The Nutcracker ballet is a Christmastime classic, but it’s also a tradition for many Holy Trinity students. Senior Sophia Symeonides and freshman Maggie Pezzeminti have taken part in the production for years, playing various roles along the way.
“I’ve been in the Nutcracker since I was four years old and I’ve been anyone from an angel and a little mouse, to this year having three solos as Snow Queen, Russian, and Spanish,” Symeoneides said. “I love all of the different roles you can get.”
Although doing the same ballet every year seems like it would be easy, each character has their own role and perspective.
“It’s been a different experience every year and it’s fun learning the different aspects of the story,” Symeoneides said.
Ballet requires a dancer to be very technical and graceful, making each dance look effortless and beautiful.
“It brings out discipline and it’s also a very team-oriented activity to do, so I get to bond with all of the other dancers and grow with them as we move up every year,” Symeoneides said.
Anyone can do ballet, however not everyone can be great at ballet. It takes a lot of hard work, time, and dedication to achieve the technique needed to move up.
“I attended HARID Conservatory two years ago over the summer, and I’ve also done different ballet master classes in Tampa, Chicago, and Virginia,” Symeoneides said.
Ballet training is year round, as companies typically have a winter and spring show, so it’s imperative that each dancer trains numerous times a week.
“I’ve definitely come a long way and it’s been a very impactful experience,” Symeoneides said.
Pezzeminti has had a somewhat similar experience to Symeoneides, however she had a bit of a later start.
“I initially started ballet when I was three years old but I didn’t start the Nutcracker until I was nine,” Pezzeminti said. “I was a bonbon and a party scene girl and I started off with smaller roles, but then throughout the years I started getting solo roles and moving up.”
As for summer study, Pezzeminti was fortunate enough to take a different path.
“I applied to the English National Ballet summer program in January and I got accepted,” Pezzeminti said. “I went to London for two weeks and it was an amazing experience. I was taught by many different teachers and I came home knowing so much more than I did before going there.”
Pezzeminti loved the diversity that came along with studying in London, with teachers coming from all over the world.
“My favorite part was being taught by different people everyday because every teacher is different,” Pezzeminti said. “They all have their own things that they like to correct, so it corrected every little mistake I could make because one teacher might focus on one thing and another teacher may focus on another.”
Through summer study and extra lessons, Pezzeminti has been able to land lead roles at her own studio, Galmont Ballet.
“When I was in sixth grade I was Clara,” Pezzeminti said. “Last year in eighth grade, I was the Sugar Plum Fairy, and I am again this year.”
While some people may hate the spotlight, Pezzeminti is no stranger to it.
“My favorite thing about the Nutcracker is honestly just performing,” Pezzeminti said. “I love performing and going out on stage.”
Her role as the Sugar Plum Fairy presents its own set of challenges, even though this is her second year playing the same part.
“It’s super challenging since there is partnering involved, which is something that I haven’t done in the past,” Pezzeminti said.
Pezzeminti is excited for the future of her dancing career, and continues to stay motivated and confident in her talent.
“It’s fun because it’s a principal role and at big companies, the best dancers are the ones that perform this role,” Pezzeminti said. “It makes me want to work hard because it’s such an honor to have that role.”
