On Dec. 19, Island Youth Ballet, a Mercer Island-based nonprofit focused on providing quality dance and performance opportunities for students of all ages, put on their annual “Excerpts from the Nutcracker.”
The performance is truly a Mercer Island classic. One of the trademarks of the holiday season is the familiar posters bearing the Nutcracker himself, popping up in local businesses around the island, making it clear the winter season has begun to be ushered in. Each year, the show is looked forward to by not only the dancers themselves, but all kinds of Mercer Island residents, whether or not they are attending to support a friend or family member, or simply to have fun and support the community.
The show was an incredible success, with all the performers showing an incredible amount of dedication and discipline throughout the whole process. Even the youngest dancers had an immense amount of focus and professionalism despite their age. I even observed one performer expertly kick a piece of a costume that had fallen onto the stage into the wings without missing a beat.
Each dance was also an incredible work of art in itself, combining the intricate technical work, costumes and choreography to create some moments that were certainly worthy of a standing ovation. In particular, I would like to highlight the “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” which was one of my favorite scenes in the show due to all the different elements it brought together. For one, this dance featured fake snow that began to fall at the beginning of the song and continued to the end, meaning that the dancers had to account for the increasing amount of snow that was piling up on the stage as they performed.
Similar to the “Waltz of the Flowers,” much of the song also features the dancers all dancing the same steps, meaning that there had to be a lot of work put in to make sure that they were all keeping time with each other to create the elegance and beauty that both dances evoke. In the latter of the two dances, the girls must also hold hands with each other, making it all the more imperative that they keep time with each other, which they executed flawlessly. Among rapid-fire costume changes, even switching from pointe to ballet shoes depending on the dance, the girls did an amazing job maintaining their professionalism and sense of showmanship.
I would also like to take a moment to highlight all the hard work put in by the people not on stage during the show’s three-day run. There were some amazing techs behind the scenes figuring out what the lighting was going to look like, as well as testing sound cues, and making sure that more specialized elements like the fake snow, fog, (and even a cheese cannon!) were all in proper working order before each show. Without their talent and dedication, the show would not have been possible.
The performance was absolutely an incredible experience and I applaud all the dancers, teachers, and technicians tha put so much time and effort into this show. If you did not get a chance to catch “Excerpts from the Nutcracker” this year, make sure to grab tickets while you still can next season.
