![\"In](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763284748_840_STT-L-CIVIC-11xx.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d is a holiday tradition for dancers from preschool age and up. Audiences often include members who are there as family and not necessarily as fans of ballet.<\/p>\n
If that\u2019s you, here are some tips from regional dancers and teachers to help ballet novices get the most from the production.<\/p>\n
Get carried away<\/p>\n
The Ballet Theatre of Scranton is preparing for its 50th annual free production, which draws crowds on dates around Thanksgiving. The Scranton Civic Ballet Company performs at the Theater at North on Dec. 12-13. The Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre\u2019s version will be at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 21.<\/p>\n
Between the three troupes, more than 200 dancers have rehearsed for weeks or longer. Other schools around the region are doing the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the best way to enjoy \u2018The Nutcracker\u2019 is to just let yourself be carried by the music and movement,\u201d Ballet Theatre of Scranton dancer Gianna Vachino said by email.<\/p>\n
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Robert Zaloga and Michael Straub<\/p>\n
In the cast of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company: Rachel Stopper as the Sugar Plum Fairy;
\nRobert Zaloga as the Cavalier and GiGi Ceruti as Clara. (Courtsey of Robert Zaloga and Michael Straub)<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to know anything about ballet to appreciate it. The story, the costumes and the energy of the dancers tell you everything you need to feel,\u201d Vachino wrote.<\/p>\n
Know the story<\/p>\n
Joanne Arduino, artistic director of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton, recommends knowing the story beforehand. There is a synopsis in the program of most productions and many books and videos for all ages.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great first introduction to ballet,\u201d Arduino said, \u201cbecause it\u2019s easily understandable and it\u2019s so festive.\u201d<\/p>\n
A very short version: Drosselmeyer, a mysterious uncle, arrives at a fancy Christmas party and brings performing dolls. He gives Clara, the main character, a nutcracker figure, which her brother breaks.<\/p>\n
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Gianna Vachino, in the upcoming performance of \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d by the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. (Courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton.)\n<\/p>\n
![\"Olivia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763284748_863_STT-L-WBCLARA-11xx.jpg\")
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Courtesy of Andy Molitoris<\/p>\n
Olivia Selenski is the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre\u2019s Clara. (Courtesy of
\nAndy Molitoris)\n<\/p>\n
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Dancers will perform the 50th anniversay production of \u201cThe Nutracker,\u201d by the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. (Courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. )\n<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Andy Molitoris<\/p>\n
Some of the young dancers of \u201cThe Nutcracker,\u201d by the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, pose in costume. (Courtesy of Andy Molitoris)\n<\/p>\n
![\"Some](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763284750_592_STT-L-WBNUT-2-11xx-01.jpg\")
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Andy Molitoris<\/p>\n
Some dancers of \u201cThe Nutcracker,\u201d by the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, pose in costume. (Courtesy of
\nAndy Molitoris)\n<\/p>\n
![\"Melina](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763284750_881_STT-L-WBSNOW-1-11xx-01.jpg\")
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Andy Molitoris<\/p>\n
Melina Ospina-Wiese is the Snow Queen in the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre\u2019s upcoming production of \u201cThe Nutcracker.\u201d
\n(Courtesy of Andy Molitoris)\n<\/p>\n
Show Caption<\/p>\n
1 of 6<\/p>\n
Gianna Vachino, in the upcoming performance of \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d by the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. (Courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton.)\n<\/p>\n
Expand<\/a><\/p>\n When the house is quiet, its mice throw their own party, which gets out of hand. Drosselmeyer creates a full-sized nutcracker, a prince, who battles the Mouse King and defeats him with Clara\u2019s help.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody has an uncle or an aunt who is kind of their own Drosselmeyer,\u201d said Gina Malsky, director and owner of the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre. \u201cWhether they\u2019re not married or they don\u2019t have kids, they always bring the special gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n She starts each \u201cNutcracker\u201d season by leading the cast through the story.<\/p>\n Keep your eye on Clara, Arduino said. \u201cJust follow her throughout, because it is her story.\u201d<\/p>\n Vachino is playing Clara for the second consecutive year and enjoys her character\u2019s curiosity and love of adventure.<\/p>\n Enjoy the music<\/p>\n The story is only part of it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe other thing is, enjoy the music,\u201d Arduino said. \u201cBecause it\u2019s very famous, popular music by Tchaikovsky.\u201d<\/p>\n Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote the music in 1892. He was one of the first to use the celesta, a keyboard instrument with a sound similar to bells. The instrument is recognizable from the theme of \u201cMr. Roger\u2019s Neighborhood\u201d and \u201cHedwig\u2019s Theme,\u201d from the \u201cHarry Potter\u201d movies.<\/p>\n The highlight of the ballet? Arduino and Helen M. Gaus, artistic director of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company picked the same thing. The Sugar Plum Fairy and a male dancer called the Cavalier famously dance together toward the end of the second act.<\/p>\n \u201cOh my goodness,\u201d Gaus said. It\u2019s a technically demanding piece, with lots of lifts, performed together and then in separate variations.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just the culmination of the ballet,\u201d Arduino said.<\/p>\n Watch for new twists<\/p>\n For those who see the ballet every year, Malsky suggests watching for new twists. This year, her Drosselmeyer is played by a girl, Lilah Hilal.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we are adding more dance to the character,\u201d Malsky said.<\/p>\n Vachino suggests honing in on the snow scene.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s truly magical and transports the audience to a whole new feeling,\u201d she wrote. \u201cThe synchronization of the dancers creates a mesmerizing kind of beauty, and the individuality of each dancer adds a sense of uniqueness to the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Creating the snow is expensive, Malsky said, so she doesn\u2019t deploy the full effect at every rehearsal. At one performance, some of the youngest dancers were so entranced by the falling snowflakes that they forgot to dance.<\/p>\n \u201cThe little ones looked up and all they did was jump up and down and say, \u2018It\u2019s snowing, it\u2019s snowing,\u2019 she said. \u201cAnd not one dance step.\u201d<\/p>\n No one minded. \u201cThe audience was standing and clapping and cheering,\u201d Malsky said.<\/p>\n The dancers can be as young as age 3, so \u201csometimes it can get comical,\u201d she said. There is always a dancer who waves, and expects a wave in return, Malsky said.<\/p>\n \u201cI always tell everybody sit in the third or fourth row, because the first and second row, sometimes they can\u2019t see you.\u201d<\/p>\n To make sure you wave at the right performer, know where and when they will dance. By design, groups of characters look the same, down to the hairstyles, \u201cso that no one really sticks out,\u201d Arduino said.<\/p>\n Malsky, Arduino and Gaus have all danced or taught \u201cNutcracker\u201d for decades.<\/p>\n \u201cIt never gets old,\u201d Malsky said.<\/p>\n For information<\/p>\n Ballet Theatre of Scranton: balletscranton.org<\/a><\/p>\n Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre: facebook.com\/DanceTheatreWB<\/a>; tickets: kirbycenter.org<\/a><\/p>\n