Nutcracker!

It's Nutcracker time once again... As I write this, I am counting up the many times I've performed in this particular ballet. I began as a "Tiny Tot" or as others call it, "Gingerbread" under Mother Ginger's skirt when I was seven years old, the typical starter role for a baby ballerina. I then continued on every year until I was eighteen years old. Let's add on last year's Nutcracker in Portland, where I danced the roles of Snowflake and Dewdrop Fairy, and that makes a grand total of... (drumroll)... twelve Nutcrackers for which I have donned pink tights, ballet shoes, and costumes .

The result? I can sing the entire score of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite" to you if you ask me to. And I still remember all the steps I danced for eight years in my hometown at Ballet California and Academy, even though I haven't danced that particular choreography in over twelve years! Funny that I can't remember what I did last weekend, but I remember Mr. Martin's "Waltz of the Flowers."

But I digress. This year I have been given the opportunity to dance six different roles, some technically challenging and some that give me the chance to ham it up a bit: Clara's Friend, Mouse, Angel, Snowflake, Chinese, and a Flower. We will be doing two tours (one out of state and one in Colorado) and then coming back to perform twelve shows here in town.

In other news: Last week Casey, while fixing a car, got two pieces of debris in his eye and had to make two visits to urgent care... Poor guy. All the while fighting a bad cold and sleeping a lot. He is better now after getting the debris removed and taking eye drops for several days...and much happier to have a less-red eye and strengthened immune system. Please keep praying for a job for him, as he is still searching.