The first time senior Olivia Bond danced in “The Nutcracker,” she had the part of the gingerbread. Now, 12 years later, for her last “Nutcracker,” she dances the lead in the Waltz of the Flowers.
“We had auditions the second weekend of September and then we rehearsed all throughout October, and all throughout November,” Bond said.
“The Nutcracker” ballet has been a holiday tradition for Dallas Ballet Center since its opening in 1989. This year’s spectacle will be the 37th performance of the Christmas tale. It tells the story of a little girl, Clara, who gets a brand new nutcracker for Christmas, who takes her on a fantastic adventure through mystical lands.
“I coach the snow act and then the Waltz of the Flowers owner and artistic director of the Dallas Ballet center, Judy Klopfenstein said. “I love the party guest scene, which is the opening act.”
Klopfenstein is one of the founders of the Dallas Ballet Center having produced and seen many Nutcracker Ballets evolve during her tenure. She has witnessed nearly four decades of Nutcracker performances, each filled with memorable moments both on and off stage.
“One huge blooper happened when someone on the crew accidentally hit the rope handle of our snow cradle, the thing that holds all the snow, and the entire cradle dumped snow all over the dancers,” Klopfenstein said.
Bringing such a performance to the stage takes teamwork, focus, and countless hours of collaboration. Dancers make the most of every rehearsal to perfect their movements in hopes of creating an otherworldly production.
“We rehearse about four times a week, but we only have Saturday rehearsals for Nutcracker specifically. So we have about eight rehearsals to put the whole show together.” senior and lead dancer in the Waltz of the Flowers, Allison Vandermosten said.
The famous Waltz of the Flowers is always a treasured moment, often the highlight of the show. Everyone comes together and dances alongside the special surprise of the night.
“We bring in guest artists each year to perform from all over the country, so that’s really cool. They dance, and then we all dance together,” said Bond
The yearly surprise guest featured in the Nutcracker offers a chance for young dancers to learn from professionals. It also provides a push to keep consistent and let go of any pressure or anxiety the Nutcracker brings.
“Dancers give 100% effort at every rehearsal, pay attention to all of the details, always dance full out as though you’re performing every rehearsal for an audience,” said Klopfenstein
As much as the show can be exhausting, it is fun for the dancers and the public to see the culmination of months of work and collective effort. Costume design, lighting and sound technicians, stage crew and the theater tech department manage the props and effects to complement dancers movement. The staging showcases fun and colourful decorations that all tie up to the Christmas theme of the show.
“They send [Clara] to the Land of Sweets, and then in the Land of Sweets, there’s Spanish chocolate, Arabian coffee, Chinese tea, there’s the Waltz of the Flowers, the Russian Babas, and the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Bond said.
All this leads to the first two weekends of December where the story of Clara is brought to life at the Granville Arts Center in Garland. Tickets usually sell out three weeks before the spectacle, proof that the Nutcracker is not a performance to miss.
“It fits around 700 people, which is really not that many seats, especially when we only have six shows,” Bond said. “I think we could definitely go to a bigger theater.”
