Berks Ballet Theatre added magic to the holiday season for Berks families during its 48th rendition of the “The Nutcracker” at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17.
This is the company’s second year performing at KU’s Schaeffer Auditorium and the sixth year that the Reading Pops Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Willis Rapp, performed Tchaikovsky’s memorable score.
“The Nutcracker is such a holiday tradition,” BBT Artistic Director Kelly Barber said. “Every year we hear people say they’ve been coming for years, maybe bringing their children, and now their grandchildren. The hope is that our audiences come to the ballet, taking a couple of hours out of their busy lives to relax, enjoy the sights and sounds of ‘The Nutcracker’ and then leave the theater feeling happy and excited to come back the next year.”
“Everyone needs a bit of holiday cheer, and this ballet provides that,” added Barber.
For a lot of dancers, “The Nutcracker” is usually their first ballet performance.
“As they grow up they will have the fondest of memories thinking about all the roles they’ve danced and their time with their friends,” Barber said. “I don’t think a dancer will ever forget about their first role in ‘The Nutcracker’ as well as their first big role, too.”
As a director, it’s very rewarding to watch the dancers rise through the ranks.
“That is special for not only the dancers but for us as teachers, too.”
Barber also loves the team effort.
“It truly takes a village to put this ballet together, and it’s fun working with everyone, from the costume designers to the technical crew to all of the amazing parents of the dancers that volunteer so much of their time to this ballet,” Barber said.
Preparation for “The Nutcracker” sometimes starts a few after the curtain closes on the last performance the previous year.
“Once September arrives, that’s when things get serious,” Barber said.
Rehearsals begin the first weekend of October. The BBT dancers rehearse every weekend leading up to the December performances and participate in community appearances to help promote the ballet.
“There’s always some new choreography and costumes that are part of the preparations which are fun for all involved,” Barber added.
“The Nutcracker” is BBT’s largest production.
“We take an incredible amount of pride in what we do,” Barber said. “The philosophy of the company has always been to strive for professional quality work, and this full-length ballet is no exception. Our mission is to give the audience the best possible experience when coming to the theater, and between the BBT dancers, the Reading Pops Orchestra, and our guest professional dancers we believe we do just that.”
Guest Professional Dancers
Professional dancer Aaron Smyth returned for a second year as the Cavalier. In May he performed in BBT’s “Sleeping Beauty Suite.” Smyth is known for his associations with American Ballet Theatre II in New York, the Royal Ballet in London and the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago as well as being an original cast member in the London West End production of “An American In Paris.” Smyth played the role of the Snow Cavalier in Disney’s “The Nutcracker in the Four Realms” film alongside Misty Copeland.
Other professional dancers included Saaya Pikula Mason as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Daniel Mayo as Herr Drosselmeyer, Blake Krapels as the Nutcracker and Mirliton soloist, Alberto Andrae as the Snow King and Kutztown native Jillian Davis as the Snow Queen.
Davis’ first performance was on the Schaeffer Auditorium stage. She appeared there at the age of 4 in her first recital for Marilyn’s Dance Studio.
“It is such a full circle moment to be returning after being a professional ballet dancer for so many years and sharing the stage with these incredibly talented dancers,” Davis said.
“The Nutcracker” holds a special place in her heart as one of the first things she did when ballet became her focus for dance. Starting as an angel, she worked her way through the roles as her career progressed. Performing the Sugar Plum Fairy at age 15 was a turning point.
“It really helped my confidence as I was preparing to dive into ballet as a profession before moving to Seattle to train with Pacific Northwest Ballet,” Davis said.
BBT’s production is her first time performing as the Snow Queen.
A dancer for Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York, her preparation for the role was a little different from the rest of the cast. After performances in November, she rehearsed in New York with her partner, Alberto Andrade. They learned their scene’s pas de deux then met with BBT Director Nathan Bland and the dancers portraying snowflakes at the company’s Reading studios to make any adjustments.
“It was so nice to meet all of the dancers and to be in the studio with them,” Davis said. “The week of the show, we will have multiple times on the stage to get comfortable. We will also work with the Reading Pops Orchestra to get to know each other and bring the Nutcracker music and choreography together for the first time. All very exciting and magical!”
BBT strives to bring the community into the performances, Davis said.
“I hear so many stories about how people and families come to ‘The Nutcracker’, and they are just in awe of the magic of the production they remember for the rest of their lives,” Davis said. “Berks Ballet Theatre’s production is no exception, and it brings the magic to the holiday season for the families across Berks and the surrounding area.”
Local dancers
The ballet featured 21 company dancers and 29 students from Berks Ballet Theatre Conservatory of Dance. The majority of dancers in the production reside in Berks County.
Company soloists included Madisyn Dietrich, Tessa Morrissey and Julia Traffas sharing the coveted role of Clara over the course of four performances; Faith Hartman and Kaitlyn Staskel as Dew Drop Fairy and Mirliton; and Evie Romanski and Leah Cochran sharing the roles of Mouse Queen, Spanish Chocolate soloist and Arabian Coffee.
Company dancer Hennessey Kehs-Rossi loves all the characters and feels challenged by the new roles each year. This year, the Bernville dancer performed as a soldier doll, soldier captain, snow, flower and candy cane.
“I cannot imagine my life without ballet or ‘The Nutcracker.’”
Kehs-Rossi started performing in “The Nutcracker” at age 8 as a cartwheeling mouse. The following year she was an angel and a peppermint. During the pandemic, she returned as a peppermint for a performance that was shared via streaming. In 2021, she was cast as Clara. Last year, she reprised the role of Clara, and her younger sister was cast as Fritz, happy to share the stage with her.
“My family was extremely proud to see us both on stage together. I feel so supported by my school friends, Schuylkill Valley teachers and family each year as they fill the seats in the theatre and visit me after the show,” she said. “I am grateful for the friends that I have found at Berks Ballet Theatre and am proud to be a part of this tradition.”
While she loves performing in “The Nutcracker,” Kehs-Rossi also loves the process of getting it ready.
That includes long weekend rehearsals and participation in promotional events — Reading Holiday Parade, interview on BCTV and the West Reading Tree-Lighting. Kehs-Rossi finds the final week of rehearsals particularly exciting — spacing, lighting, dress rehearsal, prop placement and practice with the orchestra.
“Those final practices are intense but exciting as we put the finishing touches on the ballet. It is a great time to bond with my friends as we do our best to come together and put on a show that we can all be proud of,” said the dancer, who said she feels lucky to be a part of Berks Ballet Theatre’s production.
This was the production’s second year at KU. In previous years it was held in West Reading or Reading.
Kehs-Rossi hopes “The Nutcracker” provides an opportunity for families to take time out of the busy holiday season and spend time together.
“I hope that our move to Kutztown University makes the ballet more accessible to a new audience. I hope that our performance inspires little boys and girls from our community to discover the magic of ballet and to try it for themselves.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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