For more than a century, The Nutcracker ballet has captivated audiences around the world. From December 1-4, Ottawa residents can enjoy this timeless tradition, as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens bring their version of this Christmas classic to the National Arts Centre. Ahead of the performance, we interviewed several young dancers in the ballet to highlight their talents, as part of an Apt613 tradition of writing about young performers in The Nutcracker.
Beatriz Silveira. Photo: Alejandro Bustos.
“I didn’t think I would get in as I live far away from rehearsal,” says Beatriz Silveira, 14, who resides in Montréal and was the only dancer interviewed not from the Ottawa-Gatineau area. Despite the long commute, she was determined to make the weekly rehearsals from September to November. “Every Saturday I would get on the road by 9 in the morning. Then two hours of rehearsals before heading back home,” says Silveira, who wants to be a professional dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.
All of the young ballerinas interviewed will be in the coffee scene, normally reserved for professionals. A commendable part of Les Grands Ballets’ production is that it offers valuable experience to younger dancers by awarding these roles to them. See the video clip below of the rehearsal.
When asked what it was like working with Les Grands Ballets, the dancers said it expanded their artistic expression.
“In class, it is about movement and technique,” says Rebecca McDonald, 16, who is part of The School of Dance in New Edinburgh. “Here it is about the people… And to make something magical out of it.”
L–R: Beatriz Silveira, Jane Rylaarsdam, Rebecca McDonald, Juliane Belisle. Photo: Alejandro Bustos.
Other dancers echo this sentiment. “It is about getting a message across to the audience,” says Jane Rylaarsdam, 16, who dreams of being a dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. This aspect of bringing characters to life on stage was something that was particularly enjoyable.
“We’ve learned that it is not just about the choreography, it is also about the spirit of dance,” says Juliane Bélisle, 18, who teaches at École de Ballet Le Duc in Gatineau.
For others, being in this production is the continuation of a long journey. “The first time I came to see The Nutcracker I was three, and I fell asleep within five minutes,” recalls Aïsha Winfield-Khan, 14, with a laugh. “Then I came every year.”
Aïsha Winfield-Khan. Photo: Alejandro Bustos.
The coffee scene in The Nutcracker is one of her favourites, she adds, which makes the opportunity to dance in it very special.
Winfield-Khan has previously performed in several Nutcracker roles, including with her older sister Zara in 2019. She also played an angel in Sleeping Beauty.
Front to back: Eden Haley, Aïsha Winfield-Khan, Clara Shales. Photo: Alejandro Bustos.
Another Nutcracker veteran is Clara Shales, 16, who has been in this Christmas classic several times, as well as a production of the Wizard of Oz. “Every company has a different take [on The Nutcracker],” says Shales, who tells Apt613 that she wants to be a doctor when she is older. In addition to learning the specific vision of Les Grands Ballets, Shales says the final days leading up to the show are intense, with five consecutive days of rehearsals at the NAC.
Eden Haley. Photo: Alejandro Bustos.
Fellow dancer Eden Haley, 17, adds that rehearsing at the NAC is critical. “We are in the place where we are going to perform,” says Haley. “We will see the stage where we are going to be.”
The weekly rehearsals that finished in late November, several dancers explained, did not take place at the NAC. It was only in the week leading up to the show that they became acquainted with the NAC space. Learning the dimensions of the performance space is essential for the dancers. “The cast is all dancing at the same time, so you can’t just stop and look at where you’re standing. It’s important to know the space around you,” says Winfield-Khan, who tells Apt613 that she would like to be a chef when she is older.
As for Haley, she adds that she is really looking forward to dancing her part. “One thing I like about this role is that it is more mature,” she says. “This is a role that is more technical… [but] is still magical.”
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens‘ The Nutcracker runs from December 1–4 at the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall. Evening shows are at 7pm with Saturday and Sunday matinées at 1:30pm. Tickets start at $29.
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