Esty twins in homecoming

Two of Maine’s most acclaimed professional dancers returned to their home dance company this summer to help teach the next generation of dancers, and to encourage them to follow their dreams.

Twin sisters Leigh-Ann and Sara Esty of Gorham have been professional dancers with the Miami City Ballet since 2006. The twins grew up dancing at the Maine State Ballet school, and then with the Maine State Ballet Co.

From July 9 to July 20, the Esty sisters taught courses at Maine State Ballet’s Summer Ballet Workshop. They worked with young dancers from age 10 and up.

“It has been awesome. It’s great to be able to give back to the place that has given us so much,” Sara Esty said in a press release. “The students are fantastic. They’re eager to learn and they love hearing about the ballet world outside of Maine.”

The Esty sisters spent three summers training with the School of American Ballet in New York City, and three summers training at the Miami City Ballet before joining that company fulltime.

Sara was promoted to soloist last year, and Leigh-Ann is a member of the Corps de Ballet. Sara was featured last year in Dance Magazine.

During their time with the Maine State Ballet Company, both sisters played prominent roles, including the role of Clara in the annual production of The Nutcracker.

Linda MacArthur Miele, co-founder and artistic director of the nonprofit Maine State Ballet, said having the Esty sisters teach at the summer workshops is like bringing two members of the Boston Red Sox into a youth baseball clinic.

“They are bringing all that current professional knowledge to the kids,” Miele said. “Sara and Leigh-Ann make great connections with the workshop students. They can show better than I can tell.”

Genealogy program

Paul Doucette of Gorham said the Greater Portland Genealogical Chapter would hold its monthly meeting on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Church of Latter Day Saints, 29 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth.

The meeting begins at 12:30 pm with a social time. At 1 p.m., Gail Kill, an avid genealogist, will present a program called “Organizing Your Research” in which she will show how to log searches to streamline analysis of the research problem and how to file so that any document can be retrieved in less than a minute.

A business meeting at about 2:00 pm. will follow the program. For more information, call Doucette at 839-2593.

Gazebo concert

Gin Mill Julep will present a free concert 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, at the gazebo on the lawn at Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St.

Gorham Recreation Department sponsored a series of free summer concerts that continue through Tuesday, Aug. 7.

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of Public Debt reported on July 20 that the U.S. public debt was $15,874,876,409,526.41.

Leigh-Ann and Sara Esty of Gorham. Courtesy photo