Going Toe to Toe with The Nutcracker

Ballet West’s Greatest Undertaking

Each year, tens of thousands of people attend Ballet West’s production of The Nutcracker. It has become Utah’s favorite holiday tradition for generations of Utahans. But few know that The Nutcracker is not Ballet West’s biggest undertaking. That honor should really go to Ballet West’s Community Education and Outreach programs.

Since 1963, Ballet West has taken on the challenge of educating the community about this important art form, building an array of outreach programs designed to motivate and inspire. These programs – I CAN DO, Ballet West for Children and Ballet West Student Theater Performances – annually serve more than 110,000 students, teachers and individuals with special needs throughout the state of Utah.

“Chances are that every schoolchild in Utah will see a ballet performance,” said Peter Christie, director of Ballet West’s Education and Outreach programs. “Our goal is that they either come to the theatre or have our dancers come to them for a ballet experience before they leave grade school.”

That experience often happens with a Ballet West Student Theater Performance. Each year, Ballet West invites thousands of elementary students and special needs individuals into the Capitol Theatre to view an exclusive matinee performance and pre-performance discussion, free of charge. 

After attending an in-theatre presentation 6th grade teacher Carol Clark wrote: “Exposure to programs like these raises students’ awareness of the arts. It makes them notice details. It shows them beauty, sensitivity, and how to connect art to real life.”

“Real life” art is also experienced by the nearly 600 5th graders who participate in Ballet West’s I CAN DO program. An acronym for Inspiring Children About Not Dropping Out, I CAN DO students come from eight elementary schools and focus on teamwork, self-expression, follow-through, and the joy of dance. At end of each year, the students demonstrate what they’ve learned in front of an enthusiastic audience.

Enthusiasm resonates in Ballet West II, a studio trainee company. Each year, these young dancers travel the state for Ballet West for Children, treating students to an interactive presentation and mini-performance at their own school. These dancers also perform with Ballet West in larger productions such as The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, offering the educational opportunity to gain experience within a professional company. 

The path to becoming a Ballet West dancer starts early on, with quality training like that offered by the Ballet West Academy.  The official school of Ballet West, the Academy offers structured curriculum and instruction from some of the finest teachers in the country.  This year, the school enrolled 150 students into its Fall Session, a number that stretches Ballet West’s studio resources to the limit.

“We’re literally bursting at the seams,” said Christie. “But through creative scheduling and sharing the studios with Ballet West dancers, we’re able to expand our curriculum to meet the demand for premium training.”

This quality instruction is, for the first time, available to students as young as six years old. The Academy has added Primary and Pre-Ballet classes to its schedule, and for those older dancers looking to rekindle their studio experience, adult classes are also offered throughout the week, including jazz.

“Sometimes it can be difficult to jumpstart that enthusiasm for dance you had when you were younger,” said Christie. “But you’d be surprised how quickly your strength and confidence comes back. It’s a very welcoming atmosphere.”

A former Ballet West Soloist, Christie has been surrounded by arts-education for more than 25 years, and his drive to broaden the impact never wanes.

"I've watched our programs evolve, and the overwhelming response fuels my passion,” he said. "I’ve seen how the arts can positively impact one person’s life, and when you multiply that impact within a community, the possibilities are limitless.”