The Nut Cracker

Sofi spent the weekend with Aunt Michelle. Here is Aunt Michelle's blog post about the weekend:

It has long been a tradition that my family goes to a production of The Nutcracker during the Holiday season. Mainly because I performed in so many but it was also the love of dance and culture my parents were always trying to influence my brother and I with. Since Sofia was born, my mom and I have talked about not IF but WHEN would Sofi be old enough to go see The Nutcracker. Much to our delight, sometime in the late summer of 2009, Sofi—just 5 1/2 years old—ASKED to go see it! Of course, my mom and I were not going to deny such a request.

This is the weekend my mom and I thought we'd continue the tradition and were quite excited to go see my old school and company, Ballet Minnesota, perform their rendition of The Nutcracker. Dressed to the nines we venture to the theater. We find our seats and the music begins...all is going well, what little girl doesn't want to see Clara dance?

Upon arrival to the theater, we notice Ballet Minnesota is staging Sleeping Beauty for their spring performance. Of course, my niece and her love of princesses thinks this is a MUST for her to see. We talk about it and tell her we will try our best to get tickets. Again, my mom and I are trying to hide our pleasure in her actively seeking out dance performances!

Act one, goes without a flaw! Intermission and we head out to the lobby where Grandma D purchases a Nutcracker for Sofi, Isaac and myself! We ask Sofi if she is enjoying the performance and she says yes with a twirl! As intermission comes to a close we head back to our seats.

Most of us know, that the first act of The Nutcracker has all the children dancing and the second act is a little more professionally performed. A few scenes into Act two, I overhear Sofi ask my mom, "can we leave now?" My mother polity answers in all the same tone I remember, "we can leave when its over".

Sofi then turns to me (assuming I've heard nothing) and asks me the same question. In much the same tone I remember hearing - I respond; "we can leave when it's over".

In order to amuse herself, because we have asked her to sit still, Sofi begins to hum along with the orchestra...I (and my mom) hold off a bit in telling her to be quiet because she is amazingly in tune! Eventually, the gentle hand finds her arm and does it's job of quieting her (I think to myself...how did I get the parental moves down)?!

Towards the end, the most beautiful pas de deux of The Nutcracker with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, I again overhear Sofi say to my mom; "I don't want to go see Sleeping Beauty". Again, assuming I've heard nothing, Sofi leans over to me and says; "I REALLY don't want to go see Sleeping Beauty" (add an exasperated eye roll). I look over at my mom and she has the slightest smile of amusement on her face.

As we're walking to the car, we ask Sofi if she has enjoyed herself. She kind of looks up at the both of us with a weak smile and says yes.