Sometimes whole families were involved—Heather Thackeray, now Principal of the Ballet West Academy Utah Campus, played Clara (1), her brother Tony Thackeray played Fritz (2), her cousin Blake Berret was a Soldier (3), her cousin Brooke Nicole McGarry was a Party Girl (4), and her cousin Kendra Crowell Rabe was a Buffoon (5).
Sometimes whole families were involved—Heather Thackeray, now Principal of the Ballet West Academy Utah Campus, played Clara (1), her brother Tony Thackeray played Fritz (2), her cousin Blake Berret was a Soldier (3), her cousin Brooke Nicole McGarry was a Party Girl (4), and her cousin Kendra Crowell Rabe was a Buffoon (5).
Planting the Seed
“Mr. C knew that if you’re going to develop a community of arts and culture, you had to include children into that circle,” Mark Borchelt, (12 years as dancer), recalls of Mr. C., “I think that’s the kind of European sensibility—Petipa’s work always had children’s roles. If children saw other kids on stage they would dream of themselves in this role. You’re developing both future dancers, and a new audience base.”
Planting the Seed
“Mr. C knew that if you’re going to develop a community of arts and culture, you had to include children into that circle,” Mark Borchelt, (12 years as dancer), recalls of Mr. C., “I think that’s the kind of European sensibility—Petipa’s work always had children’s roles. If children saw other kids on stage they would dream of themselves in this role. You’re developing both future dancers, and a new audience base.”
A Dancer Becomes
a Director…
“It is incredible what The Nutcracker does for this artform. It is a vehicle to bring in new dancers, new board members, new audiences,” says Cincinnati Ballet’s Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. “You ask any dancer when they first fell in love with ballet, invariably they’ll respond The Nutcracker.”
Victoria Morgan started dancing at Ballet West as a child and then was a company member from 1969–1978. She remembers first being cast as Clara. “I wept! It was the dream role for a little girl.” She was 12 years old and had braces, which Bené Arnold (Ballet West’s first Ballet Mistress) didn’t love. “To prove how much she wanted the role, my dad arranged to have my braces removed for two weeks!”
A Dancer Becomes
a Director…
“It is incredible what The Nutcracker does for this artform. It is a vehicle to bring in new dancers, new board members, new audiences,” says Cincinnati Ballet’s Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. “You ask any dancer when they first fell in love with ballet, invariably they’ll respond The Nutcracker.”
Victoria Morgan started dancing at Ballet West as a child and then was a company member from 1969–1978. She remembers first being cast as Clara. “I wept! It was the dream role for a little girl.” She was 12 years old and had braces, which Bené Arnold (Ballet West’s first Ballet Mistress) didn’t love. “To prove how much she wanted the role, my dad arranged to have my braces removed for two weeks!”
… and a Dancer Becomes Famous.
Every year, hundreds of young dancers get their moment on The Nutcracker stage, so it isn’t too surprising the production has launched dozens of careers in film, ballet, and even sports.
Megan and Robert Fairchild’s first time being in the spotlight was in Ballet West’s The Nutcracker. Over several years, the brother and sister duo danced almost all the children’s parts at the Capitol Theatre and fell in love with the stage. Today, Megan is a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, and Robert recently retired from dancing after being nominated for a Tony for his role in An American in Paris. He recently starred alongside Taylor Swift and Judi Dench in the film production of Cats.
Another Ballet West Academy and Nutcracker alumnus, figure skater Nathan Chen noted that it was his dance training which set him apart at the South Korean Winter Olympics, where he brought home a bronze medal. He is now a three-time U.S. national champion and enrolled at Yale University with intentions of majoring in Pre-Med.
