Children create favorite holiday performance of The Nutcracker

Children and young adults will perform Muncie Ballet Studio’s annual holiday show, the “Children’s Nutcracker,” just in time for the holidays.

Performances of this magical rendition of the holiday classic are scheduled Dec. 18-20.

Choreographer Lisa Love says the biggest change from previous years is that the studio no longer brings in guest dancers from other studios. She said parents were more interested in seeing their children grow and perform.

Aside from that, they tweak and change the show every year to reflect the abilities of the children in the cast, Love said.

“Everyone has their own talents and we want them to shine,” said Love. “And that’s what’s really fun, and not only that, but the evolution of the dance, and their technique.”

As children from the studio continue to take classes and learn more about ballet, they often return for performances. For this reason, Love said there are also a few high school students, and occasionally college students, who dance in the show.

Ball State University graduate Suzanne Kadinger acts in one of the few adult roles in the Children’s Nutcracker, and said she’s the backstage dance mom.

“For those people who are completely new to ballet I hope they see how creative it is, how athletic it is, how beautiful it is,” Kadinger said. “For those who are familiar with classical ballet, I hope they’re impressed with what a cast of 99 percent children can put on.”

The Children’s Nutcracker:

December 18 at 7 p.m.

December 19 and 20 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets cost $5 and $15 and can be purchased at muncieballet.org

Kaitlyn Arford is a reporter for a Ball State immersive-learning arts journalism course.