Nutcracker returns with merry menagerie and swirling sweets
- Ellie Ruel
- 45 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Vivacious holiday ballet production to open Juneau Dance Theatre’s 51st season
By Ellie Ruel
Juneau Independent
After months of rehearsals, the Juneau Dance Theatre is gearing up to open its classic Christmas ballet “The Nutcracker” this weekend.
“Hours in the studio culminates in the final product, and the reward of showing the community why you have missed family parties and birthday parties and family dinners,” said JDT Executive Director Bridget Lujan.
The ballet follows young Clara Stahlbaum, who receives a magical nutcracker from her godfather at a Christmas Eve party. The nutcracker comes to life that night, fighting off the Mouse King and taking Clara on a whimsical journey through lands of twirling snow and sweets, set to ethereal orchestra music.
This year, 11-year-old Juliette McMillan will play the role of Clara, and guest artists Nanako Yamamoto and Aldeir Monteiro from the American Repertory Ballet will star as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. The American Repertory Ballet is a professional ballet company out of New Jersey, and was founded as part of the Princeton Ballet Society.
Spirits were high in the studio on Saturday afternoon as the 85-person cast ran through a full dress rehearsal, with many of the dancers switching costumes halfway through. Mice scurried, partygoers skirmished and waltzed, flowers flourished, and snow leapt across the floor as Principal Teacher, Ballet Master, and Choreographer Anna MacDowell gave acting and form tips.
“We have a full weekend of dress rehearsal and a full week of dress rehearsal, everyone's looking strong,” MacDowell said. “It’s always an added layer, but it’s going good.”
For MacDowell, directing “The Nutcracker” is a return to her ballet roots. She grew up dancing with JDT and has danced almost every part in the show.
“It definitely is very nostalgic. And it's just all those memories and all that work, and to see it still happening, still going strong, it's really cool, and it's good to be a part of it again,” she said.
One of her former teachers, Janice Hurley, instructed the younger cohorts of cheese, baby mice, and angels. She gave tips and pep talks as they performed, helping them manage costumes and props. Hurley used to be the artistic director and has taught at JDT for about 2 decades, with a focus on mentoring the next generation of young artists.
“I have to be strict, but not to the point where they feel defeated or deflated and when we're all nervous and want everything to be perfect,” Hurley said. “They're learning a lot of social skills, working backstage so close to each other. At their age, learning how to be a community and working on their social skills is probably the most important.”
Senior dancers Abigail Portiles and Shaina Fernandez were also feeling nostalgic about their last performance of “The Nutcracker” before graduating high school. Both agreed that ballet was a fun outlet for them and were interested in pursuing ballet further, enjoying the commitment of the craft and the community they’ve built with the other dancers.
“Being backstage with everyone and just dancing with everyone makes everything so much closer. Afterward, you're talking with people you don't usually talk to,” Portiles said. “Definitely like a team bonding experience.”
The seniors have played a variety of roles within the production over the years. During rehearsals, they made some quick costume swaps and performed multiple choreographies, which Fernandez and Portiles said “keeps it fresh.”
“You definitely get into the holiday spirit, and it's just so fun to show everyone what we’ve been working on for three months,” Fernandez said.
“The Nutcracker” will run Dec. 5, 6 and 7 in the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé auditorium, with 7 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. matinees over the weekend. JDT will also run a free outreach performance for elementary students before the official opening Friday. A “Land of Sweets Tea and Tour” will be held at 1 p.m. before the Saturday and Sunday shows, featuring a story, cookie decorating, treats, a candy bar, VIP seating for the ballet, and a photo on stage with the cast after the show. Tickets and more information are available at JDT’s website.
• Contact Ellie Ruel at ellie.ruel@juneauindependent.com.
