The scene was the same atshopping malls, dance studios and auditoriums across the nation last summer. Hundreds of young ballet dancers pulled on slippers and tights and showed off their most graceful moves. These hopeful kids all shared a single dream: to be onstage with the world-famous Moscow Ballet this holiday season.
Each year, the Moscow Ballet travels to the U.S. and other countries performing The Nutcracker, the famous Christmas-themed ballet. At each of the 70 cities where the company appears, local kids dance the children's roles. After this year, 39,000 U.S. children will have danced with the Moscow Ballet since the company started its U.S. Nutcracker tour in 1992.
In every city, a Russian ballet instructor comes and selects children age 8 to 15 to be part of the performance. He or she teaches a local dance instructor the dances for the kids' roles.
Devon Zacharias of Long Beach, Virginia, won two roles: a snowflake and a little French girl. She and other dancers practice for two months until performance night, when they meet and rehearse with the Russian dancers. "The best part is being next to the Russian dancers and seeing how well they dance," says Devon, who also performed in last year's Nutcracker.
All of the roles require hard work and dedication. "I have children who drive up to 50 miles just for these rehearsals," says Susan Boyette, the ballet teacher who is helping Long Beach kids prepare.
"You get a little nervous before and during the show," says Devon. "But at the end, you feel really good when everyone is standing up and clapping for what you were a part of."