This holiday season offers a good opportunity to view young, aspiring ballerinas on our local stages.

In a grueling profession where many are called but few are chosen, many young dancers still aspire to a professional career. For some, it is a far-off dream; for others, it is closer at hand.

• For Hawaii Ballet Theatre's Autumn Ogawa, 29, the dream has already come true. "Dance comes first," she said, though dance is only one of the performing skills she possesses. Her talent was superbly demonstrated when she played the lead in "Flower Drum Song" at Diamond Head Theatre in 2007.

She began dancing at age 3, and by age 9, played the lead in "Annie" at the Army Community Theatre. Since then, she has earned her degree in musical theater and performed as a singer/ dancer for Disneyworld and the Royal Caribbean line.

• Hawaii State Ballet is particularly proud of its 18-year old pupil Erica Wong. A senior at Punahou School, Wong competed this year at Varna, in Bulgaria, one of the most prestigious international dance competitions in the world. Unbeknownst to her teachers, she was dancing despite pain in both her legs. Following the competition, both ankles were operated on to correct a structural problem. The operations were successful, and she now looks forward to many more years of dancing.

Wong aspires to join a company such as the Boston or San Francisco Ballet. "I want to become a professional ballet dancer and perform both contemporary and classical works," she said.

Joining Wong onstage for Hawaii State Ballet's "Nutcracker" this year are three talented 14-year-olds, all of whom also hope to make a career out of dance. Molly Browning, Lily Foster and Priscilla Ponciano, students at 'Iolani, La Pietra and Kailua high schools, are also aiming for the larger ballet companies.

• At Ballet Hawaii studios in Dole Cannery, rehearsals took on an accelerated pace as members of the company prepared for their Blaisdell performances in "Nutcracker," the winter staple.

Among dancers rehearsing the snow scene are five who will be entering this year's Youth America Grand Prix competition on the Mainland. Joining Gabrielle Chock and Sabrina Ocasio, 12-year-olds who both were selected as finalists in last year's competition, will be Stephanie and Courtney Schenberger, 11 and 13, and Maree Miller, 13.

The role of Marie in Ballet Hawaii's production will be danced by Natalie Schull, 14. For those following ballet in Hawai'i, the name will be familiar. Natalie's aunt is Amanda Schull, a former dancer who has gone on to a successful acting career. Amanda Schull will appear in the role of the Mother in this year's "Nutcracker."

• At Queen Emma Ballet, where the school will be presenting "Winter Suite 2009" next weekend, only Taylor Heckman, 14, of the advanced class, confessed to the desire to dance professionally.

Her classmate, Maya Suzuki-Jones, 15, was perhaps more realistic. She said, "I want to continue dancing in college, but I've always wanted to be a lawyer."