30 Years Apart, Mom, Daughter Dance Same Role

Emily Gershowitz stars as the Snow Queen opposite Jackson Fort in New York Dance Theatre’s production of “The Nutcracker,” 30 years after her mom danced the same role.

By Sophia Ricco
sricco@longislandergroup.com

When Marnie Gershowitz was cast as the Snow Queen in “The Nutcracker” at 15 years old, she never would have imagined that 30 years later her daughter Emily would follow in her pointe shoes.

Emily, a junior at Half Hollow Hills High School East, is set to perform for the second year as the Snow Queen in the New York Dance Theatre’s production of “The Nutcracker”, under the same company and dance teacher as her mother. The part of the Snow Queen is highly coveted as one of the lead female roles in the production and the first to dance the pas de deux, a classical male/female partnering.

“Our lives in the ballet world parallel each other,” Marnie said. “We both started young and when you’re young and involved in the Nutcracker, you see the older dancer and aspire to become one of them one day… The Snow Queen is a role you aspire to.”

In preparation for the performance, the production has held weekly practices since September. Emily also takes classes five days a week that total 12 to 14 hours of technique work.

“In class I heard a little girl watching through the doorway say, ‘Oh my gosh she’s wearing pointe shoes.’ And I don’t know when I became one of the older girls that a little girls looks up to, but I guess I did,” Emily said.

Marnie Gershowitz dances with James Garland in the 1987 production of “The Nutcracker.”

This year, Marnie will watch her daughter from the wings and admits she still holds her breath when she hears the overture for the dance. As a ballet teacher, she can give Emily corrections, considered compliments in the ballet world, for the role she once danced.

“It’s special because there’s certain things that she understands about the role more,” Emily said.

“The Nutcracker” is scheduled for four performances at Hofstra University’s John Cranford Adams Playhouse, Dec. 15 and 16 at noon and 5 p.m. Emily will be playing the Snow Queen during the opening and closing shows, Half Hollow Hills High School West’s Amanda San Jose will alternate with her. Purchase tickets at ohmanballet.org.

Emily hopes to continue dancing in the future.

“I want ballet to be in my life,” Emily said. “It’s always been a part of my life and I can’t really picture life without it at all.”

Big Prizes For Holiday Decorating Contest

The Tomeo family’s home on Mansfield Drive in East Northport earned them an award in the 2016 holiday decorating contest. Winners of this year’s contest, co-sponsored by Long Islander News, will win such prizes as a night at Oheka, a VIP package to The Paramount and Engeman Theater tickets.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

 The stakes in this year’s annual Huntington Holiday Decorating Contest are high, with prizes from Oheka Castle, John W. Engeman Theater and The Paramount up for grabs.

“This is our fourth year doing this contest,” Councilman Cuthbertson, who is sponsoring the contest along with Supervisor Chad Lupinacci, said. “Each year the entries get better and better so we stepped up with bigger and better prizes.”

The contest encourages Huntington residents to get into the holiday spirit by decorating their homes with displays of lights, garland, wreaths and anything else they can imagine.

The 2018 Holiday Decorating Contest has been streamlined from past years. It is now open to residential entries only, and prize categories are now a simple first, second and third place, plus honorable mentions.

Entries may include indoor decorations, outdoor displays or both, and must be submitted by Dec. 10.

The residents of the most festive house in town will receive a $1,000 VIP package at The Paramount for the Jan. 13 Doo Wop project show, an overnight stay at Oheka Castle and a one-year subscription to The Long-Islander.

The second place prize includes two free tickets to any show at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, an overnight stay at Oheka Castle and a one-year subscription to The Long-Islander. The third place finisher will earn a $175 gift certificate to Honu Kitchen and Cocktails in Huntington village, an overnight stay at Oheka Castle and a one-year subscription to The Long-Islander.

Finalists will be contacted to set up a date between the evenings of Dec. 13 and Dec. 16 for Cuthbertson, Lupinacci and the team of judges to visit their homes.

Winners will be notified ahead of the Dec. 20 edition of The Long-Islander, where photos of the winning decorations will be published along with honorable mentions.

Residents wishing to enter the contest must submit their entries and photos on the town website at Huntingtonny.gov.

Honors And A Surprise For Military Moms

At an event organized to honor service members, two military families were surprised by their sons’ returning after a yearlong deployment.

By Sophia Ricco
sricco@longislandergroup.com

Auxiliary police officers and military families came together at the South Huntington Library to honor a local Gold Star mother and to witness the surprise of two Marines returning home for the holidays.

The event was organized by auxiliary police officers, Lt. Bob Turner, Sgt. Douglas Henningsen, and Michael Garone, volunteer peace officers who work as a specialized unit alongside the police department.

“It just came to me, why don’t we do something as a law enforcement organization to give back to the community/” Turner said. “They’re always saying thank you to us, so let’s give them a thank you.”

“They put their own lives on the line and in some cases, lose their lives to recognize a sense of duty and patriotism,” County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer said. “They’re special individuals and the least we can do is take care of them and their families. We need to honor them and respect them.”

Among the event’s honorees was Janet Scherer of East Northport, mother of Marine Cpl. Christopher Scherer who was killed in Iraq in 2007. Scherer has worked to honor her son’s memory by organizing the “I DID THE GRID” run and walk that also raises money for veteran causes. The race takes place during Memorial Day weekend on the streets her son ran while training to be a Marine. Participants run four miles wearing a race bib with the names of four fallen soldiers.

Members of the Huntington Community First Aid Squad stand with USMC Sergeant Jeff Silentwalker, USMC Lance-Corporal Joseph Kaye and Auxiliary Police Sergeant Douglas Henningsen.

While Spencer gave a speech in tribute of Scherer’s service and to all the families who have lost a loved one while serving this country, a surprise presentation was made to the Scherer family. The family was given a flag that flew over the Iwo Jima memorial as a symbol of their son’s sacrifice. Since, Janet Scherer works as a librarian in South Huntington, the flag will proudly fly in the library.

“The flag shows he is still here,” Henningsen said.

It wasn’t the only surprise of the day. Two military families were invited for what they believed would be Skype calls with their loved ones on active duty. Organizers pretended to lose the signal mid-call, leaving the families disappointed. Until the Marines came out in person, that is.

“It was one of the most awesome, breathtaking moments you can ever imagine,” Spencer said. “It was just such a surprise for them.”

Legislator William Spencer with Auxiliary Police Sergeant Douglas Henningsen, one of the event’s organizers.
Photos courtesy office of Legislator William Spencer

The Marines returned from Arizona and Okinawa after being away for more than a year. Turner coordinated the troops’ returns for months and recruited local sponsors to pay for their tickets and hotel.

“This was a chance to honor vets and families of those who serve locally,” Spencer said. “There are now two families who are, just in time for Thanksgiving, going to have their loved ones back from overseas for the holidays.”

With the holidays being a time of togetherness, the families could take comfort in knowing they would get to spend it with their loved ones.

“Holidays are about family first and foremost,” Spencer said. “Many of these families sacrifice being separated because their duty is necessary during the holidays.”

In addition to Spencer, Legislator Susan Berland, Supervisor Chad Lupinacci, SCPD Second Precinct Inspector William Scrima, and Assemblyman Steve Stern also  attended to pay their respects to the armed forces.

The service members and their families enjoyed performances from the students of Harborfields, John H. Glenn, Huntington, Northport-East Northport and Walt Whitman’s bands.

“The town of Huntington is a very tight-knit, close and strong community,” Henningsen said. “It’s also very family oriented… We thought it was only right to invite not just the adult population, but bring it down to the high school level as well.”

Suffolk County Auxiliary Police hope to make this an annual holiday tradition for years to come.