Dancing with your twin can be a mixed blessing, ballerinas say as The Sleeping Beauty opens

The problem with working closely with your twin is that when they give you constructive criticism, you'd better listen because you know it's the cold, hard truth.

"It is both easier and harder to hear it from your closest friend and sister because you know it's the truth, so I always trust what she says," Jennifer Gibson said of her twin sister, Alexandra.

The 28-year-olds are each performing multiple roles in The Sleeping Beauty, an Alberta Ballet production that opens in Calgary on Wednesday and later takes the stage in Edmonton.

"I know that she knows my body almost as well as I do, because we are pretty identical and we were trained the same and we grew up the same. It's actually really nice to have a personal coach, sometimes."

In this version of the Disney classic, Jennifer says she's playing Princess Florine, the Lilac Fairy and is one of three dancers who play the lead role of the Sleeping Beauty herself, Princess Aurora, while Alexandra is also taking on the Lilac Fairy as well as the Fairy of Bravery and the Fairy of Virtue along with other smaller roles.

And this production is far from the dancers' first rodeo with Alberta Ballet.

Jennifer played Cinderella in last season's world premiere, while Alexandra took on the role of Myrtha in Giselle, the Lover in Balletlujah, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. Both played the Sugar Plum Fairy and Klara in The Nutcracker.

"I would say it's probably the best possible situation, especially since we are the kind of twins that like each other," Alexandra Gibson says of Jennifer.

"Every day, you get that positive reinforcement of having not only a sister but my best friend in the studio supporting me, pushing me. There's a friendly competition that goes on. I don't think we would be where we are if we didn't do it together."

While the Gibsons were born in Toronto, they moved to Calgary at age seven, have trained in the province for about a dozen years and joined Alberta Ballet in 2009.

Alexandra says it's rare for twins to be picked up by the same company.

"Not only to get into the same company, but into the same company in our hometown was really special. I don't know if our careers would have been the same if we weren't in it together."

In the last few years, they've faced a new challenge as they both take on more lead roles and soloist positions.

"[It] has been an even greater challenge for us because we have to find our individuality," Alexandra said.

"Being alone on stage is very different than being with even two people or 17 people."

Jennifer adds, "I think I feel most comfortable when I am on stage with her, somewhere."

'Lots of blood, sweat and tears'

Their 10th season has brought with it a certain level of respect and acknowledgement of their talent.

"Lots of training. Lots of blood, sweat and tears, but 10 years in you start to reap some of the rewards," Jennifer said.

Alexandra adds, "We are definitely at the stage where we are getting to enjoy the fruits of our labour."

That's with the knowledge that a ballet dancer's career isn't usually a long one.

"It depends on the dancer and injuries," Jennifer said.

"Most dancers retire between 35 and 40. We are 10 years in, we might look at another 10 years, that would be the upper end of our career."

But in the more immediate future is The Sleeping Beauty.

"It is kind of the pinnacle of classical ballet, so getting to that point where Jennifer is doing the lead role and I am doing one of the other principal roles is interesting, because you get to see how much your training matters and how far you have come," Alexandra said.

"We did this 10 years ago and going from a Lilac Attendant on the side to being the Lilac Fairy is a big jump, but it's a nice way to view your career."

The Sleeping Beauty opens in Calgary on Oct. 24 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. with five performances wrapping Oct. 27.

The production moves to Edmonton opening Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, also with five performances, concluding with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

With files from Monty Kruger