Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Ann Heckler's Nutcracker History

My first Nutcrackers were well before the days of the advanced photography techniques of the 21st century- So no photos of my days as a snowflake...

As far as this century, it has been fun to observe the growth of the dancers at the Toledo Ballet.  The little soldiers and ginger (pulcinellas then) have grown up to Company girls.  Each year,  I watch new Clara's friends (some of whom I had in class when they were little)  now dancing on pointe.  Every Nutcracker that rolls around I wonder, "Am I getting too old looking to have this little guy as a son?" But somehow I continue to land a new, younger, husband each year as a party mom.  Since my first Toledo Ballet Nutcracker in 2007, I have been impressed with our costumes - especially the ones that make angels float on air.  My most memorable year has to be 2008, the year that both my girls were in it and the year that included the Make a Wish girl following the sleigh.

A big shout of THANKS to all the volunteers behind the scene for all they contribute to making our production so beautiful!  And a thanks to the other Party Moms for keeping our party so FUN!  General Thanks to all that make The Nutcracker what it is.





Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Katherine Bauer's Nutcracker Memories

As the  performance of my 8th Nutcracker approaches, I look back at my other performances with fond memories. I remember being scolded for eating cheesy crackers in costume and forgetting my shoes covers, along with memories of the parts I've done. I was in the first cast of angels who were lifted off the stage. That first year, when I was seven, we actually did a small dance before being "flown". That first year, some people were baffled by how it was done, and thought that "the little kids we're connected to dangerous wires.” However, we did have the dads lift us off, and my dad actually was the one to lift me off! So, now as I watch how the angels have changed, I can remember back to when the candles were glass, and girls dropped them 1 minute before the curtain opened. And as I advance more, I will be able to look back at other fond memories of the parts I dance today. The picture is of me and my dad that year I was an angel, and my dad was an angel lifter!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Kali Porteous' Countdown

13 Days and counting, until my first Nutcracker performance with the Toledo Ballet!!  Even though rehearsals have intensified I do not mind as I am filled with anticipation of the big day. Through all these rehearsals friendships have formed and wonderful memories have been made.  Yes, we are very tired during and after each rehearsal, but we still manage to smile and enjoy what we love to do... dance.
Not only am I counting down the days until our first performance, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the professionals from Miami City Ballet!!  I know by watching them rehearse and perform I will be motivated to work on my technique and they will keep me inspired to work towards my goal of becoming a professional dancer.
I am truly blessed to be a part of the Toledo Ballet's production of the 72nd Annual Nutcracker.  I hope you enjoy this production as much as I have enjoyed being a part of it!!

 

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Gwen Clark's Nutcracker History


I have been performing in the Nutcracker for 20 + years. My first part was a mouse. In order for my mom and dad to know who I was, I had a yellow ribbon on my tail.  My first dance on Pointe was a frost fairy, I was 9.  The best thing about being a frost fairy was that we had sparkling lights in our tutus.  The battery pack was a little heavy, but it was worth it. We looked very cool and the audience loved us. My favorite parts in the Nutcracker were Snow, Flute and Flower. I have now come full circle by being a mom in the Party Scene. Experiencing Nutcracker with my friends was always the best part for me. I still have that experience 20+ years later.  I also get to enjoy the Nutcracker with my daughter Emily, who is a company member.  I could never have imagined when I was younger that I would be dancing with my daughter in the Nutcracker.  Lots of great memories, then and now make the Nutcracker special for me. 
The pictures of me are from Party Scene, Flower and Flute.  

Monday, November 26, 2012

Jada Boles the Candy Cane

It was a year ago when I transferred to Toledo Ballet from eleven years of dancing at a competitive dance studio. I was excited but also very nervous about meeting all new people and auditioning for a professional production of The Nutcracker. I was worried about how everyone would welcome me or even if they would.  It turned out that I had nothing to be nervous about.

The teachers, the staff, and all the other dancers treated me like I’d been a part of the Toledo Ballet family all of my life. I was cast in the roles of Candy Cane, Big Soldier, and understudy for Harlequin and Flowers. One funny thing that I remember about Candy Cane was the up-tempo pace of jumping through the hoop and being so nervous that I would whack myself in the head. Thankfully, I never did. I remember exhaling with relief after every rehearsal and performance.



Saturday, November 24, 2012

Emily Cihon's Nutcracker Learning Experience

As the show becomes nearer the anticipation of the theater grows nearer. With the theater come the principal dancers. The principal dancers are always a joy to watch. They have brilliant technique and exquisite showmanship. Last year while I was watching from the wings I noticed the huge second plié that the principals used in preparation for their pirouettes. It was the perfect description of the way Miss Lisa tells us to do them. It really helps to see professionals do the steps that we are working on to learn from them! 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Charlotte Thurston: Happy to be Part of the Nutcracker!


Last year was the first year I participated in the Nutcracker, and the one thing I can say is only now do I know what I have been missing out on all of these years.  I immediately felt welcomed by the cast and the Nutcracker excitement was passed onto me.  I was nervous because almost everyone knew all of the choreography when we started the rehearsals because it was embedded into their brains from countless years of dancing and watching the various Nutcracker roles.

At first I was worried about this but after a few rehearsals I started to get the hang of things.  It was a thrill to see the dances start to come together more and more after each rehearsal, and it was amazing to watch the progress and to see the whole show come together.  I will never forget any of the memories I have from the nutcracker last year and this year.  I also met many new people that I am now great friends with.  I look forward to my many years of Nutcracker to come, and I am so happy to be a part of the Toledo Ballet Family.  I can’t wait for the performance this coming December!


Monday, November 19, 2012

Meredith Heckler: A Day in the Life of a Bunhead

 Ever since I was a little girl I loved ballet and preforming. I yearned to go to ballet class and dress into my leotards and tights just like the “big girls” did. Peeking my head through the door to watch these older girls dance was an activity in which I enjoyed so greatly. A typical day for me as a ten year old girl was to wake up, go to school, do homework, and go to ballet. Although now I  am one of those older girls, that  pre-ballerinas aspire to, not much has changed in my life. Yes I may have longer rehearsals, different roles, and more school work, but the family that Toledo Ballet has fostered (especially through the Nutcracker) is something that I cherish forever. We all work in collaboration, whether it is all having the same musicality in Waltz of the Flowers or decorating the door as a team for the door contest. Also, the memories that are formed from the Toledo Ballet Nutcracker will always remain with me. I can remember having my mom put my hair in pigtails (for puchnillias) and now my friend puts it in a New York City style bun. Overall, not much has changed since I was that little girl aspiring to be where I am today!


Hailie Hagedorn on Auditions and Acting

In my opinion, Nutcracker signifies the start of the holiday season. Once you walk into the audition doors, it becomes apparent that the summer time is over and that it's time for new festivities to begin! The worst part about auditions isn't the actual audition itself, but the waiting for the cast list to be posted. Those few days of not knowing can drive a person crazy. I can speak for myself and others when I say that every opportunity to get on the internet is spent by checking our emails for that list.
  
  Any non-performers may just look at this behavior as an obsessive compulsion that lasts for the week of the waiting period, and maybe that's all that it is. However, the sooner we can know what role or roles we're performing, the sooner we can perfect our characterization so that the audience can get a clear picture of each dancer's intention. For example, Mouse King and Columbine are two parts that require a great deal of acting and expression to pull off. Along with perfecting the steps the dancers also have to work on how they'll portray the character, especially since they don't use their voices. Costumes and makeup alone won't tell the story of the little girl who takes her journey through The Land of Sweets, it's what each dancer brings to his or her character that will make them believable. When the performance arrives, we remember that the magic on stage started on audition day.
 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Laura Blaufuss Nutcracker Memories


The Nutcracker will always have a special place in my heart. I joined the Toledo Ballet when I was five years old and remember that oh-so-restricting age limit. You had to be seven years old to audition. So naturally when I was seven I did just that. I performed as a Soufflé Sailor in my first Nutcracker. I am now fifteen years old, and I have performed in every Nutcracker since then.
When you were a seven year old, a part of a production for the first time, you naturally look up to the older dancers. Year after year I watched the Flowers and the Snowflakes dance in dress rehearsals and thought, ‘I’ll never be able to do that,’ in awe. I thought my rehearsals back then were hard work! I remember those thoughts, and that is what makes me even more grateful to be a Flower this year, and Understudy Snow Scene. My little seven year old self would be so proud. The hard work then, and now, pays off in the performance without a doubt.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Mike Warrick, Snow Prince


One of my favorite memories as a dancer has to be the privilege of dancing the Snow Prince.  Back in the day, Craig always performed the Snow Prince.  As it turned out Craig was retiring and to my surprise Marie asked me to perform it.  I was so honored by her choosing me that I couldn't say no even though I was planning on retiring as well to focus my attention on my present career as a Hairdresser.  That Nutcracker was my last until after I got married and returned from retirement.  Thank you Marie.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Rebekah Paul and The Toledo Ballet Family


The Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker was the first production I ever danced in. I remember giggling with excitement and smiling at my sister as we both hid behind Mother Ginger’s big skirt. It may have been my first Nutcracker but it definitely wouldn’t be my last! This year will be my 6th time performing in Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker. For me each year keeps getting better and better. I have countless amazing memories at the theater whether we were on stage or hanging out backstage.  The best part is I’m still dancing with a lot of the same girls! They’re not kidding when they say Toledo Ballet is like a family, a lot of us have grown up together. What I think makes the Nutcracker so special though, is that no two shows are the same; each brings new laughs, challenges, and experiences!
The Nutcracker is right around the corner and with each rehearsal we know we’re getting closer and closer to the performance date. Yesterday we began working on the Finale which is always really fun because it brings the whole cast together. Before we know it we’ll be dancing on stage for a huge crowd which makes all our hard work worth it!


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Domonique Glover's Nutcracker Muscles

This will be my 3rd Nutcracker in which I am participating. I remember the very first one, where I was basically brand new to the entire Toledo Ballet family. Lisa must have heard a good word about me because I call saying "WE NEED MUSCLES!" and I ended up being a baby angel carrier (flying the little ladies across the stage in pitch darkness) & an Arabian cavalier (carrying a huge solid wooden carriage with a person inside!). THEN, there was a husband-less woman in the opening. so, half way through the weekend I was thrown into Party Scene. The best thing about that was having to mingle with everyone: though it only SEEMED like mingling everyone was telling me exactly what I needed to do on stage in T-minus 3 seconds...! I loved it.
The following year I did Party scene again, this time more prepared, and actually danced the Arabian. This year I'll be doing the exact same thing with THE BEST PARTNERS EVER! :) I look forward to each rehearsal....
Domonique Glover

Monday, November 5, 2012

Kali's First Nutcracker

This is my first year with Toledo Ballet and learning their Nutcracker. I am very excited and thrilled to be a part of this wonderful production.  I really love Nutcracker, the music, and the story of The Nutcracker. 

I have really enjoyed learning the dances such as: Snow, Dew Drop, Flowers, Chocolate, and Flutes.  I think thus far my favorite piece is Waltz of the Flowers;  it’s so pretty and every time I hear it, it puts a smile on face because I love the music and the choreography.

A typical dance rehearsal for Toledo Ballet Nutcracker is very intense.  We have rehearsal 6 days a week and they are usually 3-4 hours long, some days are even longer, but we always have a good time even when we are exhausted
Kali

Katie Bostleman's Nutcracker Memories


 As we enter into the last weeks of rehearsals for this year’s Nutcracker, I begin to become more apprehensive than ever. Every year when the Company members are reminded of the quickly approaching opening night, panic ensues, and six weeks suddenly seems like hours. Nevertheless, when we hear the first strains of the Waltz of the Flowers in our nightly rehearsals, all that changes. I am instantaneously transported back to the memories of Nutcrackers past, and I feel like that year-old girl sitting in the audience for her first time again.
This will be my tenth Nutcracker, and understandably, the years and stories start to blend. In fact, I had the unfortunate realization today that I could no longer readily name every role I have danced in this holiday tradition. However, none of that really matters to me. When I remember each year, I experience one unidentifiable feeling of elation, which reoccurs and wells up within me every opening night. Strange as it may sound, the distinct smell of The Nutcracker is probably the best way to describe it. For anyone who has ever participated in the show, it is well known that when you enter the theater the night of a show, a wave of this smell washes over you the moment you open the door. It is the scent of candy canes, chocolates, pointe shoes, rosin, the dusty sets, hairspray, some dancer’s Chinese food that they hurriedly grabbed on the way to the theater but never got to finish, SWEAT, makeup, and the first burning of the stage lights. You cannot really decide whether you like it or not, but it has always been there, and it is strong. The Nutcracker is no different. Poignant and omnipresent, it echoes through the years and brings a magic of its own.

So here we are, revving up for our 72nd annual Nutcracker!! Hard to believe, but time flies when we're having fun! And what's special about this 72nd annual production? Well, we get to welcome back our favorite guest artists EVER -  Miami City Ballet's Mary Carmen Catoya and Renato Penteado!  And believe me, Ms. Lisa has organized an awesome cast of Snowflakes, Gingersnaps, and Baby Mice - and that's just for starters.

We hope you have a blast following our NUTCRACKER blog which will carry posts from cast members and others closely engaged in this annual Toledo holiday tradition who will help give you the skinny on behind-the-scenes adventures of the NUTCRACKER! Enjoy the trip!

Welcome to Toledo Ballet's Blog!


With Toledo Ballet's 72nd annual Nutcracker just around the corner, we decided to start a blog for the performers to share their experiences and memories involving the Nutcracker. Through this blog, readers will get a better idea of what the performers go through in preparation for this exciting event. Toledo Ballet’s 72nd annual Nutcracker will be taking place on Saturday, December 15 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm and Sunday, December 16 at 2:00pm. Tickets range in price from $21 to $51 dollars. Visit toledoballet.net or call the Stranahan Theater at (419) 381-8851 for tickets.