Nutcracker: Behind The Scenes

A major highlight of this holiday season was participating in our local production of the Nutcracker. My youngest daughter had two roles. She was the youngest dancer in the opening party scene, and she was also the mini-shepardess in the variation scenes. Parents were required to volunteer, and my role as chairperson of production was to oversee set up and tear down. The floor, also known as the Marley, was taped down tightly across the stage. The backdrops were hung with shoe-tie knots for easy release after the production. Stage hands used weights and pulleys to manage each scene of the ballet. Everything, inside and out, was just magic. Thank you, Ballet America, for motivating dancers throughout the years.