Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 13, 1993 TAG: 9312160305
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
And a toy nutcracker will turn into a prince.
Sounds like magic, doesn't it? Well, it is - the magic of ``The Nutcracker,'' a ballet that has become almost as much a part of Christmas as presents - almost.
So, you think ballet equals boring? Not this one. Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (Be glad you don't have that on a spelling test!), a Russian composer, must have been thinking about kids when he wrote ``The Nutcracker'' 101 years ago.
Everyone has heard at least some of the music. At this time of year, it's played during commercials, TV shows and even in department stores. You may have even hummed some without really knowing what it was. It always brings thoughts of snowflakes and Christmas and magic.
Here's the story, in a nutshell: On Christmas Eve, a young girl, Clara, is given a nutcracker that looks like a soldier. It's her favorite gift. Later that night, the nutcracker comes alive and battles the Mouse King and his army.
After he defeats the Mouse King, the nutcracker turns into a prince and takes Clara to a fantasy land, the Sugar Plum Fairy's enchanted kingdom. There, she is entertained by sweets that have come to life. It all seems like a dream ...
For some real children, dancing in ``The Nutcracker'' is a dream come true. This year, the ballet will be performed by students from several dance studios in the area, plus the Southwest Virginia Ballet, two dancers from Russia, the Roanoke College Preparatory Division Children's Choir and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
How do you think it would feel to be 8 years old, on the civic center auditorium's stage, in front of more than 2,000 people - wearing antlers?
Madeleine Smeltze, a second-grader at G.W. Carver Elementary in Salem and one of six reindeer, said, ``The stage is so big, it's kind of scary.''
Stacy Black, in the third grade at Crystal Spring Elementary in Roanoke and another reindeer, says ``being up on the stage is like you're sort of an older person.'' She won't be dancing, though - ``the reindeer don't dance, we prance,'' she said.
The reindeers' job is to pull the sleigh Clara rides in while visiting The Land of Snow. It's not as easy as it sounds. ``You have to balance a pole, prance and move your head at the same time (in front of all of those people),'' explained Caitlin Cranwell, a second-grader at Oak Grove Elementary in Roanoke County.
These ``prancers'' learned their parts by rehearsing, and rehearsing and rehearsing. Some dancers practice six days a week, depending on their roles. You have to remember when and where to enter and exit the stage, to stand in the right place, to not bang into any other dancers or anything else on the stage - and to smile when you're supposed to.
Because ``The Nutcracker'' tells a story without words, hand motions are very important, too. Everything on stage must be exaggerated so that people toward the back of the auditorium will be able to see the movements well.
``You have to really know the story well and show your feelings,'' said Kayrida Bussey, a student at Fleming-Ruffner Magnet School for the Performing Arts in Roanoke.
``It's very different from being in a recital because you really have to work with everyone,'' Sarah Joy Jordahl said. ``You have to realize that all of this comes together as one big performance,'' the Cave Spring Junior High student continued.
Jessica Surace, who attends Patrick Henry High, said, ``Two of my dances are really long and they wear you out. It's also hard getting your homework done.'' Like some of the other dancers, Jessica has more than one part in the play.
``Sometimes I think, `Oh, no, I don't to do this again,''' said Amy Frost, a Salem High student, ``but I know it will be exciting to be on a large stage with a big crowd and a live orchestra.''
The part a lot of girls wish for is Clara's. Shaena Robison, who goes to Community School, is one of two girls playing that role. ``It's more acting than dancing,'' she said, and all of the dancing is on her toes. ``Sometimes it hurts.''
``I'm really excited about doing Clara's part,'' said Desiree Reese, the other Clara. The Blacksburg Middle School student said, ``It was my dream and I finally got it.'' Desiree hopes to be a professional dancer someday and is learning a lot from the older dancers who have the adult roles.
Tatiana Serova is a solo ballerina with the famous Kirov Company of St. Petersburg, Russia, where she was born. She will be dancing the lead female role of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
The Nutcracker Prince will be played by Ryan Blake Martin, an American living in Russia who dances with the Makarov Company. Martin is also hearing impaired. Both dancers are coming to Roanoke just to be in ``The Nutcracker.''
Because there are children from several different dance schools, ``they have had to get used to me,'' said Terri Post, the artistic director of the Southwest Virginia Ballet. She is also head of the Post School of Ballet and is in charge of getting the dancers ready.
``I don't stand for any messing around during rehearsals,'' Post said. She expects everyone to be quiet and ``do what needs to be done,'' but to also have fun.
While Post is directing the dancers' movements, Victoria Bond, conductor of the Roanoke Symphony, is tuning up the musicians and Kim Davidson, director of the Roanoke College Children's Choir, is preparing the young voices.
From auditioning students to selecting roles to choosing costumes to checking props - including a huge toy nutcracker's head, a giant lollipop and a sleigh - to directing movements on stage to teaching the dances to setting rehearsal times ... the preparations are endless.
``They have to get the discipline of rehearsing, otherwise you can't depend on them during a performance,'' she added.
When some children finally appear on a large stage, ``they're real unpredictable,'' Post said. Some daydream and forget their parts, some are fascinated by all the people, and some enjoy it so much they don't want to get off when they're supposed to.
Just before the curtain rises, Post always tells the dancers, ``This is a chance for you to give the most wonderful gift you can, the gift of yourself. It's a wonderful Christmas present.''
The Nutcracker will be performed Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Call 343-9127 for information.
by CNB