LONG LIVE NUTCRACKER!!!

Hi there!!

Today I wanted to talk about a topic that everyone seems to have confusion about. Ballet West. So, let's clear up the rumors and let me tell you what I know.

Yes, Ballet West has bought Park City Dance and it is now called: Peggy Bergman Ballet West Academy at Park City. (Long name I know). I think Trish and Sandy will still stay at the studio but it wouldn't be run by them anymore. We will still do competitions. The curriculum (Jazz, tap, ballet) will basically stay the same. I think we will have a few more ballet classes. I'm not sure if we will still train in American Ballet Theatre (ABT) style anymore. Some teachers are being added to teach the little kids. Here's the big change. Nutcracker will most likely only be held next year (2016) before it ends.

When I heard this I was shocked. Only one more year? I have grown up in the Park City Dance studio and I cannot remember a Christmas season without Nutcracker. I distinctly remember the first time I saw it and wanting to be a Sugar Plum Fairy. It's been my lifelong dream. Now, the chances of me ever getting the role of a Sugar Plum Fairy is like 0.005%. I would also love to be in snow, which, in my opion, is the prettiest dance of the whole thing. Now unless I move up three levels (which is like 0.00000001% going to happen) I will never get to be in snow.

Never get to be in Snow.
Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance

Now don't get me wrong, I love ballet west and am thrilled to be a part of their company, (especially to get a ballet west jacket) but taking away Nutcracker is crazy!! Yes we will get a chance to audition to be in their productions, but me getting a part is 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% going to happen. They are one of the greatest ballet companies in the world.

My Lifelong Dream
Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance

Also it's not just for us dancers, but also the community of Park City. Many families flock every year to see the Nutcracker. To some it's a tradition! It will bring you Ballet West money, and will attract more small dancers the join the studio.

I know that you would like to get rid of it because it might detract from students auditioning for your shows and might detract your audience. But when has your audience level gone down for your Nutcracker? Never. You're one of the most prestigious ballet companies in America. Also many many dancers from our studio will try to get into your shows, no harm done if they don't get in, but they wouldn't be able to truly preform if they have the Nutcracker.

What I will be for the rest of my Nutcracker season
Photo Courtesy of: Park City Dance

I also would like someone to tell me what other studios give their students a chance to preform in something that people will come to see that are not in their family? 0. Zero other studios give their students this. Sure, recitals are great but what person in their right mind would like to sit for three hour watching dances with no one they know in them? 0. Zero people. The more unique opportunities you have the more you draw people into your studio.

So that's my rant about Nutcracker. All who are with me say aye. (in the comments) Also if anyone knows how to make a petition will they please tell me? We should all write an email to parkcity@balletwestacademy.org. The more people who write the more chance we can make a difference. LONG LIVE THE NUTCRACKER!!! Thank you for reading my blog, I hoped you liked it. :)

- Ali Grace

NUTCRACKER IS OVER - But me posting about it isn't!

Hi there.

You guys Nutcracker is over. *moment of silence for the 2015 Nutcracker*. I'M SO SAAAAADDDDDDDD!!!!! Yes, I know all of you know that the Nutcracker was over about three, four weeks ago, but now I'm going to write a post about, because I really wanted it to still be Nutcracker and it's not. So this post is dedicated to all the things Nutcracker. 

Dress Rehearsal:

Got to the Eccles Center a little late, freaking out because me and my mom couldn't find one of my academy earrings. I got into warm up late, but I was so excited, I could see all the seats, and I got to put my pointe shoes on, and I had a GREAT turning day. (I got a triple which I never get .... EVER).

Eccles Center Stage during dress rehearsal. Magical.
Photo Credits: tripadvisor

And we got to do sautes arabesques, which are my favorite things ever. Then I got to see my darling children, and I gave them the candy cane reindeers that I made for them, they were really really excited. I was so happy they liked them!!! But I had to leave them, because I had to get changed. So I got changed, and then when to see my buffoons and one of them, Sammy, wanted to see what dance they were on so then we went backstage to see what they were on. It was the one right before snow, doses anyone remember which one that is? Then I told her, "Sammy I'm really sorry, you have to go I almost forgot about helping my friend change." So she went and I got there just in the nick of time to help Nicole change from Snow to Arabians with one dance in between, Elephants. Needless to say very stressful. Especially when we couldn't find enough bobby pins. After that I when't back to check on the buffoons then did my base makeup (primer, foundation, concealer, highlighter), and then watched a few dances on stage with my darlings.

Candy canes I made for my buffoons, I drew in the pom pom because it fell off.

Then I asked Sandy about the skirt and me, Sandy, Claire and Taylor got backstage and helped me change into my giant skirt. I was so happy because I wasn't standing but sitting. We got all the buffoons underneath and the dance went great!!!!! The only hard part was when they turned me, attempting not to hit anyone with my pointe shoes (this didn't work I hit Claire), and actually getting off stage, because Claire and Taylor didn't know where they were going and neither did I. So them I had to get off the skirt which was really hard because I could barely even move. This is how that 30ish seconds went:
Me screaming at Claire and Taylor to stop helping me and get to the other side of the stage.
Claire listen but Taylor kept helping me.
Me and and Taylor book it across the stage while ripping a wig off my head.
Pushing through the swarms of little kids most likely looking like a maniac yelling, "I HAVE TO BE ON THE STAGE RIGHT NOW!!!"
Then, right as the all the corps were about to exit, I dramatically enter the stage, fall, scoot my self over to the right spot, then five seconds later, exit the stage with the rest of the corps. Yes, before all of you go crazy I knew that I was not supposed to go onstage because I was already late but I thought I could make it. Anyway after that we spaced Waltz for the longest time and everyone was getting really mad because we only had 30 minutes for lunch. End of dress rehearsal.

I hope you liked this post! Sorry for such an abrupt ending more to come later about the two shows. I am unsure about wather or not I should do a post about the Nutcracker costumes, so if you could vote on the poll that would be amazing! I'm so glad you took the time to read my post!

- Ali Grace

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