The Nutcracker Ballet (the “t” is silent)

This is one of those family posts that not everyone will care about.  You’ve been warned.

I love Nutcracker weekend, which was December 1-3 this year.  The kids work so hard and finally get to perform five shows over three days and spend lots of time with their friends.  I love watching them dance and seeing them have so much joy. 

OK, I admit that I wasn’t always a ballet fan.  My sister danced while I was growing up and eventually danced professionally.  Legend has it that I would put my suit coat over my head and sleep during her performances.  In the absence of photographic evidence, I maintain that details from that period are sketchy at best. 

I do recall that they tried to convince me to take ballet lessons because they would be free (they are usually in need of more boys).  I don’t recall my precise answer, but it was along the lines of, “Hey, thanks, but to be honest I wasn’t thinking about spending my allowance on ballet lessons.”

Back to the important part: The performances were fantastic.  The guest artists from the American Ballet Theater in New York were stronger than ever (Jared Matthews danced with this company when growing up and graciously returns nearly every year, as does his talented friend, Yuriko Kajiya).   The girls danced beautifully.  They look so natural on stage.  K even looked completely relaxed during the last show when she was rushed on stage when someone was injured in the wings (5 paramedics were there helping the woman, who is OK now). 

This is J playing the role of Clara, the girl who gets the Nutcracker doll.  The guest artists are back by the throne.  Nicholas is behind her (He is a NASA engineer who also dances many roles with the ballet program). 

Here’s one of J on the throne and K finishing her Russian dance.  I thought J would be hard to live with after spending the weekend sitting on a throne, but life got back to normal pretty quickly.

Here’s K in her big role as the Dewdrop Fairy.  I’m trying rationalize getting a better camera lens so I can capture motion and dim lighting shots better.  Photography would be easier if they would stand still under bright lights more. 

It is a lot of fun being part of the festivities as a “Party Dad” in the opening party scene and taking pictures from the wings.  Being with them onstage is better than having a front row seat.  That’s me in the (sort of) middle doing one of our old-timey dances.

This rehearsal shot is with my friend Frank, another Party Dad.  Being part of the crowd scene is serious business.

The stage make-up thing is a bit of an adventure.  I had the following conversation with my wife and oldest daughter:

Me: I need make-up for the Nutcracker.

Wife: What kind?

Me: I don’t know.

Daughter [holding out three different kinds - lotion, compact and something else]: What kind did you use last year?  Was it one of these?

Me: Yes.

Daughter: Which one?

Me [seriously]: I don’t know.

Them: [Moderately derisive laughter]

They went out on their own and found some and told me how to apply it.  The problem is that my handwriting on paper is atrocious, so what makes me think I could write on my eyes neatly with a black pencil?  Fortunately, my oldest daughter bailed me out and expertly applied eye liner before each performance.  I responded to a query as to why I had trouble keeping my eyes open by asking, “You’re sticking a pencil in my eye, and you wonder why I’m blinking?”

J and K from the snow scene . . .

 

The closing scene . . .

I only have 972 other pictures, so I better stop here. 

Also see Nutcracker Season.

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