Before Tchaikovsky’s first notes, a quiet storm is already underway. Backstage, dancers from around the world—shaping bodies, minds, and emotions with years of training—move through warm-ups, costume fittings, and precise rehearsal sequences. By curtain, months of preparation, quick changes, and personal rituals converge in a few dazzling hours on stage, making NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet feel both timeless and alive.
Karyna Shatkovskaya, preparing to dance Clara, calls it “a transition from a little girl to a princess.” She describes her approach as both technical and internal: “Every year, I want to bring new nuances to my performance. The changes occur mostly in the mood, in how I inhabit this world on stage. I perform Clara through the lens of my own experience, giving her depth and authenticity.”
Preparation begins months before the first performance. Shatkovskaya maintains her shape year-round, intensifying her work two weeks before the tour and arriving in the U.S. a week ahead for final run-throughs. She monitors nutrition, protein intake, sleep, and rest, treating her body as both instrument and vessel. “Active work requires active rest. After a performance, it is important to go to bed rather than engage in extra activities. Baths, massages, monitoring micronutrients—all of it matters.”
Anna Trofimova emphasizes timing and synchronicity. “Company rehearsals start five to seven days before the tour. The first week is devoted to refreshing choreography and ensemble scenes—it feels like a crazy marathon right from day one.” But for Trofimova, preparation begins even earlier. “Late August is when the season usually starts for me. I work with local ballet students, making sure they know their parts and are ready to shine on stage alongside the international cast.”
Even seasoned dancers discover something new every season. Trofimova says, “Even in a familiar role, there are always new nuances. Technique changes, musical accents shift, your perception of the character evolves. Every season feels like a new discovery.” Shatkovskaya agrees: “The acting and internal experience evolve, along with subtle choreographic interpretations—and this is what makes every performance unique.”
Luigi Tamburrini, dancing Fritz, calls preparation “exciting. You need to get back in shape, but it’s so fun going through all the choreography you’ve already danced. Dancing the same role more than once is always special because you notice something new each time.”
Maintaining freshness through a multi-week run is a universal concern. Trofimova reminds herself, “For someone, this Nutcracker may be their first ballet. You can’t perform on autopilot—you have to share your inner light every time.” Tamburrini echoes her: “Once I get on stage, the magic just happens. I really become part of the story.” Shatkovskaya adds, “Every performance is an opportunity to surpass the previous one, both technically and emotionally. The standard can never be lowered.”
Physical demands are formidable. Shatkovskaya avoids excessive walking to protect her legs; Trofimova emphasizes rest over extra training; Tamburrini listens closely to his body. “The most important thing is learning to feel your body and understand its needs. You have to take enough time to rest, even when it’s hard.”
Costumes complicate everything. “Costumes change everything: your movement quality, posture, even your breathing,” Trofimova says. “Sometimes choreography needs small adjustments because of a corset or hoop skirt. But the costume is what truly brings the character to life.” Tamburrini notes, “It gives you the look the audience always appreciates and makes the whole show magical.”
Quick changes are a hidden challenge. Dancers may have fewer than ninety seconds to switch costumes, move between sets, and re-enter the stage. Tamburrini likens backstage to “its own crazy choreography, just without music.” Shatkovskaya emphasizes mental fortitude: “Even fatigue should not fully manifest. If we want to give love, we must carry it within, backstage as well as on stage.”
The Grand Pas de Deux is both a technical and emotional apex. “This is where the lead dancer is truly tested,” Shatkovskaya says. Trofimova describes it as a space to connect with the audience: “You have to bring something more every night.” Tamburrini adds that even smaller roles demand attention: “Fritz has entrances, interactions, and solos that require full focus. You’re playing a kid, but you have to remember all the choreography.”
Rituals and superstitions coexist with muscle memory. Shatkovskaya steps onto stage with her right foot, always puts on pointe shoes in a precise order, and turns her leotard inside out to avoid shine. Tamburrini applies lip balm before curtain, checks his costume order, and stretches in a consistent routine. Trofimova prefers flexibility, relying on muscle memory and the rhythm of the company.
Even with repetition, the ballet never loses its wonder. Shatkovskaya marvels at Tchaikovsky’s score: “It’s a true masterpiece. Perhaps thanks to professionalism, technique runs on autopilot, but there is always room for refinement. On stage, you live the dance more than you just work on it.” Trofimova feels the audience’s energy: “Every partner brings new energy, and I discover new shades in the role each season. That’s the true magic.” Tamburrini concurs: “I feel so good on stage—it’s like living the story firsthand.”
Backstage, there is chaos: props misplaced, quick changes, last-minute replacements. Yet the dancers’ discipline transforms it into art. What audiences see—light, magic, narrative—emerges from months of preparation, international collaboration, and personal commitment.
Talmi Entertainment’s NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet is a ritual of endurance, craft, and artistry, but also a cultural touchstone. An international cast performs a story that has touched generations, connecting dancers and audiences through shared emotion. It is a testament to the discipline, patience, and devotion of every performer who takes the stage night after night.
By the final bow, the story has been told, the fairy tale made real, and the dancers—through subtle adjustments, careful preparation, and personal investment—have made each performance a living, breathing miracle.
by Cynthia Dragoni / Dance Lens
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