Ballet offers Nutcracker

Riley Waples, 11, has never dreamt about putting on a rat’s costume – until now. This is a special rat.

The Grade 6 Ă©cole Father Jan student is one of the 70 student dancers chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in the Alberta Ballet’s consummate production of The Nutcracker coming to the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium from December 12-15.

“Hundreds go to audition but only some get in, so it feels really special to know I got in,” Waples says.

A dance student at Zero Gravity, she has been pegged to fight in the Cossack Rat brigade against the Nutcracker Prince’s winning forces. With only a giant fork to fend off attackers, the five-foot one-inch dancer is itching for a skirmish.

“I’m really excited. We actually get to push over the soldiers,” She chuckles.

Waples is one of three St. Albert dancers chosen for the elite corp. The other two dancers are Nichola Stenzel in the role of party boy and Cloe-Mae Preyser playing a mouse.

Having watched The Nutcracker on three other occasions, Waples knows exactly what the audience can expect and she’s ready to deliver.

“We have to act, but the hardest thing is that we have to be synchronized ’cause we’re an army. If we turn, we have to be on the same foot.”

Margaret Dalwood, founder of Edmonton-based Cechetti Dance Theatre, knows exactly how Waples feels. Dalwood was in Alberta Ballet’s first Nutcracker as a party girl back in 1980.

Today she trains the auditioned dancers from nine to 14 years for Alberta Ballet’s Christmas production.

“It was an exciting time. Brydon Paige choreographed the dance with us in mind. We had months of rehearsal and it was very exciting.”

Today the company performs Edmund Stripe’s brilliant choreography with its magnificent Russian twist. Set to Tchaikovsky’s specific score, it is a spectacular multi-million dollar extravaganza with fabulous dancers, glittering sets, exquisite costumes and a jaw-dropping tree that grows to the full height of the stage.

“It’s so exciting for these young dancers,” adds Dalwood. “And when you look in their eyes you see it. They are buzzing. It’s electric.”

While the audience sees the magic on stage, the dancers are exposed to what creates the magic backstage.

“It gives them a better understanding of what a dancer has to do in preparation for a performance. And what the experience should do is ignite a greater passion for the stage.”

And from what Waples and Dalwood are saying, there’s no shortage of that in this year’s show.