My 5-1/2 yr old daughter wants to audition for the Nutcracker?

Question

the audition and production is one hour away from our rural community that offers nothing of the sort. BUT she lives and breathes for dance (at this point she wants 2 B a dancer when she grows up) and I hate to dampen her love for dance & her creativity. My idea was to take her to the Great Russian Nutcracker in Dec. when she came up w/ the idea that she wants to dance in the Nutcracker. She has been in ballet/ tap/ tumbling for 3 yrs. She is also very lively and active and I'm not sure if she would understand what this would entail vs her dance classes/ recital. I'm also not sure if this would be a good idea with our crazy IA weather and the commitment that this would take. the idea of the audition really isn't the issue- it's if she was to make the cut! ( I visited w/ a representative from the theater and she said they try to let most of them at that age in, but again, my daughter is very, very active as in almost hyper!

Answer 1

well I am now 16 years old, but when I was the same age as your daughter I auditioned for the Nutcracker with Hawaii Ballet Theatre with Principal dancers from the American Ballet Theatre and loved it!!! I auditioned again the following year and got a soloist part (The Golden Bird).  It was one of the greatest experiences of my life! The audition process was videotaped and they mail you your part if you are cast.   if your daughter is cast, so are many other children and in my experience, there was a lot of tolerance held for the child portion of the cast and although the rehearsals were long and exhausting, they were very accommodating and it was so worth it! give your daughter the opportunity for the experience of a life time especially if it is her dream!!!

Answer 2

Let her try out. She is 5!!! I remember when I was in the Nutcracker Ballet when I was five. I was the fact that I got to be in something that awesome when I was five that inspired me to keep dancing. Let her try out, if she makes it reminder her the commitment it would take. Also, be prepare for if she don't make the cut... She will be fine, no matter how hyper she will get in and have the time of your life!!!!

Answer 3

I say let her go for it.  Perhaps this will be a way for her to use up some of that extra energy she seems to have.  Plus, you don't want to put a damper on her dreams this early.

Answer 4

yeah go ahead or you could find a small studio tht does a production themselves like my studio everyone who tries out makes the cut and its welcome to everyone above 3

Answer 5

If you are ready to make the huge commitment, then you should let her try out.  It is a WONDERFUL experience.  My family has been involved in Nutcracker for the past 4 years.  Parents are expected to volunteer at the performances in most cases, so it's not just bringing your child to practices, there's probably more to it.  When she auditions, they should give you all of the details of what exactly the commitment entails.  If you decide to go for it, it's really a lot of fun for her and a rewarding experience with volunteer work on your part as well.  Good luck!

Answer 6

let her try. the only way that she will know if she likes it is by trying.

Answer 7

Putting aside the fact that I don't think the "Great Russian Nutcracker" productions (there are 3 touring companies) open the auditions to children younger than 7, you should know that this particular touring show is half a money-making racket and half a better-than-nothing way to get so-so ballet out to the hinterlands. If you consider that this production may well be the pinnacle of your child's dance experiences, then this faux-fame wish fulfillment may well be worth the time, effort and money on your part (once your child is deemed old enough to audition). But if you really and truly intend to do whatever it takes to support your child in her aspirations to become a professional dancer when she grows up, there are much better things you could be doing with your time, effort and money to help her on her way. One of those things would be to take what you'd be spending in gas to drive her an hour each way to multiple Great Russian Nutcracker rehearsals and travel to a major city to see a real ballet company perform (one that rehearses and performs more than "Great Russian Nutcracker" and "Great Russian Swan Lake").

When your daughter eventually makes the cut for the Moscow Ballet's production - and she will someday, since her participation means you and your family will buy tickets - her hyper-activity shouldn't be an issue since the goal of the children's roles is to be cute and fun. The children rehearse separately from the professional dancers, who roll into town right before the show. The children's rehearsal director is a local teacher who is impressed enough by the faux-fame to do this for free - plus the publicity in the local papers for her local dance studio. Which, I'll grant, is REAL local fame, but that's all it is. The greater ballet world has no respect for the so-called "Moscow Ballet" (which isn't even from Moscow).

I'm very sorry if it sounds as though I'm knocking the experience that's offered to small-town dancers via the "Great Russian Nutcracker." But the hard truth of the matter is that aspiring professional dancers must leave their small towns in order to find the kind of dance training that will get them to where they want to go. If you can't manage that for your child by the time she turns 14 at the latest (for the summers, at the very least), then feel free to indulge her love of dance by grabbing for the one thing that comes by you.

Answer 8

Doing The Nutcracker is an important start in a young dancers life. I would highly, HIGHLY let her audition. Most companies know how to work with (and where to place) little ones. Plus I think the experience will show her that dancing also takes discipline. Good luck!!