For the past two years, and this year, I participate in one of my favorite holiday traditions (not really). The Nutcracker is a ballet performed by the Tuscarawas Dance Arts Center every year. I used to go watch it almost every year because my sister Laney performed in it. Now, I’m up on stage dancing with my sister. 

Let me set the scene for you: I am sitting in my basement about two years ago playing video games and eating candy. I’m a sophomore in high school at this point and Covid was still prominent. My favorite sport, soccer, has been taken away from me, and I essentially have nothing to do. I hear my sister, Laney, come tumbling down the stairs. She stays on the stairs and asks me this vital question, “Eric, will you be in the Nutcracker this year ?” I start to think about how that may be the stupidest question I have ever heard. The way I answer is not out of character for me, but it is when I made my greatest mistake. I sarcastically say, “ Yeah, sure I’ll do it,” and I roll my eyes. Laney at the time was in 8th grade, and I should have known she would pull some kind of stunt. About two weeks roll around and my mom comes downstairs and tells me to get ready for Nutcracker. I am stunned. I told Laney a sarcastic answer and clearly, she did not pick up on the sarcasm. I argue with my mom, and at this point, I am infuriated with my sister. Since I have nothing else to do, I eventually just hop in the car and take us both to Nutcracker. Nutcracker practice was the most embarrassing thing I have ever been to. We had to wear masks which was a plus because it hid some of the embarrassment. The worst part was that I was surrounded by a bunch of females that I did not know. Oh and on top of that, I had to dance. 

Even after two years going on three of dancing in the Nutcracker, I still cannot dance to save my life. So imagine me in my very first year trying to dance in front of a bunch of females who have danced practically their entire lives. I then get told by the dance instructor, Shelly, that I am going to be the Cavalier. I already had an idea that I was going to be the Cavalier because the previous one graduated. This meant I was going to have to do THE big lift. This was very scary. I am a very skinny and not built person, but I was ready to accept the challenge. We started practicing the lift where I throw the girl up on my shoulder. Surprisingly, no one got hurt, and we could do the lift with ease. I had to do two other lifts which were also pretty difficult but through practice, they became easier. Unfortunately, I think I was starting to enjoy Nutcracker. 

The first performance rolled around in early December, and oh boy, was I nervous. I was shaking the entire time backstage, trying not to throw up. We wore masks during the performance so I could talk quietly on stage while we danced. Fortunately, I had to do the adult party scene in the first half of the show which helped calm me down because it was a very easy dance. Then the second half rolled around. Unfortunately for me, the Cavalier is not included in the cast of people who get to sit on stage, so I had to stand awkwardly behind the Sugar Plum Fairy, Emma, god bless her heart, and wait until I walked off the stage. After I walked off the stage, which I was late to do so, I was mentally preparing for my duet. I hear the Waltz of the Flowers music finish, and I knew it was my time to shine. I took Emma’s hands and off we go. The duet went really well until my glasses and mask got knocked off as I was letting Emma down off my shoulder. I had a choice to make: Get rid of my mask and try and throw it off stage during a pandemic, or throw my glasses off stage and not be able to see. I choose my mask and it was quite the reveal considering no one there knew what I looked like. The rest of the performances went well, and the performances the days after went well too. 

The next year, I knew I would have to stick with Nutcracker because once I was in it, I knew I was never getting out. All of those performances went well. I started to become friends with some of the cast members, so I was actually enjoying the Nutcracker season. This year, I started playing soccer again which caused some problems going to Nutcracker practice. However, I managed to do both and now I look forward to the performances on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Maybe I was a bit too harsh about the Nutcracker. I think I am actually starting to enjoy it.