NYCB Vol. 13 No. 46 - Nutcracker

Photo by Paul Kolnik

[46/50] Counting down 50 NYCB Nutcrackers this year with stories from NYCB dancers past and present! Today we hear from Mary Elizabeth Sell who has been a dancer with NYCB since 2005:

“The Nutcracker has been a part of my life and holiday traditions for as long as I can remember! My very first role was as an angel and that experience made me fall in love with this magical ballet! The first role I danced with NYCB was the teenager in the Party Scene. I remember telling myself to savor every minute on this important stage as if it was the last! I still feel this way today! This first experience of dancing with NYCB inspired my determination to one day join the company!

“This year marks my 20th year dancing The Nutcracker as a member of the company! I am profoundly grateful to have danced almost every possible role in this ballet over the past 20 years! My most favorite roles that I have danced are Snow and Dewdrop and the lead Hot Chocolate!

Hot Chocolate photo by Paul Kolnik

Snow photo by Devin Alberda

“To this day I stand in the wings in awe as the tree grows larger than life, the snow transports my soul, the flowers fold like petals in a perfect cannon and life is magical for just this moment in time!

“Now I have the great honor of sharing this exceptional ballet with my son. Although he is still very young I know that he understands the beauty and magic of it all! The Nutcracker is an important part of a ballet dancers life and I feel so lucky to dance it here with NYCB! It really is a dream come true!”