The Nutcracker Suite

One of the most meaningful parts of this holiday season for me is always the Nutcracker. Whether it is hearing the first chimes of “The Children’s Dance” during Act 1’s party scene or seeing the Russian dancers do cartwheels and flips, the Nutcracker has always symbolized the start of Christmas for me.

As a little girl, I used to turn out the lights by my Christmas tree and pretend to be Clara waking up and dancing into the land of the sweets.  As I got older, I was lucky enough to perform in my dance company’s production of the Nutcracker playing a mouse, a candy cane, Russian dancer and Arabian dancer bringing Clara hot chocolate. As an adult, it became a family tradition that I would dance the entire Nutcracker in under two minutes (I still remember the choreography from so many years ago and what I can’t remember I make up.)  It’s typically a production I reserve for Christmas Day after a few cups of egg nog, but perhaps if someone asks nicely, I’ll demonstrate.

Throughout Massachusetts, we are lucky that there are many quality productions of The Nutcracker. The Boston Ballet’s interpretation is beautiful and classic and I hear wonderful things about The Hanover Theatre’s version if you want to stay a closer to home. This year though, I’m excited to go watch my daughter perform in Grafton’s own Dance It Up’s “Kingdom of Sweets…. Not Just Nutcracker.” The performance is December 3 at 2:00 at The Worcester Technical High School Theatre and it is a great first Nutcracker for children. It is only the second act (The Land of the Sweets) and then a holiday dance performance.  I think it is a terrific way to introduce children to the Nutcracker as well as a great chance to cheer on many local girls. Dancers hail from Grafton, Westborough, Northborough, Upton, Hopkinton, Auburn, Shrewsbury and Worcester.

As a mother, I’m looking forward to seeing the Nutcracker through another set of eyes, my daughter’s.