Tips for Preparing for Nutcracker Season
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
“Nutcracker season is a thrilling time of the year, a time when some of the best dance memories are made. Making sure you’re organized and effectively taking care of your body and mind makes it that much more magical and enjoyable. Happy Nutcracker season to all!”
Photo by Kazuo Ota from Unsplash
Growing up, Nutcracker season was one of the most magical and exciting times of the year. The giggles backstage with my friends, the swelling of my heart as I’d listen to the beloved music, and the adrenaline in my chest as I graced the stage were truly unbeatable sensations. While performing in a production of The Nutcracker is undoubtedly an exhilarating experience, it can also be an incredibly stressful one. Not to mention, this is many dancers’ first time performing in front of a live audience in a while, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s understandable if people are feeling a little extra overwhelmed and nervous this time of the year! From organizing costumes, managing your time, taking care of your body amid numerous performances, and staying mentally healthy, there is certainly a lot to oversee. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to ensure we’re putting our best foot forward this Nutcracker season.
Before the performances even begin, there is a great deal of energy put towards preparing for The Nutcracker. A big part of this preparation is making sure you have all the tools and materials you need to be successful - I’m talking about costumes, pointe shoes, snacks, water, and more. There is nothing worse than showing up to the theatre the day of your performance and realizing you’ve left your hairpiece at home or have a run in the only pair of tights you brought. To prevent this from happening, create a checklist a few days before your dress rehearsal or performance to ensure you don’t leave anything behind. Some important items to include on your checklist could be functional pointe shoes, a sewing kit, ballet flats, an extra pair of tights or two, warm-ups, a foam roller, hairnets, hair ties, bobby pins, makeup, warm-up clothes, snacks, water, and (importantly) all pieces of your costume. Creating this list a few days in advance of your performance is helpful, so you have plenty of time to find or purchase the items you need.
Photo by Kazuo Ota from Unsplash
Each year, most dancers perform in several performances of The Nutcracker, sometimes spanning several weekends. This is a lot of dancing! Especially after the break many dancers took in 2020, this much performance time may understandably take a toll on your body, leaving your muscles feeling sore. Post-rehab Specialist Leah Bueno, also known as @thepilatesdancer on Instagram, writes that “added rehearsals and performances can leave the body vulnerable to injuries.” Thus, she advises dancers to warm up every time they dance, making sure they warm their bodies back up if they haven’t been dancing for 20 minutes. This is a particularly important tip, considering The Nutcracker can involve a lot of starts and stops. Bueno also recommends dancers spend extra time on recovery, involving self-massage, exercises that reset the body, and getting a good night’s sleep. Finally, Bueno says dancers should “seek support if something hurts,” pointing out that prioritizing your health now can prevent less time away from the studio in the future.
Finally, in addition to staying organized and physically healthy, it’s also important to keep your mind mentally healthy throughout Nutcracker season. Performance season can be a stressful time for everyone. I remember during my Nutcracker performances growing up, I would get so stressed out that I would sometimes snap at my family members, friends, and instructors, as my intense focus on my performances kept me from being mindful about my behavior. I also held myself to a strict performance standard, emotionally berating myself every time I faltered onstage. One year, when I was performing a solo as the Sugar Plum Fairy, I slipped and fell on my behind - I was mortified and let my shame eat me up.
As much as we try, it’s near impossible for every performance to turn out exactly how we want it to. Tiny slip-ups are bound to happen here and there, most of which may not even be caught by the audience. We must take our performances seriously and strive to be the best dancers we can be, but also, have a sense of humor when things don’t turn out exactly as expected. After all, it’s the holiday season, an exciting time to celebrate with friends and family.
Photo by Gaelle Marcel from Unsplash
When you feel your stress building up, instead of intensely internalizing it or blurting out something you regret to one of your loved ones, try taking some deep breaths to relieve some of the tension you’re experiencing. Instead of fixating on your fear of messing up on stage, shift your mind to all the positive, exciting things about The Nutcracker season, including getting the chance to perform on stage, be around friends, and show off your dance training. I also find it helpful to write down or speak some positive affirmations about myself aloud before I begin a stressful endeavor. If you are feeling good about yourself and believe you can succeed, you’re setting yourself up for a great performance!
Nutcracker season is a thrilling time of the year, a time when some of the best dance memories are made. Making sure you’re organized and effectively taking care of your body and mind makes it that much more magical and enjoyable. Happy Nutcracker season to all!
