The Nutcracker Ballet. Where do I even begin. I have so many memories wrapped up in that particular ballet. My mom was a dancer and danced the Sugar Plum Fairy when she was young. I did not inherit her dancing skills so was never in a production but I certainly went every year. I would get dressed up in whatever gorgeous Christmas dress my mom had made for me and off to the Civic Auditorium to watch. I loved every minute of it! I loved the year my sweet Daddy fell asleep and was jolted awake when a cannon was shot during the Mouse King battle.I loved the Giant Christmas Tree growing higher and higher. I loved the mice. I LOVED Mother Ginger (I can never go past a good drag queen).
I grew up next door to a girl named Annie. She was a few years older than me, beautiful and crazy talented. Attention from her was as good as attention from a movie star in my eyes. She was always Clara and then I'm pretty sure Sugar Plum. I loved being able to tell people the "lead ballerina" was my friend.
I kept going when I was in Chicago. The Joffrey Ballet called the main character "Marie" which is accurate as far as the original E.T.A. Hoffmann story goes but being named Clara myself of course I didn't approve of that name choice. Marshall Fields did the same thing with "Marie" (eyeroll) but I still adored their windows the year Nutcracker was the theme.
My little girl is only three so I haven't taken her to a live performance yet but we watch many versions on tv. Her very favourite is the 1993 version with Macaulay Caulkin (again with the Marie name happening *sigh*). She will cuddle up her her Nutcracker blanket that my sweet cousin gave her and yell for the Mouse King to win. She loves Mouse King. We may not be a live performance yet but I'm still making sweet memories with my girl.
With my Nutcracker Ornament Series I am sort of picking and choosing my favourite bits for the different versions of the ballet I have seen. I will for sure call my young lead, Clara. There will definitely be a Mother Ginger. I really can't wait to start designing the "sweets"! So far we have a Nutcracker Prince and a Mouse King ready and waiting to be crafted!
Next up, The Sugar Plum Fairy!
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