'Tis the Season...to be Dancing?

      Yes, 'Tis the Season! And I'm not just taking about Christmas shopping, caroling, and Santa.  But if you are a dancer during the Christmas Season, you probably have little time to enjoy the merriment because you are hard at work rehearsing for performances.  You don't have to be a dancer to know the story of The Nutcracker and that it is possibly the most frequently performed ballet in the world.  Students rehearse for months to prepare for the shows of  The Nutcracker.  Personally, my dance career originally grew up around The Nutcracker. From the age of six to eighteen, I participated in the local The Nutcracker production in my hometown for almost 13 years, growing through the roles from a tiny finale clown to the principal role of Dew Drop. Touring each year with the Albany Berkshire Ballet professional company since the young age of thirteen gave me an experience that transformed my career as a dancer.  Having the amazing experiences of touring each year, dancing in approximately 20-25 shows over a two month span, while also having to balance my high school curriculum laid the foundation for my future of what you see today: a dancer balancing my pre-Med studies.

One of my Dew Drop Performances my Senior Year of High School

Although Nutcracker has been known to dominate the stage during Christmastime, last night I got to experience a lovely performance by the Mercyhurst Dancers in their production of 'Tis the Season!  It was a greatly energetic performance filled with dancing toys, angels, and elves....lots and lots of elves!  Although not the traditional Nutcracker, 'Tis the Season! presented great choreography, music, and fun.  It is a great performance for anyone, especially those with little ones, to come to and share in the magic of Christmas! Great job to all my fellow Mercyhurst dancers!