Bitterroot Performing Arts by Becky Malewitz
The first time I saw the Nutcracker as a child I wanted to be a ballerina.
Prancing around the house with my, My First Sony blaring the entire score on cassette tape, I probably looked like a less than graceful duck (which is putting it mildly compared to what my older brothers would tell me.)
I never had the chance to dance on stage, but this fall I had the opportunity to visit the ballet in a different capacity as a photographer and observe how much work it takes to put on a program.
For the past five years students at Ballet Bitterroot Performing Arts, Inc have been able to bring the Nutcracker to the Hamilton High School stage in Montana. The non-profit children’s performing art-company through their “Nutcracker Dreams,” show makes the students from the small town of Corvallis shine during the holidays.
Growing up and taking ballet in Corvallis students are able to take part in the Nutcracker tradition. Smaller children play the parts of mice and soldiers while the older students take on the parts of Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Sitting through practices one can observe the smaller children looking up to the older students. Someday they could be dancing one of the solos in the second act.
Older students who have grown up at Ballet Bitterroot have paid their dues as mice, snowflakes and other background dancers. Now, it’s their turn to take the lead.
After school and on weekends students flock to the building on main street that looks like a log cabin to practice in one of the ballets two studios in order to be prepared for opening night.
In the audience parents, grandparents, younger siblings and other supporters sit in the crowd with flowers waiting to congratulate their ballerina.
Children too small to be a part of the production sit and watch their older brothers and sisters. Some probably gaze in wonder and imagine it’s them dancing on the stage, while one little girl in the second row declares that she is going to take a nap about halfway through the second act.
The hard work and time it took into getting the production finished is all but forgotten as parents gaze on their ballerinas.
As I look at the stage on opening night I can once again I get that feeling that makes me whish it was I dancing under the spotlights. Then, I remember kind of work and dedication goes into being a prima ballerina, it definitely wouldn’t have been a good fit for me. That doesn’t stop me from taking time to prance around my apartment every once and awhile.