The Nutcracker is a worldwide tradition to celebrate the holiday season. This classic ballet story follows a girl named Clara who is gifted a nutcracker for Christmas. She later falls into a dream state where the nutcracker comes to life and brings her to a land of sweets. From a comfortable seat, the audience is able to watch the story evolve while seeing beautiful costumes and dancers on stage. However, have you ever wondered what might be going on behind the scenes?

Haverford Dance Center has annual performances of The Nutcracker. This year, the performances were on December 7th at 1 pm and 5 pm. Both shows were sold out with an audience of around 660 people per show (totaling to around 1320!). The cast consisted of around 142 members who worked incredibly hard in rehearsals for the preceding  three months. The shows are filled with many traditions that make them extra special. I have been in The Nutcracker for years and have always gotten the backstage perspective. Here are just a few highlights that make the shows so unique.

Senior circle

Before each show, our senior company gathers into a circle on the stage, and says a few words of encouragement. A huge part of Haverford Dance Center’s production is the senior class. Since it is their last Nutcracker it tends to get very emotional from so many years spent dancing together. The words shared by the seniors are both heartwarming and supportive. It is bittersweet to experience the senior’s last Nutcracker by their side.

Gifts

Throughout the Nutcracker performance, there are many different routines. Each dance is special to the story, and most dances have a lead. Backstage on show day, the leads typically get the younger dancers in the sequence gifts. This tradition helps to show support and make the younger dancers feel seen.  

Getting ready to go onstage

One of the best parts about being backstage is being surrounded by your fellow dancers and instructors. Everyone cheers in the wings for their friends and supports them as they perform their routines. The camaraderie shared between all the dancers throughout the season, all the practices, and all the rehearsals reach their peak at showtime. Special moments are happening as dancers encourage those who are ready to perform up until the minute they touch the stage. The excitement shared among the dancers is a memory that will last a lifetime.

Although I don’t get to see this production from the audience, I actually prefer seeing it backstage and performing in it. Getting ready with your friends before you go onstage, cheering on people from the wings, and supporting everyone in so many different ways is spectacular.