As with most ballets that haven't been performed in six years, Pacific Northwest Ballet's recent run of The Sleeping Beauty was filled with a multitude of exciting debuts, including four dancers who took on the role of Aurora for the first time. Of those four, there's only one that I've been lucky enough to watch rise through the school and company for nearly two decades, namely since she performed the role of Clara at Cornish Preparatory Dance in 2007. Even then, at age eleven, Madison Rayn Abeo showed a foretelling shimmer in her earnest care of the role and in her fine-tuned attention to detail. I was only a seven-year-old "mouse" at the time, and yet that impression imprinted itself upon me. It's no surprise that some seventeen years later, she has just debuted one of the most highly coveted and most technically demanding roles in the classical repertory: Aurora.
First of all, congratulations on a splendid Aurora debut. How do you feel now that this huge accomplishment is behind you?
Thank you for being there and supporting me! I honestly feel very grateful and proud of myself. The support and love from my friends and family truly was the only way I could have made it all happen.
This was your second full-length. How did approaching Sleeping Beauty feel different knowing you had Giselle under your belt?
After Giselle, I believed in myself more and I knew that I could do this. Having more trust and confidence in myself and my dancing helped my nerves so I was able to focus on the many layers of Aurora and helping her come to life.
What did you learn from the process of Giselle (as well as learning Swanilda last year) that aided the way you approached Aurora?
Working on all these various full-lengths has helped me with my acting and character development a lot. Swanhilda and Giselle are both very real and down-to-earth characters in my opinion. I feel like Aurora is more regal which was something I worked on a lot with Carla Körbes. Aurora is a princess so down to every little detail I had to hold myself with that regal quality much more than the qualities Giselle had as a hopeless romantic peasant girl.
How do you mentally prepare for such a demanding role?
Making sure my body and mind are feeling rested and fueled is a huge thing for me. I love to take midday naps whenever my schedule allows, to fully rest my mind. Prepping my pointe shoes the day before a dress rehearsal or show really helps me as well. I like to have a lot of options when it comes to pointe shoes, so I don’t have to focus on anything but the performance ahead of me.
Who were your biggest inspirations in shaping your Aurora?
My biggest inspirations were my beautiful coaches Kaori Nakamura and Carla Körbes. Working with them on this debut was truly a dream come true! I’ve grown up watching them both since I was a kid. Being able to get personal time with them both was such a special experience. Marianela Nuñez is a huge overall inspiration for me as well. Her genuine love for dance beams out of her in everything I see her do. She inspires me daily.
What was your favorite part of the role of Aurora? What was most daunting?
My favorite part was probably the Act 1 solo. We learn so much about Aurora in that variation. Her charming and elegant persona. It’s nice to have that calm moment before the coda and finger pricking scenes. The most daunting scene was probably the vision variation. Being alone onstage and presenting this difficult variation was very hard, but equally as rewarding!
What are you most proud of in your portrayal of Aurora?
I’m proud of my calmness during my debut performance. It felt like an out-of-body experience to be honest. I tried to take every moment as it came and really enjoy every second of it. The support and love from everyone backstage made it feel real. I'm also proud of my ability to surprise myself during that show! I was very lucky with a great pair of shoes and being on my leg. So very grateful for that.
What was it like to be coached by two of PNB’s fondly remembered Auroras: Kaori Nakamura and Carla Körbes?
Carla and Kaori have been my idols since I was in level 5 in the PNB school. Being able to hear their insights to certain moments that helped them perform full-lengths is something I’m so grateful for. They gave personal advice and guidance that truly helped shape my Aurora.
How did this debut feel compared to Giselle where you knew you only had one show? How did the second performance feel different than the first?
This debut felt more relaxed than my Giselle debut. I had a new partner for my one show of Giselle and only one chance to prove myself. It was a lot of pressure, mostly that I had put on myself. My Aurora debut felt exciting and fresh, and I was glad I had the second show in case anything unlikely happened. The second performance felt great as well, but not as exciting as the debut I have to say. The energy and support I was getting throughout my debut, encouraged me to push through the exhaustion and just leave it all out there.
Next time you take on Aurora (and Giselle), what are you hoping to bring from the experience of your debuts?
I’m hoping to bring more confidence and strength to both roles next time I revisit them!
As a child, what were your dream roles?
My dream roles were anything by Balanchine and any fairytale princess, Aurora, Cinderella, etc.
What dream roles still lie ahead?
My dream roles have always been Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Juliette in Romeo and Juliette, Diamonds in George Balanchine’s Jewels and anything by William Forsythe or David Dawson.
I know it‘s hard to choose a favorite, but over the course of your career, what has been a favorite role in a classical ballet and in a contemporary work?
My favorite classical role that I’ve performed is a tie between Giselle and Aurora for sure. And I haven’t gotten to perform it yet but my favorite contemporary role that I’ve learned and worked on was a duet in Alejandro Cerrudos Little Mortal Jump. Hoping to get the opportunity to dance that someday!
You can read more about Abeo's debut here and about the premiere of Pacific Northwest Ballet's new production of The Sleeping Beauty here.
Madison Rayn Abeo (she/her) is from Seattle, Washington. She studied at Cornish Preparatory Dance Program and on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and she attended summer courses at American Ballet Theatre, Los Angeles Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Summer Dance Lab, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. She joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2016, was promoted to corps de ballet in 2017, and promoted to soloist in 2022.
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