Nutcracker

[dancerox]

I don't know if I can be Clara at my dance school for their nutcracker production this year. I have talked to a couple of people (one of them was Clara last year) and she said that she thinks that I will be Clara this year. The other girl that I talked to, she said that I have the right body to be Clara. I'm 13, and my ballet teachers think I'm a great dancer. But I don't think have the right body . I am very big up top (if ya know what I mean lol ), and not as tiny as the Clara last year, who is a couple of years older than me. Last year, I was given lead Chinese as my main role (I had 2 other roles as well). I feel at this age, I can either have a lot of rolls, or barely anything, and I'm sort of in between the age groups (little kids and big kids).

[Mel Johnson]

We don't know either; we don't know the choreographic content of your production, the size of the costumes involved, the casting pattern that your production team follows, and many other factors which enter into the casting of a part. In some productions, Clara/Marie (see even the name of the part isn't standard) is all walking and mime. In some others, she does simple technical work, in some others, she's the Sugar Plum Fairy in Act II!

[dancerox]

At my school, Clara isn't the Sugar Plum Fairy. Clara talks by dancing at my school if you know what I mean. In Act II, Clara meets the S.P.F and the prince and talks about how she got to the Land of Sweets. Then, she watches all of the different dances except for flowers, because she dances in it. My teacher who plans the Nutcracker production uses the whole song if it's 6 min long. The girls in flowers range from intermediate to advanced 1 or 2 ballet, and range from 15-17 years old. Hope this helps you understand better Mel Johnson!

[Mel Johnson]

No, dancerox, it doesn't help much. There's a whole host of other data to be considered before we could evaluate your chance of being cast in any particular part.

 

And that's MR. Johnson, please.

[dancerox]

what I'm pretty much wondering is if I look like a little girl to play the part that's all

[Mel Johnson]

Oh, there are lots of ways to make a mature body look less mature! Don't worry about it, and concentrate on your dancing. Since it is heavy on mime, work with your friend who did the part last year and practice the miming you will have to do. Aim for clarity, so that you can understand what you're "saying".

[Clara 76]

And there is no way of knowing what the vision of the AD may be for this year. Clara is not the end-all-be-all of life, and there are literally thousands of professional dancers who were never Clara in Nut.

 

Focus on the work; focus on beating your personal best as a dancer, and que sera, sera! If it's meant to be it will happen- eventually! There are also many pros who were not Clara as a child, but have danced the role as an adult.