Making the Nutcracker Sweet

By James Kennedy

The Albany Berkshire Ballet is touring the Upper East Coast of the US and is stopping at Westbury High School in Old Westbury for performances on Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The ballet company will perform The Nutcracker Suite which will feature many young dancers from Mineola, a total of seven, all of whom study at The Dancin' Place in Carle Place.

Felicia Donahue is the rehearsal mistress and the promotions manager for the Long Island performance.

She involved herself with the Berkshire after she got married. Her in-laws are both dancers with the Berkshire for 19 years as well as their lawyer (her father-in-law) and their costume mistress (her mother-in-law).

Donahue has studied dance since she was 5 years old, studying at BOCES and majoring in dance at Adelphi. She danced for a few years after graduating, but after four children, a 5-year-old and a set of triplets, she moved on to the role of teacher.

Now as rehearsal mistress for the children performing in this year's Nutcracker she oversees five groups of children, including her son Patrick who she recruited from her living room, portraying the different characters of the ballet: clowns, angels, party children, soldiers and mice.

The idea is to successfully integrate these young students of dance with the professionals of the Berkshire in this their first Long Island performance.

The children will meet the professionals at the dress rehearsal scheduled the morning of the big night's performance. The crew will arrive to set up the stage the day before the performance and they will strike the set the day after the performance.

Donahue hopes the best for this whirlwind experience, but acknowledges that problems may occur. "Kids are always kids," she commented, " I am hoping that it will be as professional as it can be."

As for the children's experience she said, "It is special and different. It has made an impression on them already."

The students echo the same sentiments as well as excitement about the performance and praise for their teacher.

"Felicia is very nice," said June Redmond who has been dancing jazz, tap and ballet seven of her 10 years, and will dance in her first Nutcracker.

In the ballet she is a party girl who is witness to the unveiling of the "Nutcracker," and an angel in white dress and ballet slippers.

"I am happy that I am in the Nutcracker," She said she likes the music, the story and the characters that she has known about since she was a small child.

"That (the notoriety) is why people should come and see it," she commented.

She said she is nervous about the performance only when she sees the audience, she instead prefers to concentrate on the dance. She is as excited as she is nervous about her first ballet performance.

This math loving student of Hampton Street School is considering several careers including that of a doctor, veterinarian or waitress, but will never give up her love of dance. "I am going to keep dancing until I cannot dance anymore," she stated.

Lindsay Herlihy also enjoys dancing, but is mostly excited about her role as the bratty party girl.

The party girl role gives this burgeoning thespian a chance to act. She portrays her role as the party child by pushing around her little brother and the maids. "I act like a brat," she explained.

She also plays the part of an angel in which she uses graceful steps to convey the character.

She has never acted professionally before, save for a commercial she made for her school, Hampton Street elementary, about a program on careers.

She said she is not nervous and looks forward to working with professionals who she believes will teach her a great deal. "I think I am going to learn a lot," she said.

She plans on continuing her dancing "until I get older," as well as pursue a career as an actor, beginning with studying the crafts in school. "I am just like a ham," she explained.

"I am hoping that everyone likes the show," she said and she believes they will.

The Beck sisters Melissa (8 years old) and Danielle (5 years old) also believe that the audience will enjoy the performance. Melissa plays a clown appearing from under a giant skirt.

The young dancer also spends time in the Brownies and is considering playing softball. She said she believes her hard work will pay off with happy audience members.

Danielle who has had experience playing a genie in Aladdin at her dance school recital will be a reindeer in the Nutcracker. The young scholar enjoys coloring her homework and writing her name in script. She said she is also considering playing soccer.

She suggests that audience members be on the lookout for something special from this upcoming performance, though what it is should be a surprise.

All around the experience should prove extremely valuable in its entertaining of the audience and what the children will learn from it. "Hopefully it will happen every year," said Donahue.