Boston Ballet School's Tiny Dancers To Perform In Le Corsaire

BOSTON (CBS) -- They are some of the youngest dancers to grace the Boston Ballet stage and they're working toward the performance of their lives.

About 30 kids, age 10 to 16, are rehearsing for the Ballet's season opener. They're all students at the Boston Ballet School, and for them, it's a nervous countdown to opening night.

"We are the garden girls and we are supposed to resemble flowers," says 11-year-old Kennedy Parker.

"We're supposed to be alive and dancing," adds 13-year-old Sophia Bartlett.

They're describing the garden scene from Act 3 of Le Corsaire, one of the most famous ensemble scenes in classical ballet. And these little flowers provide the color and spectacle to enhance the artistry of the principal dancers.

Sophia has been a student at the Boston Ballet School since she was 3.

"This is a new ballet for me, so it's cool to have a different experience with whole new costumes and choreography," she says.

"Right now my nerves have not kicked in yet, but they will soon," says Kennedy, chuckling. She's in her second year at the Boston Ballet school, and knows they have to be ready for Thursday's opener. "The biggest challenge has to be spacing. We bump into each other. If one of us is wrong, we're all wrong," she explains.

All the young dancers have to audition for their parts and put in the hours and do the mental and physical work.

"It means a lot to me because ballet takes up like 80 percent of my life," Kennedy says.

"All of them just love ballet and they're so committed to it, and I just hope this really reinforces why they want to do ballet and how much fun it is," says Melanie Atkins, one of their teachers.

"I'm very serious about ballet. I really do want to continue this journey," Kennedy says.

"When the audience claps for the company after they do a part, it's kind of fun to think they are also clapping for you," adds Sophia.

Le Corsaire runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 6.