Forget visions of sugar plums. For 44 young Marblehead dancers, the holiday season is already filled with visions of pirouettes, tutus, toy soldiers and dancing mice.
And they’re bringing their dads along for the ride.
Three Marblehead fathers will join their children onstage when the Greater Salem Ballet Company presents its 13th annual production of “The Nutcracker” on Saturday, Dec. 5, at Lynn Memorial Auditorium.
The Marblehead contingent makes up a sizable share of the 119-member cast, which includes 109 student dancers and 10 adult performers from across the North Shore. They’ll share the stage with professional dancers from Ballet Rhode Island.
COURTESY PHOTOS
“The Nutcracker” performance at Lynn Auditorium.
“‘The Nutcracker’ is about so much more than a beautiful performance,” said Seanna Chmura, artistic director and choreographer of the Greater Salem Ballet Company. “It’s an opportunity to bring our community together, give young dancers the chance to perform on a professional stage, and share the joy and magic of the holiday season with families throughout the North Shore.”
One last dance — with Dad
For Marblehead High School senior Lily Sanchez, this year’s “Nutcracker” will be especially sweet — and a little bittersweet.
The 18-year-old has been dancing for 14 years, and this will be her 12th and final “Nutcracker” before graduation.
“It’s crazy,” she said. “I’m definitely going to miss it so much. It’s a tradition at this point. Now I’ll have to pay to sit and watch it.”
Sanchez will dance as a lead Marzipan Shepherdess and perform in the beloved snow scene, one of her longtime favorites.
“I love the snow scene,” she said. “I’m always happy to be in it.”
She’s particularly excited about her marzipan costume — an orange-hued ballet outfit covered in sparkling gems.
This year, Sanchez will also share the stage with her father, Eric. It’s a tradition at A Performing Arts Academy, where the dancers train, for graduating seniors to perform in the party scene with their dads.
But Eric is more comfortable on a basketball court than a dance floor.
“He doesn’t really dance; he’s more into basketball and sports,” Lily said.
“He gets a little nervous dancing in front of people,” she added. “It took a lot of convincing.”
The father-daughter duo recently had their first rehearsal, and Lily was impressed.
“He did a really great job,” she said.
As her final performance approaches, Sanchez is trying to savor every moment with the friends she’s grown up dancing alongside.
“I’m trying to live in the moment, be with everyone,” she said. “I’ll really appreciate every moment. I’ll never get them again.”
She plans to continue dancing in college.
“I definitely want to keep dancing for the rest of my life,” she said.
The next generation
For 13-year-old Eloise Blaisdell, the holiday tradition is far from over.
The Veterans Middle School eighth grader has been dancing since she was 2, and she first appeared in “The Nutcracker” at age 5.
This year, she’ll portray one of Clara’s cousins. Over the years, Blaisdell has played a mouse, a soldier, a party girl and a lead peppermint dancer. Her favorite roles have been party girl and lead peppermint, partly because she got to share them with friends.
“Behind the scenes is really fun,” she said. “It can be kind of nerve wracking, but it’s like fun once you get on stage.”
Blaisdell hopes to keep performing through high school and already has her eye on one particular tradition: having her dad join her onstage during her senior year, just as Sanchez’s father is doing this season.
Would her dad agree?
“I think he would,” she said.
And is he a good dancer?
“I don’t know about that,” she admitted.
For 11-year-old Elle Foley, a fifth grader at Village School, “The Nutcracker” is also about friendship.
Foley has been dancing for eight years, and this will be her sixth year in the production. She’s performing as both a marzipan dancer and a Russian dancer.
“I like being with friends and getting to perform,” she said.
Her family says the company has also supported Foley as she has navigated a joint condition over the past several years, helping her continue doing something she loves.
A holiday tradition that gives back
For the Greater Salem Ballet Company, the magic of “The Nutcracker” doesn’t end when the curtain falls.
Each year, the nonprofit donates hundreds of tickets to community organizations, helping families who might not otherwise be able to attend.
Raffles at both performances will benefit The Salem Pantry and My Brother’s Table, with 100% of proceeds going to the two organizations.
For Marblehead’s 44 young dancers — and the three dads joining them — Dec. 5 will be the culmination of months of hard work, cherished friendships and a little holiday magic.
If you go:
What: Greater Salem Ballet Company’s 13th annual “The Nutcracker”
When: Saturday, Dec. 5, at noon and 4 p.m.
Where: Lynn Memorial Auditorium, Lynn
Tickets: Starting at $20, available at lynnauditorium.com or by calling 781-599-7469.
