“The Nutcracker” is one of the most popular Christmas shows put on each year around the world. Ballet Etude, a ballet school in Rexburg, is performing the famous ballet this weekend.
Kiersten Lewis is the artistic director at Ballet Etude. She helps put shows together, choreograph performances, teach technique classes and organizes dance rehearsals each week. She also teaches ballet as a professor at BYU-Idaho.
Lewis says the dancers have put in a lot of time and effort into preparing for the show.
“Our auditions were in September, and we’ve rehearsed almost every weekend since,” Lewis said. “We’re in the studio every Friday and Saturday rehearsing for a number of hours. Our dancers pack lunches and bring their homework and rehearse.”
This is the first time Ballet Etude is doing the full-length Nutcracker. They performed a part of it last year, and Lewis says audiences seemed to enjoy it.
“I think this will be along the same lines of what we’ve put on before,” Lewis said. “A high level of professionalism and a performance quality that just brings magic to the stage. It’ll be a magical show, and the audience will feel the joyful feeling of watching dancers share what they love up on the stage.”
Ballet Etude attempts to make its shows enjoyable for all ages.
“We really strive to make our productions audience-friendly for all ages and all appreciation levels of ballet,” Lewis said. “We try to keep the story clear to understand so that people don’t feel like outsiders, but so they feel invited and involved.”
All are invited to see the show whether they’re fans of ballet or not.
“You will see dancers who love what they’re doing, and you’ll feel that and their joy will seep into your heart,” Lewis said.
The Nutcracker will be this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13, at the Romance Theater and will begin at 6 p.m. both days. For more information and to buy tickets, visit Ballet Etude’s website.