Dance Your Way To “The Nutcracker” This Weekend

Want to take a break from midterm studying and get into the holiday spirit? Come support your dancing Valkyries in Sacred Heart School for the Arts’ production of The Nutcracker.

This treasured holiday ballet will feature Sacred Heart seniors Emma Lucas and Laura Yoder, junior Kathleen Blim, sophomore Mary Grace Kelty, and freshmen Gracie Carrigan and Sophie Broadwater.

For these Valkyries, along with the other cast members of The Nutcracker, Christmas came to them four months early when they started rehearsals for the production in August. They have been attending ballet classes and rehearsing for six days a week, and practicing their choreography in their free time.

Despite the impending midterms occurring at the same time as performances, the dancers remain enthusiastic about their show and can’t wait to showcase it in front of an audience.

Kelty, starring as the lead role of Clara, says “I love to be on stage in front of an audience, which is very rewarding because you have put so much effort into the show, and to see the audience’s reaction is really cool.”

Another reason why cast members, and audience members, are happily anticipating The Nutcracker this weekend is the holiday tradition it has become for countless families everywhere.

“The Nutcracker has been a Christmas tradition for me, since I have been a part of a Nutcracker production every year since I was six,” says Blim, who’s featured as the Arabian princess and Dewdrop, “so getting closer and closer to the shows pushes me towards getting excited for Christmas and Christmas break.”

The show dates this weekend are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.