The Nutcracker, Clara, and the Mouse King

More about nutcrackers: In 1816, a German writer named E.T.A. Hoffmann became enchanted with the nutcrackers being made in the Erzgebirge region of Germany. Hoffmann was a fantasy and Gothic horror writer. In 1816 he decided to write a story about a nutcracker, a girl named Clara, and the king of all the mice and what happened one Christmas Eve. He called it “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” Though intended for children, the original story had some scary, maybe even creepy parts. In 1844, Alexander Dumas re-wrote the story to be more child-friendly. This version inspired Pyotr Iliych Tchaikovsky to compose his very famous ballet, The Nutcracker, which premiered in 1892. Though it is a cherished tradition now, it gained popularity slowly. The first performance outside of Russia was in England in 1934. It premiered in the United States in 1944 in San Francisco, and in Australia in 1963. By now, the ballet is well-known and has become a tradition in many cities during the month of December. The music is a familiar staple of the Christmas season. It is also one of the reasons that nutcrackers have become popular worldwide.

When I was about 7, I began taking ballet lessons. I very much wanted to dance in The Nutcracker but had to wait until my second year. I wanted to be Clara but wasn’t old enough – Clara is a role that is usually done by girls between 11 and 14. The closest I got was to be a cat. I wore a black and white leotard with silver sequins on the front, a black tutu, and a pair of brand new pink ballet slippers. I also got to have very glamorous glitter eye shadow and glitter in my hair. I was on stage for about 2 minutes in only one matinee, which was really a student recital for selected portions of the ballet and practice time for the orchestra. None of this really mattered – with my costume, the lights, the music, and an audience (mostly parents) I felt like a real ballerina! It was a memorable experience and for the next couple of years I was certain I would be a dancer. This was replaced by an obsession with horses, camping and backpacking, and bowling. Yup – even won a trophy.