On Being Mademoiselle

As a little girl and into my teens, I performed in the local production of The Nutcracker, which was put on by my dance studio. I had waited for the day that I was tall enough to try out and when it finally came, I could hardly contain myself. The six years which I was part of the cast were the busiest Christmas seasons I've had thus far. Rehearsals started the beginning of October and as time got closer to the actual run, we would be at the venue from right after school to right before bedtime. For small dancers, it was a real test on their endurance.

When I was home last weekend, my mom planned an afternoon at the ballet, our same ballet, with life-long friends and fellow dance-mate, Jeanne and Sadie. Sadie and I have been best friends since we were born and were connected at the hip while growing up. We performed in the Nutcracker, usually the very same parts. While attending this year's production of the once professional version of the Sandy City Nutcracker, we were quite embarrassed at what we saw. Without going into details, I will just say it has become a Mickey-Mouse production of sorts and has changed considerably since we left, as well as the former artistic director left just years after us.

My first year as a Nutcracker cast member, I was pleased as punch to have made it as a mademoiselle--the small children that come out from under a huge hoop skirt worn by a very comical dancer. They were the tiniest dancers in the production and often received the most "oohhing," and "awwing." We were simply that cute, with our tight ringlet hair and pretty parasols.

I enjoyed every minute of my time as a mademoiselle. From the day they called my number to the last night on stage, and every moment in between. One night, in particular, is ingrained in my mind as if it were yesterday. At the time, my young little mind wasn't comprehending it as funny, but now looking back, I laugh and smile each time I remember what happened.

I was partnered with Susie Petrucie, a girl who was in my class and just a year older. She was one of the funniest girls in my class because she always had a huge smile on her face that went, literally, from ear to ear. She laughed like a clown and just made everyone happy. During rehearsals, Susie and I got in trouble for giggling and talking when we should have been dancing. After we had performed for the night, we would sit together in the cast room playing cards, coloring, and obsessing over the hunk of a Nutcracker Prince.

One night of our run, right before we wedged ourselves under Madame buffoon's hoop skirt, Susie lost a tooth. She was bleeding and crying and I didn't think that she'd be able to go on stage. Our stage mom brought her a handfuls of Kleenex, which Susie stuffed in her mouth to stop the bleeding, and wiped her tears, ruining her makeup entirely. Our cue was given and Susie and I were rushed under the skirt, her mouth full of Kleenex and blood. As we slid along the floor to the middle of the stage, Susie looked at me petrified of what might happen if she went out with this bloody mound of tissues in her mouth. I shrugged my shoulders and just as I did so, the partnership right before us popped out from under the skirt. I knew we were next.

Since we were quite young and inexperienced, we didn't quite have the knack for fixing on-stage blunders such as Susie's. I guess, then, she did the best she knew how when we came out from under the skirt. Susie, still smiling her big smile, took the wad of Kleenex out right when we came out of the skirt and, looking from one side of the stage to the other, threw that bundle of bloody and wet Kleenex across the stage. This, obviously, was not in our choreography, but as I said, Susie did what she knew how to do.

We did our dance and everything was fine. Until Susie had to get back under the skirt. A dancer right behind her was going too fast and stepped on success ballet shoe. It came off and never made it in with her under the skirt. As we trailed off under the skirt, there sat Susie's slipper in the middle of the stage.

Needless to say, she was mortified after that performance. I felt bad and was even a little embarrassed that it had happened to my partner. Luckily, however, the next night before the performance, the director came to give cast notes and never once said anything about Susie's many mistakes on stage. Quietly, however, she came to us after the meeting and said that it was OK what had happened and that it wouldn't be so bad tonight.

My memories of the Nutcracker are usually very happy. I loved dancing as a mademoiselle, soldier (two years), Snow Spring, court jester, Lady in Waiting, and a Flower.

Until next Christmas memory, have a great Tuesday.