Adia Dant is no stranger to large-scale performances.
The St. Jude Catholic School sixth-grader has been featured in the national traveling Broadway version of “Annie,” playing in such venues as the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis and Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco.
In 2015, she was on stage in “Annie” at Chicago’s Millennium Park, singing in front of nearly 20,000 people.
But nothing will compare to the crowd at the Circle of Lights.
“This will be the largest performance,” she said. “They keep telling us there will be people all the way in the distance, so I’m going to be focused on that person all the way in the back.”
Dant has been dancing since she was 2 years old, and performing on stage for the past four years. She was encouraged to try out for the Circle of Lights by her vocal coach.
This was the second time she auditioned for the event. In 2013, she and her father, Chris Dant, sang “Santa Bring My Soldier Home” together. She wasn’t chosen that time, and as she approached the tryouts again this year, didn’t get her hopes up too high.
“There were so many people there who were going to audition,” she said. “It’s amazing I was even chosen to be part of the top 10.”
In her first audition, she performed “Never Fall in Love with an Elf” from “Elf the Musical,” a song that she’d found great success with in the past. Her rendition earned her first place at the Marion County Fair and the Indiana State Fair in 2014.
Her performance landed her a spot in the final 10, when she unleashed a version of “Man With the Bag.” In front of a massive crowd, and with dozens of her family and friends cheering her on from the audience, Adia Dant was chosen to be in Friday’s Circle of Lights.
“I was really nervous, because I didn’t know if I’d make it. I was crossing my fingers on stage, and they called my name, and I was speechless,” she said. “I was really happy, and there was a lot of screaming from the audience.”
Dant and the other four performing groups have gone through two rehearsals getting ready for the main performance. The sessions have helped everyone not only learn their cues and timing, but to also bond as a group together.
The performers have joked with each other, raved about each other’s talents and given each other gifts. Being part of the lineup feels more like a family, Dant said.
Now, with the show just a day away, she’s ready to welcome the holidays with her new crew.
“I’m ready. I’m very excited. There are no words to describe it,” she said.
