FAQs for Students

All children must arrive at the theatre with their hair and makeup already done.

Makeup: Please keep all makeup minimal. Soft pink lipstick, blush, light foundation, light eyeliner and mascara are acceptable. No colorful eyeshadow. NO RED LIPSTICK OR BODY GLITTER.

What to wear:

Party “girls”:
Hair – Curled, half up
Leotard– Short sleeve or camisole: plain pink, white or beige
Shoes– Pink Slippers
Tights– pink or skin-toned tights

Party “boys”: 
Hair – In a low bun
Leotard– Short sleeve or camisole: White or beige
Shoes– White slippers
Tights– white tights

Snowflakes:
Hair – In high bun
Leotard- Tank: White
Shoes– Pink slippers
Tights- pink or skin-toned tights

Mice:
Hair – In low bun
Leotard– Short sleeve or camisole: Black
Shoes- Black Slippers
Tights– Black dance tights (NO pantyhose!)

Snow Sprites:
Hair – In mid to low bun
Leotard– Camisole: White
Shoes– Pink slippers or pointe shoes
Tights– pink or skin-toned tights

Snow Maidens:
Hair – In mid to low bun
Leotard– Camisole: White
Shoes– Pink slippers or Pointe shoes
Tights– pink or skin-toned tights

Small Variations:
Hair – In low bun
Leotard– Short sleeve or camisole: White or beige
Shoes– Pink slippers
Tights– white tights

Tall Variations:
Hair – In mid bun
Leotard– Camisole: Nude
Shoes– Pink slippers or pointe shoes
Tights: pink or skin-toned tights

Snowflake (Boy): White tights, white slippers, white fitted dance shirt

Variations (Boys): White slippers, white tights, white short sleeved or tank dancewear top

Spanish Variation (Boys): Black slippers, black tights, white tight dance t-shirt

Click here to download as a pdf.

The below guide is designed to make fittings quick and accurate! It is really important that the Dress Rehearsal Volunteers help to keep the children as quiet as possible. It is an exciting time, but the kids must co-operate if they want their costumes fitted in time. Please help them understand the process!

FITTING PROCESS:

1. Each Dress Rehearsal Volunteer (DRV) should bring a roll of masking tape and Sharpie marker as she will identify costumes with children’s names on the coat hangers of the costumes.

2. Children should arrive on time and go directly to their assigned group and wait for their group to be called to get their costumes.

3. Children must line up from smallest to tallest sizes in their respective role groups, as that is the way the costumes are arranged – no exceptions.

4. When a child receives his/her costume the DRV puts the child’s name on masking tape on that costume’s hanger. The child is now RESPONSIBLE for her/his own hanger and costume.

5.  Photos of each child in costume will be taken. When they are finished the costumes and all accessories including head pieces and gloves are taken off and hung up on the marked hanger with the child’s name and ready for performance. The costume MUST BE RETURNED to NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet on the same hanger it was received on at the end of the performances.

6. If there is double casting there will be two names on the matching costume hanger.

7. No dancer leaves the fitting area with costumes or accessories on, as someone is bound to leave her headpiece in the bathroom never to be found again.

Unfortunately we can’t go to the next city without all our costumes, so PLEASE help us.

NO ONE leaves the theater until ALL COSTUMES AND ACCESSORIES are counted and back in the Gondolas according to size. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION in getting this accomplished.

Click here to download as a pdf.

SCHEDULE and CHECKLIST

One to two weeks prior to your performance you will hear from the NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet Costume Director who will give you the confirmed schedule for the day.

1. Performance day approximate schedule

-Children will arrive at the venue’s backstage door 6 hours before (first) curtain dressed in tights, camisole or leotard with hair and make-up on. Arrival time may vary – if so parents/children will be informed of the new time ahead of performance date by the host dance teacher.

-Parents will sign their child in with host dance teacher at the backstage door (unless directed to a different entrance by the NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet costumer).

-Children will be backstage until the end of the performance. Parents are not allowed backstage

–NEW – Host Dance Studio should bring 1 volunteer for every 10 student dancers. 2 volunteers will be stationed at each side of the stage with 2 dance teachers. All other volunteers will be in waiting rooms with student cast assisting with costumes, hair, make-up, bathroom, food, and discipline.

-Upon arrival costume fittings begin with NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet Wardrobe Mistress who is the children’s supervisor for the day and will set the rules.  Please help her out by supporting her efforts

-After each child is fitted in their costume, portrait photos are taken.

-Rehearsal time with NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet company is flexible and NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet Production Manager will let the Host Dance Teacher know when and where it will take place that day

-Show call is ½ hour before performance. Children should be warmed up and in costume prior to this time. Performance is 2 hours which includes a 20 minutes intermission.

-The 2 host dance teachers and 2 volunteers are stationed on each side of the stage and cue the children’s entrances. The volunteer is responsible for ushering children back to dressing room and getting the next cast lined up to go on stage.  The teachers and volunteers must be the same people for dress rehearsal and performances. End of performance – parents come to backstage door where they dropped the children off and sign-out their child with the Host Dance teacher. Parents are not allowed backstage.

2. Checklist of Items to Bring in 1 Bag

-Clean ballet shoes, Pointe and/or soft shoes

-Button up or zipper warm up suit (Nothing over the head, cannot mess up hair). Make sure sweat suit does not leave “pill” marks on tights

-Pink lipstick & blush (NO red lipstick, false eyelashes or colored eye shadow)

-Hair spray or gel, Pony-tail holders and/or rubber bands, hair pins, hair net, brush, comb

-Personal mirror

-Small packages of tissues and safety pins, NO jewelry of any kind, i.e. earrings, rings, bracelets, etc.

-Child’s name must be on all personal items

-Water bottle and healthy snack: fruit/nuts/granola bar/etc (No large meals please)

3. Parents Role

-Make sure your child gets a good night’s rest and arrives well fed at the venue

-Parents are not permitted backstage at any time or in the theatre during dress rehearsal

-Neither the Host Dance Studio or parents may take photos or record the NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet performance in any format

-Please do NOT bring large trays of food

-Your Host Studio will create an insert with names and roles to be inserted into NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet’s national Playbill

Parents that are NOT designated volunteers are NOT allowed backstage or in the theatre.

What to pack: (Please pack everything in 1 bag)

            1.  Personal mirror

            2.  Hair spray, bobby pins, comb, gel

            3. Water, snacks & a lite meal- No peanuts, no candy, no chocolate

            4. Blanket to sit on

            5. Activities to keep entertained (i.e. books, coloring activities, electronics etc.)

            6. Warm ups/ sweaters

Day of Performance Schedule –

Arrival:

• The children’s cast will arrive 6 hours before show time unless advised otherwise.
• Children must have their hair and makeup done before arrival. **See costume & makeup guidelines**
• Children’s cast MUST NOT ARRIVE EARLY. No early arrival can be accommodated.
• A NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet crew member will greet the children in the LOBBY upon arrival. Your child will be signed in by a volunteer from the dance school.
• Parents will drop off children in the lobby and a volunteer from the dance school will bring the children to their dressing room.
• Parents are not allowed to remain in the theatre.
• The dance school will provide volunteers for each group of children.

Fittings & Photos:

• The wardrobe attendant will run the fittings.
• Fittings & photos will be done in show order.
• All photos will be available online for purchase

Rehearsal with NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet Cast:

• The rehearsal is run by NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet’s rehearsal director only
• The wardrobe attendant will notify the dance teacher when the rehearsal will be.

Performance:

• Children can NOT leave the building between rehearsal and the performance; the exception to this is if your child is participating in multiple shows in one day.
• Only designated volunteer parents are allowed backstage.
• Call time is one hour before the show. Children should be warming up at this time.

After the performance:

• The dance school is responsible for signing out all children.
• No children will be dismissed until ALL costumes and accessories have been accounted for.
• The children will be brought back to the lobby by a volunteer for their parents to pick them up, NOT THE STAGE DOOR.

If your child is missing school, click here to access the school absence letter.