HCA’s ‘Nutcracker’ a unifying community Christmas event

Holmes Center for the Arts will present its seventh annual performance of “The Nutcracker,” sponsored by the Commercial and Savings Bank, Dec. 8-10 at Ohio Star Theater in Sugarcreek.

This Christmas favorite brings to life a host of dream sequences with fun characters, and the story is well known, but one thing this performance provides is a time for young people to explore their passion for the arts on stage through this ballet piece.

According to Holley Johnson, HCA executive director, this year’s production is the biggest yet, with more than 90 local performers — most of them children — stepping out into the spotlight to perform.

“This is such a big moment for all of us, but especially for the kids,” Johnson said. “One of the neat things about doing this yearly is that it gives our young performers a chance to explore a variety of roles and challenge themselves to see how many roles they can enjoy. I really feel like ‘Nutcracker’ has become a piece of our community.”

Johnson said one year someone might be a Spanish dancer, and the next they could be a member of the Snowflake Forest and eventually work their way up to the role of Clara or the Nutcracker himself.

She also said a person might play a certain role and years later come back to the production and watch a young talent fulfilling that role. That experience can transport people back to when they were in that role.

“I think this has the ability to build both a sense of community and camaraderie,” Johnson said. “There’s something unifying about being a part of something that becomes important to a community.”

The training every member of the cast must go through is extensive. Each cast member works with their respective scene members, and the entire cast doesn’t work as one until the very end when everything comes together.

“I think that moment is special, especially for the younger kids who get to see it all come together for the first time,” Johnson said. “Plus they also get to dance with the older dancers, and that always inspires them to work toward new roles and characters in the future.”

Johnson said the intensive practice schedule is physically and mentally demanding as they work to perfect their craft. While it is a performance, the show continues to be part of the HCA’s desire to emphasize the training aspect, so the high school participants meet four times each week for 14 weeks of training. Half of that time is devoted to training while the other half is devoted to rehearsal for “The Nutcracker.”

“It’s equivalent to a high school sport because it takes a great commitment and a lot of effort to accomplish what we want to accomplish,” Johnson said. “I don’t call dance a sport; I call it an art, but the dancers themselves are athletes.”

Johnson said ballet is demanding, physical and athletic, but in addition, there is an added measure of artistry.

While athletes on the field or court can grunt, scream and be aggressive, dancers have to make what they do look effortless without any of that.

“Part of dance and performing is to take something intense and difficult and make it look easy and effortless,” Johnson said. “When athletes perform, it looks hard because it is hard, and you can see it on their faces. In ballet it’s our job to make it look effortless, and so people may not realize how hard these young people work and how difficult and demanding some of these dances are.”

That level of commitment is why HCA’s “Nutcracker” has become a Christmas favorite for many.

Evening shows will be Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8-9 at 7 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee performances set for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 9-10. During Saturday evening and Sunday matinee, the Holmes Center for the Arts choir will welcome audience members to the show with songs of the season.

Don’t miss this holiday tradition about Clara’s rescue of the Nutcracker Prince and her journey through the Snowflake Forest and the Land of the Sweets.

For tickets visit www.holmescenterforthearts.org or call 855-344-7547.