By Ed Pierce
As millions will be watching on television across America, five girls from Windham will be performing Thursday as part of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. |
| Five Windham dancers will be performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thursday as part of a group of 19 dancers from the Drouin Dance Center in Westbrook. From left are Ellen Woodside, Autumn Wood, Claire Chartier, Juliana Gagne, and Lily Lundberg. PHOTO BY DANIELLLE DROUIN |
Ellen Woodside, Autumn Wood, Claire Chartier, Juliana Gagne, and Lily Lundberg are all juniors at Windham High School and say they are excited to travel to New York City to perform with the Drouin Dance Center group.
“We have been rehearsing for the event for the past few weeks, after learning in February that our dancers would be performing in the parade,” said Danielle J. Drouin, the owner and director of Drouin Dance Center. “We are very excited to be part of this monumental event, and our dancers have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience.”
She said that performers from Drouin Dance Center were first invited to participate in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and have performed in the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021 parades prior to this year.
Woodside said that the routine she’s had to learn for this year’s parade performance in New York City has been formidable.
“We have to know every single detail and pinpoint off of it in three different parts,” she said. “It has been so exhausting but so much fun at the same time.”
She is the daughter of Chanda Turner and Ryan Woodside of Windham.
“The thing I like most about dancing is getting to express myself through the movement and the fun of a high energy performance,” Woodside said. “I am most looking forward to seeing Broadway shows with all of my friends as well as getting to meet the 700 dancers we will be working with in the routine.”
Chartier is the daughter of Amanda and Geoff Chartier of Windham.
“I'm most looking forward to seeing the Rockettes at the famous Radio City Music Hall,” she said. “I'm also looking forward to seeing SIX the musical.”
She said the most difficult routine that she’s had to learn so far is the dance she’ll be performing in New York City this week for the parade.
“I had to learn it through a video, and it includes different parts with different choreography,” Chartier said. “What I love about dancing is not only the community surrounding it, but it's also rewarding. I feel accomplished and refreshed after a long day of classes. Ballet is my favorite because the gracefulness and strength it requires is very therapeutic to me.”
Gagne said she’s looking forward to just being in New York City overall, being in all of the busy streets and seeing all of the tall buildings, but also being able to meet 700 other dancers and making friends with people from all over the world.
She is the daughter of Krystal Williams and Thomas Gagne of Windham.
“The thing I like most about dancing is all of the opportunities that come with it like being able to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and having this opportunity to meet choreographers from around the United States and seeing the Rockettes,” Gagne said.
Since she first started dancing, Gagne says the most difficult dance routine she’s had to learn has been the dance used for this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“It has been fun to learn the dance, but it is very stressful because we have to learn it in such a short time,” she said. “We have to have every movement sharp, and we have to learn all of the formations perfectly for when we get to New York so the choreographers can make sure they can make changes if they have to and make sure everyone knows what they are doing.”
Wood is the daughter of Raymond and Irrae Wood of Windham.
She said she loves how dancing has given her such a creative outlet.
“I cannot think back to which routine was the most difficult because with enough practice, one can have the routine as close to perfect as possible,” she said. “I have never been to New York, so I am excited to see everything that I can. The things I am most excited about are the Broadway shows and seeing the balloons in the parade in person.”
Lundberg is the daughter of Gretchen Lundberg of Windham.
She said that she’s most looking forward to seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall during her trip to perform in the parade.
“When I am dancing, I feel like I can express myself in different ways than I could verbally,” Lundberg said. “I also enjoy the friends that I have made from dancing.”
According to Lundberg, one challenging dance routine she’s learned stands out above all the rest.
“The most difficult piece that I have ever had to learn was the 19-minute-long piece choreographed by Barbie Diewald that I learned at the Bates Dance Festival for the Young Dancers Workshop in 2022.”
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States and along with towering balloons and colorful floats, it also features live music and other performances and is broadcast live on NBC Television. <
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