SacBallet the happiest days of my dancing career..."

The first memory that comes to me of dancing in Ron's Nutcracker is from the '93'94 season. There was a beautiful dancer, Lisa Spinella....a New Yorker with a very tender heart , but a high wit and a quick tongue, not to mention million dollar legs and feet :)

After the matinees, we did Q & A with the children in the audience. Lisa had danced Grand Pas that afternoon, and a young girl asked her..."Do you  ever make mistakes on stage, and what do you do if you mess up?"

Lisa, with her Brooklyn tone, promptly replied..."We don't mess up ~ we COVER up!!

I've told the story to my students for years!

Audrey Elwood ...Sac Ballet the happiest days of my dancing career...major Binda disciple.

"Moment after moment of sheer glee, excitement, hard work, accomplishment, camaraderie and applause."

Jenny Gilmore as Clara

The memory of Ron Cunningham yelling in my first Nutcracker audition "Run like you're a cockerspaniel  with your ears flapping in the wind behind you!!"  is one that to this day gives me butterflies in my stomach remembering just how FUN and absolutely free that felt.  I remember running as fast (and as gracefully as my 10 year old legs could) and throwing my head back and just LOVING that moment and not wanting it to end and hoping he saw just how much I loved it and how much I wanted to be the best cockerspaniel in the room!  I was very fortunate to not only be cast but to be cast as Clara that year.  I would never have been able to predict that I would be blessed with so many more moments like that over the 8 years of performing Ron's Nutcracker and that feeling of wanting the be the best in the room would never change as long as I was in the rehearsal studio with him. That  first audition was so appropriate because he made the little dancers put the peddle to the meddle- looking back I see what an appropriate introduction of what working for Ron would be like and that's what made my growing up years feel special, brilliant and full of incredible moments and memories.  Moment after moment of sheer glee, excitement, hard work, accomplishment, camaraderie and applause. I can't describe the impact Ron Cunningham's Nutcracker has had on my life- I grew up in The Nutcracker- from Clara to Snow Queen I went from a little girl to a mature dancer and loved every single moment of it.  Every prologue, party scene, battle scene, my first time in a tutu with Marzipan and dancing with my twin brother as Fritz and Clara- and that's just a handful of why it was so amazing. I wish every little girl could experience the feeling of being hoisted up on Drosselmeyer's shoulders and in front of an audience and live music make that tree grow! And to turn around to applause with your parents in the audience- that is an incredible experience for a little girl and Ron has blessed so many little dancers with moments like that of their own on stage.  I cheers to many many more years of his wonderful Nutcracker - 

Jenny Gilmore

Jenny Gilmore

"made me realize that I might want to become a professional ballet dancer when I grew up."

  When I think of Sacramento Ballet's Nutcracker, I am filled with joyful and happy memories.  I first auditioned to be a part of the production in 1996, when I was 12, and was fortunate enough to be cast as Clara.  I remember the feeling I had when I realized I had actually gotten the part I had dreamed of getting, and still today, get that thrilling butterflies-in-the-stomach tingle thinking about it.  The rehearsal process was exciting.  I got to work with a real professional company, meet the beautiful professional dancers, learn the new steps, and be taught choreography by the director himself.  The performances were just as exciting and exceeded my expectations.  It was being on that stage and being a part of Sacramento Ballet's production that made me realize that I might want to become a professional ballet dancer when I grew up.

Photo by: Jeff Resta

Dancers Carolyn Judson and Lucas Priolo
in The Nutcracker by Texas Ballet Theater

I am now a ballet dancer for Texas Ballet Theater and every year that we do our Nutcracker I am reminded of my very first one in Sacramento.  It's fun to watch the children involved in our production dance in their first Nutcrackers and think about how they might turn out to be professional ballet dancers, looking back on the beginning of their careers too.  I will forever be grateful to Ron, Carinne, and the dancers who were all a part of Sacramento Ballet's Nutcracker and made some of my first ballet experiences so special.  Ron, congratulations on 25 great years with the Sacramento Ballet.  Thank you for the amazing memories!

Love,

Carolyn Judson

It's A Family Thing: "We Thought It Would Be a Good Experience For Them"

Laura Westerman ~ Mother to Nutcracker participants Andrew, Claire, Luke, Patrick, and Jack Westerman

     Six years ago, we were brand new to the Sacramento area.  Michele Stomick worked with my husband at the time and mentioned to him about The Nutcracker audition.  We had a baby at the time, so my husband agreed to take three of our children to the audition.   We had no idea what this was all about (my son wore sweats and tennis shoes to audition), and we for sure didn't think any of our children would get a part.  We were simply doing this because we thought it would be a good experience for them.

The many faces of the hopeful young dancers at
The Nutcracker Children's Cast Auditions

Well, each of them came home with parts!  We were shocked and overjoyed.

  

The next five years, we were fortunate enough to participate in The Nutcracker.  It became a huge part of our lives.  We would look forward to auditions (and all of us would have butterflies in our tummy's :), we learned about the ballet world, we invited our extended family to a Nutcracker performance and would host our "Nutcracker Party" before or after the show.  We started our collection of Nutcrackers (big ones, small ones, chocolate ones,  Nutcrackers on plates, towels,  we have a nutcracker nightlight, cookie cutters, doormat, etc......) 

After performing in their second Nutcracker, our children (three sons and one daughter) asked for ballet lessons.  I said no.  I tried (in vain) to explain to them that "being part of a professional production is great fun, but ballet technique class is not fun~ it's boring".

  

They were persistent.  

I saw a coupon for a free trial class in Roseville (where we lived). They attended ballet class.  

They loved it.  

They LOVED TECHNIQUE CLASS!!!!

  

It turns out they have pretty good bodies and feet, they have a passion for dance, and they enjoy it more than anything else.

Sacramento Ballet's Nutcracker was the introduction of ballet into our family's life....we now own several books on ballet, we own several ballet's on DVD.  My husband and I had never heard of Flames of Paris, Le Corsaire,  or Paquita!!!!  

Ultimately, Sacramento Ballet and Mr. Cunningham changed our whole life course...... we NEVER thought we would have dancing children....especially four boys that love ballet.  

Our children were recently accepted into Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy......so we decided to move to Houston.  We never thought we would be living in Houston.  

We cannot imagine what our lives would be like now without dance....without ballet.  Our lives have become richer and we owe this to Mr. Cunningham.  Thank you for introducing children to this beautiful art form.  Thank you for personally touching our lives.  

Andrew Westerman  (age 15)

My Thoughts About Sacramento Ballet's Nutcracker

     The Nutcracker was my first time seeing real dance.  It made me want to dance when I saw all the male dancers and all the tricks and partnering that they got to do.  I had a lot of fun learning the party scene with all the dancing, acting, and pantomime. I really liked wearing all the costumes and stage makeup. It was really cool to see what it was like backstage with all the lights and props.  I also made some good friends through nutcracker.  The Nutcracker was the starting point for my dance training.  I have been dancing for almost 4 years now, and just got back from my first summer intensive with Ballet West, where I got a full scholarship to their 8 week program. I am now in Houston where I am going to begin training with the Ben Stevenson Academy this year.

Claire Westerman (age 13)

        I totally loved all the different roles I had in the Nutcracker~Baby Mouse, Mother Ginger Child, Party Girl but most especially, Clara! First of all, I didn't even know what a ballet audition was like until I went to one at Sac. Ballet. During the shows I had lots of new experiences: I had my first quick change, I got to take a bow up front at the end of the show, I saw what it was like to give out autographs. I especially loved seeing all the 'Special Effects' for the ballet. The Nutcracker was my favorite show that I've ever performed!

Luke Westerman (age 11) 

Patrick Westerman as "Kilt Boy" (L)
Luke Westerman as "Fritz" (R)
The Nutcracker, 2011

I really enjoyed being able to play so many different roles every time I made The Nutcracker auditions.  My favorite role to play was Fritz!  I loved doing all of the acting for him.  My favorite part of doing The Nutcracker was performing onstage  with the live orchestra and all of the lights.  After dancing in The Nutcracker, I loved dance and now I watch famous ballet dancers on YouTube all the time.  I was so excited to be able to dance at Lincoln Center in April.  Some of my favorite ballet dancers have performed there like Angel Corella, Ivan Vasiliev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

I never would have known about dance and ballet if I didn't audition for the Sacramento Nutcracker and get a part.

Patrick Westerman (age 10)

The little "Cooks" wait their turn to go onstage

The things I liked about The Nutcracker were the costumes, the dancing, being with other boys my age, using props on stage and partnering.  My favorite costume I wore was the cook costume with the chef hat. I was so happy when I was kilt boy because there were extra dancing parts for me.  I liked meeting other boys that dance, especially the party boys. I'm going to miss being in the Nutcracker this year.

Jack Westerman (age 8)

I was a cook the first year and liked going on stage carrying a HUGE plum pudding.  The second year I was a Mother Ginger child and loved crawling under the big skirt.  I thought it was cool that I did a cartwheel.  I never knew how to do one before.