From Mouse to Sugar Plum Fairy: MHS Senior Reflects on Nutcracker

While many young dancers often aspire to dance the role of Clara in “The Nutcracker” ballet, there is another role which exemplifies beauty and grace during this magical show— The Sugar Plum Fairy. With shimmery make-up and a sparkling, pink tutu, the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is one of the highlight dances in the performance for many. As a Montgomery High School Senior, I have been looking forward to this performance for over a year.

During Nutcracker auditions for the 2016 performance, I found out one of my roles would be the understudy for my favorite role, the Sugar Plum Fairy. I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to learn the role because it meant that I would be the Sugar Plum Fairy next year! Fast forward to this years’ audition and I was every bit as nervous (and excited) as prior years. Auditions are often very stressful, even when you’ve been doing them for years. All the dancers arrive at the studio nervous but excited. Although the audition process makes us nervous, we all know that we will get a role in the Nutcracker, and our teachers know which one(s) is best for us.

Hard work, dedication and commitment

Performing in the Nutcracker has been one of the best experiences of my life, but it has also taken up the most amount of time. Dancers in “Snow” and “Waltz of the Flowers” start rehearsing in August during our two-week intensive at The Dance Connection. This two-week commitment is a requirement for advanced dancers, which is filled with long and tiring days that are super rewarding. We learn from different teachers every day and constantly improve. It is also the beginning of the Nutcracker practices and is always very exciting.

Rehearsals continue at the start of the school year and include Saturday practice. While dancing in the Nutcracker is a big time commitment that requires a lot of dedication, sacrifice and hard work, it’s worth it because we spend the day with our friends. It is often hard to balance dance with everything else I must do— college applications, school work, Girl Scouts, church, family and friends. Making advance plans and leaving my Sunday’s open for school really helps. It is often hard to fit everything in, but there is always a way.

Love of Dance

The art of performing is my favorite part of the Nutcracker. Although I am not a great public speaker, I love dancing in front of crowds and the stage is the place where I feel free to be creative and passionate about dance. For the month leading up to the first Nutcracker show, I think about it constantly with excitement and anticipation as the songs constantly run through my head. I love the feeling of stepping into the theater, seeing all my friends and knowing I will be performing in a few hours. I love putting on the makeup for Nutcracker, wearing the gorgeous costumes, and having the lights shine on me as I’m performing. All of the dancers have little handshakes we do before performing—a way to get our nerves out and we always give each other pep talks before we go on. These small things add to the magic of the show, and make us love it even more. One of the best things about performing, is getting to meet the audience afterwards. As a kid, I remember practicing my signature to make sure it was perfect for the audience. As I’ve gotten older, I love talking to the children in the audience, and seeing the joy on their faces after watching us perform.

I started dance when I was three years old, along with a lot of my friends in my preschool. When I was younger I didn’t always love going to class every week but I stuck with it and now love it. When I turned six, it was the first year I was allowed to be in the Nutcracker so my mom signed me up, and I have been doing it every year since. After performing in the Nutcracker for twelve years, I have been in almost every role. I started out as a mouse at age six, was Clara at age nine, and now I get the chance to be the Sugar Plum Fairy at age seventeen. Every role has gotten better and better and I have loved them all so much. However, I am honestly more excited to be the Sugar Plum Fairy than any other role, because I have grown up in awe of this role, never thinking that I would one day be able to do it. I was so excited to learn and rehearse the Sugar Plum Fairy choreography, and I am even more excited to be able to perform it!

Gratitude

I would never be able to perform this role without the help of my teacher, Ms. Jacquie. She has stayed late nights at the studio to rehearse with me, given me amazing corrections, and inspired me to be the best dancer and person I can be. I am also very grateful to Mr. David and everyone at The Dance Connection for giving me the space to dance, giving me so many options to further my dance experience, and continuing to make me a better dancer. My family has always supported me and they have made dance a family event. My parents drive me to dance at late hours many days a week, pay for my classes, and are always my biggest fans. I’m fortunate to dance with my sister Madeline. We share the same joys and struggles related to dance and are always there to support each other in our accomplishments.

However, I would not love Nutcracker as much if it weren’t for the friends that are there with me through it all. They make long rehearsals fun, give me great corrections that make my dancing better, and are always there to help me.

As I take my final Nutcracker reverence (curtsy), I will have tears in my eyes but a lifetime of magical moments in my heart. Without this experience, I would not be who I am today.

The Nutcracker

No holiday season is quite as special without watching a performance of The Nutcracker. Join Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and many other talented youth dancers for The Dance Connection’s family adaptation of the timeless Tchaikovsky classic. Opening night takes place at Brook Arts Center on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 1pm. Additional dates and show times for this magical production can be found by visiting www.danceconnectionnj.com/nutcracker .