Serra Oral
Reporter
This past Saturday, the cast of the New England Dance Academy’s The Nutcracker faced a headless nutcracker, broken glass, and other uncooperative props. Despite this, they finished the night safely with no falls or injuries.
Members of the audience admitting to noticing there were some difficulties. “Occasionally, it seemed a little off tempo,” said sophomore Maddy Prior. “Plus the nutcracker’s head flying off was unexpected. There was nothing so bad that it stood out though.”
Even so, the dancers saw the mishaps as a way to learn and perfect their scenes for the next show. “We had some technical issues, but we can make sure they do not happen tomorrow,” said sophomore Linnea Swarting, a dancer in the show.
Usually before each of their three shows, the cast hosts an “energy circle.” “Right before the show, we say some good things, give each other confidence, and we pray to the ‘dancing gods’ that no one will get hurt,” said New England Dance Academy (NEAD) Associate Director Ted Thomas. “It brings a sense of unity within the cast.”
These performances were different because the dancers were unable to participate in the “energy circle” before the show. Mr. Thomas believes that this is part of the reason they had so many difficulties. “Props weren’t as secure as they could’ve been and there was some nervous energy,” said Mr. Thomas.
The audience still enjoyed the show despite the technical mishaps. “Of course, the set was amazing,” said Maddy. “Also, I think the dances were very good. It was all very pretty.”
For most audience members, the second act was the most popular because it had the older dancers that have more experience. Also, the scenes were filled with the energized dancing of the Candy Canes and Ginger Snap Cookies, as well as advanced choreography of Spanish and Marzipan dances.
The dancers felt that they had done a good job that night. “We had a high energy level,” said junior Courtney Meyer, a dancer in the show. “Everyone was comfortable because it wasn’t our first night or our last.”
The Nutcracker made the company unified. “It made us all closer as friends because we spent so much time working together on the show,” said Courtney. “We all wanted to be good because if one of us messed up, the rest of us messed up.”
