“You're watching the dancers grow in so many ways,” says Jennifer Davis, school principal at the NWA Conservatory of Classical Ballet. “You're watching them grow as human beings. They're coming up and maturing. They’re learning life skills that are going to serve them no matter what they do in life. The Nutcracker is a way we can invest in bettering the kids we work with and providing a really fun holiday tradition for our community.”
My first role in The NWA Conservatory of Classical Ballet’s The Nutcracker was as a baby angel. I got to carry a candle and shuffle my tiny feet around the stage floor as people in the audience watched and my mother recorded; I’ll never forget that experience. There was so much excitement and bubbling joy in those few minutes of my life, so when I was asked to write about something under the theme of gratitude, the only thing I could think about was The Nutcracker. I share this feeling of gratitude with many other girls who grew their passions underneath the Conservatory’s wing.
The Conservatory of Classical Ballet isn’t just a place to dance, it’s a place to grow, expand your vision, and fall in love with art. It’s a place to make mistakes and be a part of something special. Every year, the cast for The Nutcracker grows. Jennifer Davis, the school principal, explained why, saying that she wants “to give as many kids an opportunity to perform as possible.” The Conservatory takes youth from all over the state of Arkansas and even as far as Oklahoma.
I remember as a dancer, sitting backstage with students who went to other schools, taking classes I had never heard of. For me, participating in The Nutcracker opened my eyes to how big NWA is while also making me feel incredibly special and unique. Every single student has a part in the show that they have been working on for months, and each role pulls the show together. The Conservatory works very hard to give each child a place to belong and a home away from home they can consider their safe place. My family goes to The Nutcracker annually, and every year, we are reminded of how grateful we are for the production. Maybe this year, your family can be too.
“The Conservatory helps me strive, not for perfection, but improvement.” Lily McGrath [Clara, The Nutcracker]