Art Ballet Academy is performing the Nutcracker, at Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for Performing Arts Center on December 16th. 

“We each have multiple parts. We don’t only get one role,” sophomore Lacey Hughlett said.“So we’re all in several group ensembles.”

The story is as close to the original ballet with some necassary adaptations , such as the choreography and the costumes that they use. 

“We very much stick to the real story of the Nutcracker, we don’t add our own twist in it,” senior Madison Blevins said. “Because it’s such an iconic ballet and my studio likes to keep things professional so adding anything else would just make it amateur.” 

 Art Ballet Academy is also having students from a younger class perform in the Nutcracker as well alongside the more advanced students. The daughter of one of the MHS AP History teachers, John Moon, is also performing with the class of younger students. 

“She is very excited about being in the ballet,” Moon said. “She did it last year and she loves performing for everyone and getting to dress up in the different costumes.” 

Some students who have been performing with Art Ballet Academy for years have done the Nutcracker before, some have even performed the solos before. 

“ My favorite dance I’ve ever done in the Nutcracker has to be the russian solo. I’ve been the soloist for three years now,” Blevins said. “And I’m very honored to be picked for a special part because not everybody gets to see the show. 

The costumes for the younger class are different from those of the elder students, with most of the younger class playing smaller roles. 

“She’ll play a mouse and a bon-bon this year,” Moon said. “But after the first year she moves up a class, so she might be playing new roles next year.”  

The costumes are an important part of the entire performance, some costumes have caught more attention than the others, such as the snow costume. 

“I think the snow costume is really pretty. That costume is just a plain white,” Hughlett said. “It’s got a plain white bodice with silver embellishments, and then a white skirt.” 

Moon is not only a parent attending his first grader’s ballet performance, but he’s also a teacher that is supporting his students while they perform. 

“As a parent, seeing the joy she has in doing it makes it worth it.” Moon said, “As a teacher, it’s great to get to see her interact with on stage with some of my students are in play with her.”