Nutcracker of Middle Georgia Opens Tonight

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The curtain opens Wednesday night for a Christmas tradition! This year’s Nutcracker of Middle Georgia features hundreds of local dancers performing the timeless classic. 41NBC got a sneak peek of the sights and sounds of the ballet.

“Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Nutcracker ballet,” the announcer says right before the show.

“I’ve been doing Nutcracker for about seven years, so its just something that I’ve always done,” Grace Ford said. “I love it so much. It’s kinda what I look forward to the whole year.”

Dancers warmed up Wednesday morning for the school performance.

“We auditioned in September and we rehearsed pretty much every single weekend, Saturday and Sunday, for a few hours each day,” Natalie Pittman said.

“It’s a long process,” Ford said. “But is it worth it?” 41NBC’s Amanda Castro asked. “It’s so worth it. It’s so fun.”

This year Ford is dancing in the Waltz of the Flowers, the Spanish variation, and Snow.

“My favorite part is Snow to watch, it’s a marathon to dance, but it is so fun to watch,” Ford said.

Pittman is performing in the Waltz of the Flowers and the Marzipan variation.

“I’ve never done Marzipan before so its good to learn a new dance,” Pittman said. “I really enjoy both of them, they’re good parts.”

Both dancers love the feeling of performing on stage.

“When you’re on stage and you’re smiling and you’re performing, you see the audience, you get a rush,” Ford said.

“It’s a really fun experience every year,” Pittman said.

Ford and Pittman say the Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition for many people across Middle Georgia.

“It’s so fun to be apart of so many people’s tradition,” Ford said.

All the dancers performing say they enjoy the experience.

“It’s usually a big impact on all the dancer’s lives,” Pittman said. “t’s a really great show, everyone should really come to see it.”

The Nutcracker opens Wednesday night and runs all weekend long. Visit www.midganutcracker.com for show times and ticket information.