The making of Ballet Austin's "The Nutcracker"
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Stephen Mills' "The Nutcracker." Photo: Anne Marie Bloodgood/Courtesy of Ballet Austin
Ballet Austin's 62nd season of "The Nutcracker" kicks off Friday, featuring artistic director Stephen Mills' original choreography.
Why it matters: It's the longest-running production of "The Nutcracker" in the state and the city's longest-running performance, according to Ballet Austin.
Driving the news: Ballet Austin's 15 performances of the show, accompanied with music by the Austin Symphony, will run through Dec. 23 at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
By the numbers: Mills, who created the choreography for Ballet Austin 24 years ago, manages 150 dancers who have each undergone 180 hours of rehearsal and nearly 40 pairs of pointe shoes.
We caught up with Mills to chat about how he approaches "The Nutcracker" after decades as a dancer, choreographer and director.
This conversation has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
How do you approach this show after so many years?
"I think the most important way for me to perceive this — and for Ballet Austin to perceive this — is that it is a holiday tradition ... (where) people in our community decide to come together for dance. That is singular. There is no other art for experience like that.
We take it very seriously because it's a precious tradition for some people. ... And 'The Nutcracker' is really the gateway to other dance experiences."
For those who haven't seen this production before, what should they be looking out for?
"If people haven't seen the production before, I think what they will find is a wonderful company of dancers performing this work and they will see a set design and costume design that is traditional and authentic, bright and colorful, and really reflective of the holiday.
For people who have seen it more often, the thing they should focus on is the ways in which different casts of dancers perform these works. ... For a professional dancer, 'The Nutcracker' is the one work that we perform the most so it gives the dancer the opportunity to be on stage for almost a whole month. The amount of improvement and deepening of their craft as performers is really heightened during that time."
I have to ask about the rats. Are you aware of the internet's obsession with Nutcracker rats?
"We need to get on that because I have to say, we might have the scariest rats in all of Nutcracker-land."
How did your scary rat costumes come to be?
"Some productions make the rats as really lovable, funny little creatures. I didn't want to do that. Not only did I want Clara to be terrified in the scene, but I kind of wanted to needle the children in the audience as well. They really are quite hideous."
What's next: Following Ballet Austin's performances of "The Nutcracker," the company will move on to "The Heart's Desire," a trio of dances during Valentine's Day weekend.
Pro tip: Learn about the production and hear stories behind the work an hour before the start of each show. The conversation is free for all ticket holders and lasts 25 minutes.
If you go: Move fast. Limited tickets remain.