The first time I heard Tchaikovsky was when I was nine. I had been very dedicated to my dance classes and so my mom rewarded me by getting us tickets to the Nutcracker. I remember my mom forcing me to wear a dress and, being in my tom-boy stage, resisted at all costs. After I was dressed in my Sunday best, my mother got me in the car a drove an hour from our hometown to Fayetteville where the Kansas City Ballet was performing at the Walton Art Center. We picked up tickets from will call and got nestled into our seats.
I recall sitting in my seat after the deep man’s voice came on over the sound system and told us to silence our cell phones. At that point the house lights were brought down and the conductor was announced and took his place in front of the Orchestra. Sitting in front of that big red velvet curtain in all of the darkness and all of a sudden I heard Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite start to play. The curtain hadn’t even risen gone up yet but the rise and fall of the delicate music was enough to create a magical environment.
Once the curtain rose and I saw all of the dancers in their elegant costumes, I was completely engaged through out the whole performance. I later danced the role of a party girl in the 2003 Tulsa Ballet World Premiere of their Nutcracker. I played the role of a daughter of one of the dancer couples that attend the holiday party in the first act and being on stage gave my love and appreciation for the Nutcracker a whole other dimension.
I find that the first thing I think about when Christmas time comes around is that beautiful ballet. I now work at Texas Ballet Theater in their ticket department, so all I have been doing for the past month is selling TBT Nutcracker tickets, which are selling fast. It is amazing to me how many people in Fort Worth and neighboring communities make the Nutcracker a family holiday tradition.
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