Maureya Lebowitz, left, is the youngest dancer in the history of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to perform the role of Juliet.
The 18-year-old danced the role in the Royal Winnipeg’s production of Romeo and Juliet last month, during her debut season with the company.
Earlier this season, as part of the ballet’s touring company, she danced the role of Wendy in Peter Pan, for which she got strong reviews in Winnipeg and Ottawa. She was an apprentice with the company last season
Lebowitz is the daughter of Gary and Beth Lebowitz of Darby, Mont. Her parents are originally from Minnesota – her dad is from Minneapolis and her mon from Hibbing (the hometown of Bob Dylan, to whom she is related).
Her parents were living in California but moved to Darby – about a two-hour drive from Missoula, eastern Montana’s largest community – because they felt that it would be a better place to raise children, Lebowitz said.
“Darby was a great place to grow up,” she said. “Living in the mountains, we learned to appreciate nature. We went horseback riding and learned downhill skiing. People are very friendly there.”
Lebowitz has been dancing all of her young life. She remembers she loved twirling around in her special white Shabbat dress. “I loved the flow of the fabric,” she said.
She began dance lessons at the age of three. She used to commute the two hours to Missoula for lessons. She came to Winnipeg to train at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School when she was 11.
“I enjoy being in Winnipeg,” she said. “I love living in the Exchange District close to the theatres and great restaurants.”
In her apprentice year with the company, she danced in Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Carmina Burana, and in a tribute to famed dancer and choreographer George Balanchine.
Dancing, she said, is a full-time job. “We practise from 9:30 to 6 five days a week.”
When the time comes to go on stage, she said she focuses all of her attention on the role. While dancing is physically very demanding, she works hard at it, to keep growing emotionally and physically as an artist.
“Hopefully, there will be many more dramatic roles in my future,” she said.
Lebowitz is looking forward to visiting Israel for the first time this summer. She has recently been accepted into the Birthright Israel program and is excited about going.
“My brother, Aaron, lived in Israel for a year,” she says. “I am looking forward to visiting family in Jerusalem.”
