live for this podcast and others, go to experiencecolumbus dot com.
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