Ballerina dances in family footsteps

A family will be especially proud this year as they watch their 14-year-old perform in the Conejo Civic Ballet Company's annual production of "The Nutcracker" on Dec. 3.

The part of Clara, the lead in the celebrated holiday ballet, will be danced by Mercedes King, whose mother and grandmother both danced in the Thousand Oaks company. The line of professional dancers in Mercedes' family has had an impact not only in her dancing but in her life.

"I grew up really learning to appreciate the arts and the music," Mercedes said. "I don't listen to rap or other stuff; I prefer classical-Beethoven! I grew up a little differently than other kids, a bit strict, and I was a lot busier than my friends and got more exercise."

Nancy Grant, Mercedes' grandmother, grew up in Pennsylvania and enjoyed a successful ballet career that included dancing on Broadway and an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Grant moved to the Conejo Valley in 1958 and, while raising her children, started teaching at Ballet Arts School of Dance, which is affiliated with the Conejo Civic Ballet Company.

"I taught the whole time my kids were growing up," said Grant, whose daughters spent a lot of time in the studio.

One daughter, Marnie, danced at the Ballet Arts School of Dance until her early 20s, earning scholarships and also finding success in her passion.

Marnie King married and passed down to her children her artistic talent, as her mother did. Just as her mother was her first teacher, King was her daughters' first teacher at the same school.

"This is home," Grant said. "The teachers are so good."

King agreed.

"Some of the teachers I've known since I was a kid," she said. "They're excellent."

Now it's Mercedes' time, and the skills have been passed down her family line, according to her instructors.

"Mercedes is special," said Brett Weidlich. "She's always been special since the first year I taught here. She possesses more elevation than students from the whole school. She has a stronger core, and is the rare exception of students who tire- she says she gets tired, but it's not noticeable. She's got big stamina."

And although Weidlich commented on Mercedes' excellent coordination, which he is sure is genetic, King jumped in with a correction.

"We're coordinated only if it's choreographed," she said with a laugh. "We're actually very clumsy."

Mercedes has been rehearsing tirelessly, and, despite saying she is nervous, she presents a confident demeanor when discussing her upcoming part. "An interesting thing about

her role," King said, "is that Clara is up front in the beginning, but usually she is put in the background, and they have an older dancer come out during a lot of the scenes. It's really not that big of a role. But hers is much more intertwined. It's a much bigger role than normal."

The Conejo Civic Ballet Company's production of "The Nutcracker" will be at 2:30 p.m. on Sun., Dec. 3 in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Kavli Theatre. For tickets, call the box office at (805) 449-2787.