A dancer from Maidenhead is on the big screen playing a Munchkin in the new hit musical film Wicked.
Clarissa Hagan’s hip-hop dance career has spanned more than 20 years, having performed in the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony and as a backup dancer for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
She was on a break from the stage due to injury so Clarissa was hesitant when a choreographic assistant from the Wicked film camp remembered her from her ‘heyday’.
“I didn’t think that happens in real life, that only happens in films right?,” Clarissa told the Advertiser.
“She was younger [than me] when I was at the top of my game years ago and remembered me in the hip-hop world.
“I was in two minds because it had been so long since I had done a big dance gig.
“I was a bit rusty. I was nervous and had to think long and hard before saying yes.”
But Clarissa now has no regrets about signing on for the Hollywood blockbuster and said, ‘the fact she remembered my accolades from back in the day was a real honour’.
“It was so worth it – it was a leap of faith because I had a wonderful dance career but when you’ve been out of the game for a couple of years, due to injury, it is quite tough,” she added.
“Any athlete that’s injured, you lose your identity a bit, you feel a bit washed up and forgotten about so this was a lovely thing and I think I needed it.
“I’m so glad I said yes because as my mum said, it’s like riding a bike darling, you’ll be fine.”
Clarissa ‘had no choice’ but to pursue a career in the performing arts having been ‘born into dance’ and trained in ballet since the age of three.
Hailing from Pinkneys Green, she attended her mother’s dance school, Julie Baugh School of Ballet in Furze Platt and was part of the National Youth Ballet before studying musical theatre.
Clarissa Hagan playing a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz at the Kenton Theatre in Henley.
A Michael Jackson fan, Clarissa’s calling was hip-hop and she was a member of the dance company Zoonation.
“I was one of the few dancers that was quite versatile – I had such deep roots in my ballet and equally loved the other end of the spectrum, the hip-hop stuff,” she said.
“I was a big ballet girl turned hip-hop hop, with a bit of musical theatre in the middle – did it all.”
The dance choreography in Wicked was predominantly hip-hop and contemporary, and the filming in Hertfordshire often started at 2.30am and lasted until 10pm.
“It was a lot, but I would do it again in a heartbeat,” said Clarissa.
“I had never been on a film set of that budget before, so it was fascinating.
“ The enormity of it all was incredible.
“The promo that has gone into this has been immense – I’m mega proud to be involved in something so successful and hopefully Part Two will be equally wonderful.”
Clarissa had danced with Cynthia Erivo ‘back in the day’ but couldn’t meet her on set due to conflicting schedules, although she met Ariana Grande who was ‘absolutely lovely’.
Clarissa missed the cast and crew screening and watched her performance for the first time with her parents last Friday at the Odeon in Maidenhead.
She originally played a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz at Henley’s Kenton Theatre at the age of eight and Clarissa believes she’s ‘come full circle’.
“I’m proud of the whole production, it was wonderful to be a part of,” she said.
“It was magical. It’s been a real Christmas treat.”
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