The Richmond Ballet is considered to be the state ballet of Richmond. It is made up of many elite dancers that help bring their performance together. The Washington Post has called the company, “a company to which dance fans everywhere ought to pay attention.” Richmond Ballet has commissioned over 80 works. It has a broad range of performances, but is particularly known for its annual December performance of The Nutcracker. Recently, the company also performed the popular ballet Cinderella.

Overtop Tchaikovsky’s famous musical score, The Nutcracker follows the story of a young girl named Clara, who is gifted a nutcracker by her uncle at a Christmas party. After the party, Clara falls asleep and the nutcracker suddenly comes to life to fight off an army of human-sized rats that begin chasing Clara around. Next, the prince takes Clara to, “the Land of Snow. They go through heavenly, the land of angels, and the land of sweets where the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is performed,” says Ilektra Michalopoulou who performed as Clara. Clara then continues to dance in the dream-like world, and as she does, the real world slowly fades away. Finally, Clara wakes up at the foot of her Christmas tree, marking the end of the ballet.

Stoner Winslett’s production of the Nutcracker is a special performance to many in Richmond, as it is an exciting, family-friendly performance and a tradition for a multitude of people. To Ilektra, it is special because, “it involves dancers as young as seven all the way to the professional company.” She describes the dance as “a way for the dancers in training to not only get experience performing on a big stage, but to also track their progress as dancers as they move through the roles.” This year, Ilektra was chosen to perform as Clara, which is truly a once in a lifetime role. Explaining her experience, she says that “this ballet takes months to prepare behind the scenes and I, personally, had about 6-7 hours of rehearsals every Saturday and Sunday, often without breaks.” Much effort goes into the performance by the dancers. They have to work hard in the days leading up to the final dance.

Another dancer, Ellie Silvent, performed as a Sugar Plum Fairy attendant. She explained that it was her first time performing with this production, and that she was both excited and nervous. After the dance, she says “you have this sense of relief that you did it but also a little sadness that you won’t get to do it again.” She credits “the professional dancers who work so hard to create a beautiful performance,” and “the kids who bring joy and youth to the stage.” She also gives props to “the costume designers who create magical costumes that catch the lights on stage and bring the characters to life,” and “the crew who help the production run seamlessly and create sets that bring you into the world.” Finally she credits “the audience who support the production and their applause that keeps the show running.” She explained that “the coming together of all these different people” makes the performance magical, “creating one beautiful production.”

The Richmond Ballet’s Cinderella was another ballet that was recently performed at the Dominion Energy Center. Ben Stevenson’s production of Cinderella begins with Cinderella’s stepsisters preparing for the ball and Cinderella sitting on the side wishing she was able to go as well. Then, a mysterious woman appears asking for food, which only Cinderella kindly gives her. Later on, after the stepsisters leave, the woman reappears saying that she is Cinderella’s godmother. With the help of the Fairies of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, Cinderella is prepared for the ball with the warning to be back by midnight. Unbeknownst to the stepsisters and their father, Cinderella meets the price at the ball and the two fall in love. Losing track of time, Cinderella rushes out the ball at exactly midnight, leaving behind one of her slippers. The Prince visits houses around the town to find the girl at the ball. He visits Cinderella's house and in an attempt by Cinderella to help the stepsisters fit their feet in the shoes, the glass slipper falls out of her pocket. The prince then recognizes her and the ballet ends with their marriage.

With the use of Prokoviev’s score, Stevenson’s Cinderella is known to have marvelous choreography and storytelling. Richmond Ballet’s performance is the first time Stevenson’s production has been performed in Virginia. It is a perfect story for Valentine’s Day, depicting the beauty and sweetness of love. Valerie Tellmann-Henning, who plays the wicked step-mother, describes the ballet as having a “very magical energy to it,” and that “there is a treat in it for everyone.”

The Richmond Ballet continuously captivates audiences with its wonderful performances and choreography. The Nutcracker brings the comfort of tradition, uniting dancers of all ages and skill levels to create a magical show. The new Cinderella production provides a fresh performance with its romantic storytelling and enjoyable scenes. Both ballets demonstrate the determination and hard work of the dancers and crew members. Whether it's the Nutcracker or Cinderella, these performances highlight the brilliance of the Richmond Ballet, making it a valuable part of the city.

Information retrieved from WRIC, Virginia Commission for the Arts, dominionenergycenter.com, bostonballet.org, thephilva.com, australianballet.com.