Jaryd Farcon is featured in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn, under the direction of Julie Taymor. When her big brother, Jaryd Farcon, danced his way to success in competitions on stage and television, Jhailyn Farcon asked their parents when her turn would come.
Eight-year-old Jhailyn’s turn came Dec. 6 when President Barack Obama tapped her on the shoulder and said, “Good job,” after she danced with Mariah Carey at the National Christmas Tree Lighting in Washington, D.C.
Juggling the dancing siblings’ busy schedules and running a successful dental practice in Fords has kept the children’s parents, Armie and Cayetano Farcon, and grandparents on their toes, as well.
Jhailyn, a third-grader at Our Lady of Peace School (OLP) in Fords, and Jaryd, 16, who attended OLP for nine years and is now a sophomore at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City, both have to do some fancy footwork to balance their school and careers.
Jhailyn Farcon, 8, of Fords, recently returned from a six-month national tour with “Billy Elliot the Musical.” “It’s crazy. We live out of our car,” joked Armie Farcon, the children’s mother.
The family lives in the Fords section of Woodbridge, but also has a studio apartment in New York. Jaryd’s grandparents and parents take turns staying with him.
In addition to school, Jaryd is currently playing the part of one of the Elementals in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Theatre For a New Audience in Brooklyn.
He sings, acts and dances in the show and works with lead actor David Harewood — known for his role in Showtime’s “Homeland” — under the direction of Julie Taymor, the award-winning director of “The Lion King” and “Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark” on Broadway. “It’s a lot,” Armie said. “He has to maintain schoolwork while appearing in the show six days a week. He is only off on Mondays. He goes to school, then does his homework, then the show, home at 11:45 at night, and then does more homework. He’s really enjoying it.”
Jaryd, who has been in the show since August and will continue in performances until Jan. 12, still manages to compete in ballroom dance competitions. His new dance partner, Kyla Dzhaniashvili, lives in Massachusetts, which will present another challenge for practice. But they will work it out, according to Armie.
Jaryd started taking dance classes at age 3 at Across the Floor in Woodbridge. He then continued at Vision Dance Center in Dayton until he was 11.
He started ballroom dancing at age 9 and represented the United States twice over the next two years in the Junior Blackpool Dance Festival in England. He and his then-partner, Cara Camkpos of Nutley, came in third and fourth as a team.
“It’s like the Olympics of ballroom dancing,” Armie said.
In addition, Jaryd was featured on the sixth season of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” and appeared on NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “Good Morning America” and the syndicated “Maury Show.”