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Teen Dancing Down The Yellow Brick Road

Cheryl Bentley/SUNCOAST NEWS

Bailey Monarch, 14, prepares to don the ruby slippers for her starring role as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz."

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By Cheryl  Bentley | The Suncoast News

Published: June 6, 2008

Twenty hours a week. That's how much 14-year-old Bailey Monarch practices dance.

Those long hours, however, don't even warrant the tiniest blip on Bailey's radar screen of complaints.

"I just love dancing, so it's worth it," said the East Lake High School honor student. Bailey is the daughter of Cherie and Jerry Monarch.

All the practice has paid off. Bailey will star tonight as Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz" at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. The musical is produced by Jessica Davies, owner of Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Oldsmar. Davies was Bailey's first dance teacher when she began studying dance, at 4.

"She works hard and deserves everything she's gotten," Davies observed. "I think she will be a star."

To land the role of Dorothy Gale, Bailey had to beat out tough competition from her fellow dance students. She walked the fine line of joy that she had won the part and concern for a friend who also had her heart set on being Dorothy, Bailey recalled in her lilting, clear voice.

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it because one of my friends wanted it, but inside I was so happy."

With typical dedication, she started rehearsing the next week and has kept up a weekday 5 – 9 p.m. rehearsal schedule. That was in addition to a school day that starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.

What about school work?

Bailey shrugged. "I always manage to get it done."

Even that comes with typical Monarch flair. Bailey has a weighted 4.75 grade point average and was named outstanding freshman of East Lake this year.

She got serious about dance at the ripe old age of 10. "That's when we started having the 20-hour-a-week stuff."

But the long hours have their advantage. She has developed a tight circle of friends through the dance. Out of the original 13 members of her class, six still remain. "We all love being together," she said.

By this time, Bailey is a veteran performer. She has been in more than 25 productions. Last year, she was the Sugar Plum Fairy in "The Nutcracker," dancing with Michael Keating, then principal dancer with the Sarasota Ballet of Florida.

In "Oz," Bailey sings, dances and acts.

Which of the art forms does she prefer?

"That depends on the day," she smiled. In the next breath, she concluded she loves them all.

She doesn't get nervous, she said. "You start feeling an adrenalin rush. You really put your heart into it because you want to make the show amazing."

She confessed to being a ham when performing." I always make it really big. I get really into it."

For the "Oz" production, Bailey is on stage the entire time except for a few seconds during a shoe change.

No problem there. "I love feeling the energy between you and people and the audience. I love being on stage."

Bailey feels a kinship with Dorothy. Both are hungry for life, she said. "She's a person who wants to go over the rainbow and experience something new. I want to do the same."

And, yes, this young performer is aiming for Broadway.

But all that dancing has taught Bailey how to land on those supple feet. If the Broadway dream doesn't work out, she will be a physician, she said, "because I really want to help people."

But it is hard to let go of those Broadway dreams. "But acting and dancing and singing are what I really love to do."

Show time

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts production of the musical "The Wizard of Oz" will be performed 7:30 p.m. tonight, June 7, at The Mahaffey Theater at the Process Energy Center for the Arts, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg. Call 813-854-3404 or visit the Ticketmaster href=http://www.ticketmaster.com> Web site for tickets.

Cheryl Bentley can be reached at 727-815-1069 or cbentley@suncoastnews.com.

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