Maple Glen Student Selected for Part in PA Ballet’s 'The Nutcracker'

Eight-year-old Samantha Chiara Kraft of Upper Dublin has already received the greatest gift she could receive this holiday season – a part in Pennsylvania Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

“Other than Mary Poppins, Samantha watches the Nutcracker over and over and over,” said her mother Joanne. “I have the different versions from all over the world on DVR and she will watch them all and note all the differences.”

Joanne said Samantha, a soft spoken third grader at Maple Glen Elementary School, has dreamed of performing in the Nutcracker since age three. “We started a holiday tradition of taking her to the Nutcracker, first local productions and then Pennsylvania Ballet’s production and she would point to Clara (the main character) and say ‘that is what I want to do.’”

“I love to dance and I am very excited to be in the Nutcracker,” Samantha said, her voice filling with enthusiasm about her part as a soldier. “I get to be on stage with the Mouse King and my costume is a blue top, red pants and a black triangle hat and things that go over my legs that look like boots – I also get to wear black ballet shoes.”

Samantha has been dancing since age three and has been attending Metropolitan Ballet Academy (MET) in Jenkintown for the past three years. Artistic Director Lisa Collins Vidnovic has her own ballet company where Samantha showcased twice in the past two years. Before the MET, Samantha attended the Ambler YMCA Ballet program.

In order to audition for Pennsylvania Ballet’s The Nutcracker, one must be at least eight years old. Samantha then had to sweat out a six-hour audition in September.

“After the audition, Samantha came out of the building like a scene from American Idol. She was waving the acceptance letter  saying, ‘I got a part. I'm a soldier!’” said Joanne, pride swelling in her voice. “Not only is she a soldier, but she is the soldier who fills up the cannon, so she will stand out.”

Samantha’s Nutcracker rehearsals are every Saturday from  4 to 5:30p.m., and she practices with the Metropolitan Ballet on Mondays and Thursdays. The week of December 5,  Samantha has four rehearsals including one dress rehearsal Friday night at the Academy of Music. Then, Saturday, December 10, is her first performance at 7p.m.

“It isn’t work, it is fun,” said Samantha, when asked about the rehearsals. “I love it.”

Samantha added that she also plays the piano and violin, and that her three-year-old brother Michael tries to keep up by playing his own instruments whenever she practices. She also says her ultimate goal is to become the leading lady Clara.

“It would be great,” she said, although admitting that she is a bit torn about whether to be a ballerina or teacher when all grown up.