Nutcracker

Wish there was a picture, but no opportunities unless you count the lobby - without so much as a holly berry in it.
Monday I made some calls in order to organize a group to go see a matinee of the Nutcracker. I managed to get a crowd of 24 friends together - some homeschool buddies, some other homeschool buddies from a different group, and some friends, as well.
Clinton was able to finally use his Veteran's Day holiday (which he had to work, of course) so he could come. We left Emma with a friend and brought her oldest daughter.
Lizzy loved it. At intermission she asked whether we could see the Nutcracker again. By the end she was getting a bit wiggly; but I'm pretty impressed with how well she did.

I first saw the Nutcracker in the Capitol Theater in Salt Lake City when I was an early teen. Mother Ginger and the bon bons in that performance were magical, and I haven't seen that dance done as well since; though I have enjoyed it and it's always a crowd pleaser.
Another Nutcracker that has stuck with me was when I saw my brother-in-law as the Cavalier. I'm afraid I always think the Cavalier too short since then, as Glade is 6'4" and was pretty graceful. You don't expect to actually know those guys.
Clint's niece was a Chinese dancer in one that I saw, the same time as her sister was also in the ensemble.
I can't say the dance of the reed flutes brings a particular performance to mind... more of a high school memory in which I insisted on calling it "the dance of the kazoos" to get a predictable rise out of the first chair flutist. I really should have been nicer.
I also have seen some phenomenal performances of the Russian dancers that still give me chills when I think of them, and I do when I hear the music.
I saw the Nutcracker in Russia while I was teaching English. It was something to remember.

After all these memorable performances I keep coming back for more.

This time both the Nutcracker and the Cavalier were students from Sofia, Bulgaria. While a bit short, the Cavalier was really good, and the fellow who performed the Nutcracker - wow. Graceful, strong, beautiful. I love watching really good ballet, and that guy was it.

Two thumbs up.