Blistered feet, intense practices, injuries, stress, and months of preparation have all lead up to this moment.
This is The Nutcracker.
December is the time for ballet studios across the Bay Area to perform their own productions of the classic Nutcracker, many of which feature Redwood students. This is an especially exciting year for Marin Ballet Company, which celebrated its 50 year anniversary.
Junior Eve Schwartz, who currently attends classes at both Just Dance Studio and the Academy of Ballet in San Francisco, performed the part of the Rose Queen in the Academy of Ballet’s Nutcracker on Dec. 1 and 2. She attends two-hour classes five to six days a week.
An average daily rehearsal for Schwartz is “a progression of movements, almost like yoga.”
“You come out of class sore,” Schwartz said. “It’s physically taxing.”
Sophomore Daphne Nhuch performed this year as a flower corps, or ensemble, and an Arabian demi, a smaller group of dancers, in Marin Ballet Company’s productions on Dec. 8 and 9.
“Most people think that ballet is all pink tutus—first of all, we don’t even get tutus—but it’s so much more than that,” said Nhuch. “There’s determination, and pushing when you don’t want to push anymore.”
Katherine Rivas, junior, attends both Studio C Ballet and Just Dance, but did not perform in her company’s Nutcracker this year due to an ankle injury. Rivas said that ballet is highly athletic, yet not quite the same as a traditional sport.
“Ballet is definitely athletic. It takes just as much physical effort as a sport would, but it isn’t a sport. It’s much more than that. Its an art form—you’re using your body in an artistic way,” Rivas said. “More emotions are expressed than if you’re crossing the finish line.”
In the studio, the atmosphere come December is frantic, especially with the added stress of homework and upcoming finals, but many of the dancers said that the chaos can bring the ballerinas closer together.
Lizzie Pozonyakov, juinor, was in the Snow, Arabian, and Flour dances in Marin Ballet Company’s Nutcracker.
At the Marin Ballet Company, practice runs three and a half hours a day, five to six days a week. Rehearsals extend into weekends and longer hours when a show is coming up. The weekend before the show, the ballerinas attended a total of 18 hours of rehearsal.
“It takes a long time to build up to when you’re able to last through that entire day,” Pozonyakov said, who has been dancing since she was nine.
“Everybody is so excited, but they’re also all so nervous, and can lash out on each other,” said Pozonyakov. “We all yell at each other—but at the same time, we have things like Secret Santa. This is a difficult time, but I feel like you get a lot closer to people in your class. You’re basically friends for life, once you’ve been through all the blood and tears — and sweat, obviously.”
Most girls in Marin Ballet Company’s Nutcracker have two or three roles in the show, and there are over 150 students from third through twelfth grade in the production.
Cynthia Lucas, the artistic director at Marin Ballet Company, has been in charge of the Marin Ballet Company production of Nutcracker for 14 years.
“There’s much reverence and respect for the process of classical ballet. It gives the girls a sense of camaraderie, and a chance to give back to the community,” Lucas said.
Marin Ballet’s Nutcracker had impeccable costumes, elaborate sets, and over 100 people in the cast.
Samatha Sconyers, junior, had a solo as the Golden Goose, and other Redwood students danced among the varied and large cast. Their production took a unique artistic turn in the second act when, instead of having the traditional Russian, Chinese, and Arabian dances, each nationality represented an ingredient–Chinese Almonds, Arabian Sugar, Spanish cholocate, etc.
Emma Burgis, senior, danced in Stapleton’s Nutcracker on Dec. 1 and 2. Burgis, who has done ballet for 14 years, was the prominent role of the sugar plum fairy. “It was really hard, but worth it in the end,” said Burgis. “This was my last Nutcracker, so it felt great.”
