Elegance in a Nutshell
The Broad Stage in Santa Monica filled with thunderous applause and the audience leapt to their feet as this year’s performance of a holiday tradition came to a end on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2022.
The curtains are closing for Westside Ballet of Santa Monica’s “The Nutcracker.” This final showing of the year was held at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022.
The stage was filled with applause and the audience leapt to their feet as this year’s holiday tradition came to an end. Many of these performers have practiced for this show for several months, and some have done this same production for many years. For this show, rehearsing started in late August.
“It takes a long time to get sixteen people to all dance together,” Caprice Walker said, the Associate Artistic Director of Westside Ballet. Walker shared with the Corsair how difficult managing a team of performers can be “when it becomes their turn, we rehearse their roles so they can master those steps.”
Westside Ballet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” was originally choreographed by the founders of the company Yvonne Mounsey and Rosemary Valaire. It has adhered to this initial composition since 1973.
The months of rehearsing it takes to perfect this performance have led some to have mixed feelings about the last performance.
“Today’s a bittersweet day. It’s the last day, but I feel a little bit of relief because before you go on stage you always have that feeling of butterflies in your stomach,” Isabel Bugacov said.
Bugacov was one of the featured artists that performed for the show as a Spanish Chocolate, a Marzipan Mirliton, and a Flower.
“It’s the longest-running production in Southern California, and it’s a privilege that we get to dance on stage.”
