NUTCRAKER!!!!!!!!!!! NUTCRAKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi there!

So, If you couldn't tell I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY excited for NUTCRACKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot even express it in words.

So, a little background on NUTCRACKER!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes I'm going to write it like that every time I say it because I'M REALLY EXCIED!!!!!) My studio puts on a production of NUTCRACKER!!!!!!!!!!! every year and everyone in the studio is involved in it. Every ballet level has an assigned core dance, and Park City Dance holds tryout for the main parts. So, it's really special if you get a part because not everyone in guaranteed a part.

STORY TIME!!!

This year, (for the first time in three years maybe?) I decided to try out for Nutcracker!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to maximize my chances of getting a part I tried out for (drumroll please) Waltz Demi, Snow Demi, Spanish, Tarantula Soloist, Elephants, Mother Buffoon, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Mouse King, Solider King, Young Clara and Harlequins ( Even though technically, I was too tall for Young Clara, Harlequins, and Raggedy Ann but whatever). So, I was at the studio from 11:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon. (If you are really interested in the schedule click here, the auditions ran late BTW). So, I did terrible in the pointe auditions (I only really tried out because Hannah told me I would get 'brownie points') but I had a blast, despite the fact of my blister* and that was the longest I had been in my pointe shoes in my entire life. So next (PS I would suggest checking the schedule right now) I tried out for the non-pointe roles and that was a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!! I had so much FUN!!!!! (Even though I forgot half of the combinations....) And I was so tired at the end!!!!!!!!

So after three days of anticipation I knew that the cast list would be posted. The anticipation was KILLING ME!!!!!!!!!!! I was sitting in art and literally told Amanda, "I am so excited I can't wait!!! Amanda can you just please tell me what everyone got now?!?" She got annoyed. I was walking to French when Rachel, ran up to me and said, "YOU GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!" in an excited whisper. (I don't even know how that was possible maybe because of how loud the hallways are in Treasure but who knows) And when I got the cast list I could believe my eyes!!!!!!! Taylor and Mikelle got Elephants, Alicia got Arabians and I GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GOT MOTHER BUFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OHMYGOODNESSGRACIOUS I GOT MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in shock.

Okay a little on Mother Buffon. Mother Buffoon is the lady who stands on a big chair, put's on a big skirt and waves and smiles as little children come running out from under the skirt. Kind of weird yes I know, BUT I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so glad that I was chosen out of all the people in the studio to be Mother Buffoon. Here is the cast description:

Mother Buffon Criteria (Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance Casting List)

Okay first of all I think it's funny that it says, "must be comfortable standing on a platform while preforming in a very large skirt" because ya I've totally done that before, on a daily basis I stand on a platform wearing a large skirt. :)

Mother Buffon: this will be me this year (Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance Nutcracker)

So now every Saturday (including Halloween) I'm at the studio, for Waltz, for an hour and a half. Taylor told me she thinks 'Waltz of the Flowers' should be changed to 'Waltz of Inconvenient Poses' and I kinda agree....... so far I'm only on stage 16 counts. For those of you non-dancers (THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and 16 counts is kind of like 16 seconds for or less. Ya, that's how long I'm stage. I would get it if the dance has 2 - 3 minutes, but oh no, Waltz is 8 MINUTES LONG!!!!!! THAT'S RIGHT 8 MINUTES OF THE SOLOISTS DOING FOUETTES AND JUMPS!!!!!!!! The worst part of this is, my sisters told me that Watlz is their least favorite part in the Nutcracker. So ya. BUT I'M STILL SO EXCITED BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST POINTE DANCE AND I GET TO BE MOTHER BUFFOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only downside is I have 30 or so seconds to change from my Mother Buffoon costume to Waltz so that will be challenging. And the Nutcracker is on the 19th at the Eccles Center, (There will be two showings, unsure of time more about that later). So you should buy a ticket and come see it, it's super cute and fun and people of all ages love it. :)

Mouse King: this year it's Willoughby Staley You can visit her sister's blog here
(Photo Courtesy of Park City Dance)

This is Snow only the people in ballet 8 of Park City Dance are in this. Snow Queen in the front, demi's in back.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

This is the Tarantella Soloist. In the real Nutcracker they don't have this. This dance is new and was added a few years age by Ms. Julianna. We also no longer have a boy old enough in our company to take the role as the boy in this picture
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

These are the Arabians. The soloist is in the front and the others in the back. NOTE: this year we have NEW COSTUMES FOR ARABIANS!!! This is really good because normally we never have new costumes. Oh, also I didn't try out for this because I'm not flexible enough.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

This is Elephants a very high energy dance that is normally the audiences favorite. Taylor and Mikelle got this part :)
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

This is Spanish, a dance on pointe that you must try out for, it's beautiful and very spicy.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

This might help explain the children coming out of my skirt. If it doesn't come to the performance please!!!!!!!!
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

Clara and her prince. NOTE: This is NOT young Clara, This 'old' Clara is normally played a teacher at our studio and the Prince they normally get form the U of U in SLC
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance)

Nutcracker cast at bows at the end of the performance.
(Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance) 

Waltz of the Flowers, the other dance I'm in this year. Guess which one I am? The one in the blue. The soloists are the ones in the pink who jump around the whole time and look pretty. But the dance still is cool and in a dancers eyes interesting and very very beautiful. :)
(Photo courtesy of: Park City Dance)

This is the blister I had on the day of Nutcracker. FUN!
(Photo Credits: ME!)

My current foot situation. :) Moral of the story don't step on other people's blisters. If you would like to hear more about this story make sure to vote for 'A Journey of Ali's Feet' on the side.
(Photo Credits: ME!)

YAY!!!!! So that concludes my first of many Nutcracker posts, if you got all the way down here thank you! Also if you like the pictures above be sure to check them out here.

Thank you so much for reading my blog!!!

- Ali Grace