By Mark Ambrogi
Alyona Yakovleva-Randall calls Julia and Morgan Rust her babies because they have been with her at the Indiana Ballet Conservatory for eight years.
The 16-year-old twin sisters, from Noblesville and are homeschooled sophomores, both excelled. Yakovleva-Randall is like a second mom, the twins agree.
Julia won the Senior Grand Prix award in the Youth America Grand Prix regional semifinals and then placed in the top 12 in senior women in the national finals In New York in April. She performed at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Morgan qualified for the national finals, too.
The Rust sisters will appear in IBC’s “Evolution of a Dancer” at 3 p.m. May 21 at The Tarkington in Carmel.
Yakovleva-Randall said the spring showcase is one of IBC’s most beloved and well-received productions.
“I look forward to dancing in it since I’ve been dancing (with IBC) since I was eight,” Julia said. “I’ve kind of been through all the levels. It’s really nice because it shows the progression of all the different dancers. They all go through this school and progress and grow.”
Morgan said it was great to see the growth as they go through the levels. Morgan saw her own growth during the YAGP national finals last month.
“It was an amazing experience,” Morgan said. “It was a competition, but I looked at it more as a growing opportunity because you got class every day, so you are able to push yourself and learn more about yourself every day rather than just one time on stage.”
The Rust sisters have received several scholarship offers for short -term/summer and year-round training.
“We are definitely going to be able to stay together for the summer,” Julia said. “We aren’t competitive. We don’t think about that. When she wins something, I’m really happy because it feels like I won. When I win something, she is super happy for me. We push each other in a good way.”
Tickets for the spring showcase are $18 for students (high school and college with ID) and $30 for adults. For more, visit indianaballetconservatory.org.
