Written by Russian composer P.I. Tchaikovsky, "The Nutcracker" has been continuously performed in the United States since 1944 by such ballet luminaries as Mikhail Baryshnikov.

On Dec. 13-14, the Orangeburg Civic Ballet will stage its 16th annual version of this 116-year-old classic Christmas tale at the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium on the campus of South Carolina State University.

Orangeburg Civic Ballet Artistic Director Tamalyn Blackman says the ballet, based on an adaptation of German author E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," carries an especially positive message for children.

"'The Nutcracker' is an awesome story that is a traditional Christmas favorite," Blackman said. "A little girl falls in love with an ugly little doll that, because of her love, turns into a handsome prince. Beyond that, it's the beautiful costumes of the dancers, an aspect of the ballet that everyone from the young to the old will enjoy."

The story takes place at Christmas in the Stahlbaum home, where Clara, the main character, receives the gift of a nutcracker from her godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer. Clara gets up in the night to get her nutcracker from under the tree, falling asleep with it. Her dreams transport her into a holiday fantasy where her toy has now grown to the size of a human. Clara saves her Nutcracker Prince from the Mouse King, defeating him in battle by throwing her shoe at the intruder. The nutcracker transforms into human form when Clara kisses him before both are whisked away to the Enchanted Forest and the Kingdom of the Sweets, where they are entertained by the dances of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her subjects.

Blackman says the Orangeburg Civic Ballet, a youth dance company, was formed because of the need for a ballet company for both dancers and the community.

"We have youth from all around the area who have danced in 'The Nutcracker' production for up to nine years," Bla

ckman said. "That's the part that boggles my mind because the veterans anticipate this like Christmas. They can't wait for rehearsal to start and to find out what part they have.

"This annual ballet showcases the teamwork that goes on with the dancers to put on a tremendous product. It means so much to our kids to perform for the community."

Matthew Waters of Orangeburg, a student at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, is one of only two males in the OCB.

"I've been dancing seven years (at the OCB), and this is my fourth year in 'The Nutcracker,'" Waters said. "I've played the role of the Nutcracker before, especially last ye

ar. I love ballet and dancing in this production."

Matthew's mother, Michelle, says the OCB's version of "The Nutcracker" employs every dancer in several different roles.

"There are 150 roles in the play, which covers about two hours, and about 48 kids in the ballet company, most of who will be playing three roles in each performance," she said. "The youngest ones have three minor roles, and the older ones have five with several costume changes.

"Part of the attraction for the dancers is that they look forward to playing new and different roles, although a number of them play some of the same roles for several years. These dancers put in so much time in rehearsal for 'The Nutcracker.' They are usually here about six hours on Saturdays, with additional hours during the week from the beginning of October to the date of the show. Usually, we often have to refit costumes in the week before the play because of the weight the girls have lost due to the strenuous rehearsal and the exercise."

Eleven-year-old Kaitlyn Ulmer is one young dancer who makes the commute from her home in Summerville to dance in "The Nutcracker." She is a nine-year veteran of the production, having started in the ballet at the tender age of 2.

"I play the character of Clara," Ulmer said. "This is my dream, and I've wanted to go to Juilliard since I was 2. Once I finish high school, I'm going straight to New York. I like 'The Nutcracker' because of the families, the big parties, the costumes, the music and dancing. I just love everything about it."

Jennifer Coffey, a student at Holly Hill Academy, dances the role of the "Snow Queen" this year. Coffey says audiences will be amazed by "The Nutcracker."

"I've been dancing for seven seasons with the OCB and seven years with 'The Nutcracker,'" she said. "It has really become a tradition for me and my family,

and it's not Christmas without it. It's a wonderful, magical story and so is dancing on stage. People have the stereotype of it being boring, and you want to go to sleep. But it's not like that at all. It's exciting and colorful."

Although she doesn't have a lot of dancers who will go on to become professionals, Blackman says ballet leaves them with a strong sense of self and dedication that shines through during "The Nutcracker."

"Just come to the performance," Blackman said. "It is a beautiful production in its own right; it is not a dance recital. Give us a chance to show you this beautiful tradition."

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T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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