The Nutcracker from our student’s perspective
Each holiday season, The Nutcracker brings timeless magic to stages worldwide, and for students of The Royal Ballet School, it offers an extraordinary opportunity to work alongside professionals they look up to. This year, our Upper School had the privilege of joining Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Ballet in their productions.
Through weeks of rehearsals, costume fittings, and back-to-back performances, our students got a taste of what professional life is like and had the opportunity to shine on stage. From dazzling waltzes to thrilling battle scenes, every moment on stage brought new challenges and unforgettable memories.
We caught up with four of our students to hear about their experiences from performing this year.
Heewon
What’s your role?
I was the Maid and Snowflake in Act 1, and Flower in Act 2.
What does a typical day look like when you have a performance?
We always have a ballet class with company in the morning. For a double show day, we get ready for the matinee show. After the show, we have a 2–3-hour break and we usually have dinner, do some exercise in the gym and Pilates room or take time to recover our bodies, and perform the evening show after the break. For the one show day in the evening, we sometimes have a stage rehearsal and notes from the previous shows after the class, and then get ready for the evening show. The performance normally finishes at 10.
What’s been your favourite memory so far?
Working and sharing the stage with the company for six weeks. It helped me to develop an experience of the professional ballet dancer’s life. Performing on stage with incredible artists has been such a privileged time and I have learnt a lot. After the Flower Waltz in Act II, we are able to watch the amazing Sugar Plum pas de deux which is one of the most exciting moments in the ballet.
What has been the most challenging?
We have performed 28 shows of The Nutcracker at the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre: performances on Tuesday to Sunday and a double show on Thursday and Saturday. I got tired, and my muscles were getting tight sometimes due to performing on stage every day. Managing my workload day to day and finding time to recover my body was the most challenging part.
What is your favourite costume or scene in the ballet?
Every single costume looked beautiful, but I would say the Snowflake costume was my favourite and my favourite scene in the ballet as well. It has felt like a dream to perform the snow scene, because I always wanted to perform the Snowflake after I watched The Nutcracker when I was young.
Joe
What’s your role?
I have been performing the Russian Dance, a Cadet in the party scene, a Rat in the battle, and an Act 2 soldier.
What does a typical day look like when you have a performance?
We will start the day with a 1hr 15min ballet class to warm up our bodies and prepare for the performance. If there is only an evening show, I will do strength and conditioning or Pilates in the Jerwood Suite to help maintain my physical strength during the busy run. If it is a double show day, I’ll grab lunch, head to the dressing room to do my stage make-up and get into costume for Act I. Between shows, I will prioritise recovery, rolling out my muscles, resting, eating well, and then ensuring I do a good warmup before the evening show.
What’s been your favourite memory so far?
Performing the Russian Dance in Act II. The mix of the music and adrenaline brought out through the dance is so fun, and hearing the audience’s reaction at the end is always so fantastic.
What has been the most challenging?
Also the Russian Dance! The Cobbler’s step took a while to master, and I really had to build up my stamina to make it through to the end of the dance as the steps are tricky and fast.
What is your favourite costume or scene in the ballet?
One of my favourite scenes is the battle. Not only are the Rat costumes incredible, but they are also so much fun to perform, scurrying around the stage, fighting with swords, and scaring the audience.
Yuki
What’s your role?
I’ve been dancing as a Snowflake in Act 1 and as a Flower in Act 2.
What’s been your favorite memory so far?
Being on stage every day has been such a wonderful experience for me. Dancing alongside professional dancers is incredibly inspiring, and I feel excited every time I perform.
What has been the most challenging?
There were a couple of times in Snowflakes when I had to dance in different positions due to other dancers’ injuries. It was quite stressful because I didn’t have any rehearsals for those spots before the actual performances. However, it turned out to be a great opportunity to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
What is your favorite costume or scene in the ballet?
I love every moment of this ballet, but I especially enjoy dancing the Snowflakes. The costumes are absolutely stunning, and dancing in the snowflakes falling from the ceiling is magical and breathtaking.
Sean
What’s your role?
Party guest, Rat, and Soldier!
What does a typical day look like when you have a performance?
We have just been up for rehearsal, so I haven’t gotten to experience the performance aspect yet.
What’s been your favourite memory so far?
Honestly, just being here as it’s one of the first companies I’ve been able to properly experience. Since the first day the staff and company have been so nice and welcoming.
What has been the most challenging?
The most challenging thing so far is still balancing our academics with our new schedules as we still have to stay on top of our degree work while learning these new choreographies.
What is your favourite costume or scene in the ballet?
Probably the Rat one as it’s really fun to dance in with the giant rat head and the furry legs. My favorite scene is probably the battle scene as it’s really exciting and there’s a lot of fun things going on.
