Christmastime means the curtains are lifting on stages around the world for the Nutcracker Ballet. In Fort Worth, that holiday family tradition isn’t just something to go watch. Noelle Walker explains.
On Friday morning, the North Central Ballet performed the Nutcracker Ballet for students ahead of opening night on Friday.
For many families seeing the Nutcracker together is tradition, but for some families in North Central Ballet, being in the Nutcracker together might just be a new tradition.
"I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be on stage," Josh Rettig said. Rettig, his wife Emily, daughter Aspen, and son Archer are all in the Nutcracker production. Emily is the only ballet dancer in the family. "I did the high school football thing. I got to play in front of 40,000 people, but it's not anything like this!"
"Was not on my bucket list," Brian Droege said smiling. Droge is a teacher. This is his second year playing one of the parents in the Nutcracker. He's the real parent of daughter Penelope, and son Dax, who are also in the Nutcracker. "I will say it's a whole lot easier to be up in front of 22 fourth-graders rather than an audience of many hundreds!"
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"It's really fun," Penelope Droege said. "I really like to be able to do it with my family."
"I actually took ballet because I saw one of her shows," Dax Droege said pointing to his sister. "I thought man, I want to do that!"
This is the North Central Ballet's 30th year putting on the Nutcracker. The production is like one big family, figuratively and literally.
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"I get to be there not only while they're performing, but when they're learning it," Rettig said. "I get to see how they go from not knowing the dance to perfecting the dance."
"It makes me really proud," Droege said. "I'm thrilled to be a part of it!"
The North Central Ballet's Nutcracker opens Friday, December 13 at IM Terrell Performing Arts Center in Fort Worth, and runs through Saturday, December 14. For ticket information, click here.
