SAN ANTONIO – The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is performing “The Nutcracker” this December and it once again is back on stage.
“It’s very thrilling,” Jaida Soleman, 13, who is playing Clara for a second year in a row, said.
She said she feels incredibly honored to dance the role of Clara more than once in her lifetime, and that performing as the lead this time around is a lot less pressure.
“I’m very lucky getting to do it twice,” Jaida said. “So now it’s my second year, I can improve more and get to enjoy it more.”
Jaida is just one of the many children performing in the nutcracker performance this holiday season.
Vanessa Bessler, the Artistic Director of the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, said what makes this show so special is that they take a more Broadway approach to the show, with a very diverse and all-inclusive cast.
It’s an all-children cast that includes vocalists, actors, special needs artists and dancers from a diverse range of disciplines.
“This is the only all-children’s production of ‘The Nutcracker’ in the city,” Bessler said. “We are so proud that our dancers are very young, very fresh with the most talented young dancers in the city.”
Thirteen year old Joaquin Marsh is performing as the nutcracker character this year. He has only been dancing ballet for two years, training as a gymnast most of his life. He said being on stage is something he’ll never forget.
“There is something always new,” Joaquin said. “Something more to bring and our teacher is amazing. It’s just so magical to be apart of it and seeing everything come together and all the inclusivity.”
Before the performance guests can enjoy a Christmas market beforehand, with pictures with Santa and nutcracker characters and holiday treats and gifts.
You can enjoy the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s Children’s Nutcracker on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Lila Cockrell Theatre, located in 200 block of East Market Street downtown. Tickets are available on the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio website here.