Can you feel at the ballet? You can’t touch the dancers. You can’t touch the music. It is the movement and the intensity of the music that can touch you. It’s the grace and beauty of each man and woman. The moment the orchestra starts and a dancer takes the stage my heart fills with joy. Each note erases any tension that the day may have created. Each step brings an indescribable feeling of child like expectation on Christmas morning.

This month I will be following Jill Marlow with the Cincinnati Ballet as they prepare to dance the Nutcracker. One of the most anticipated ballet’s of the year and well known around the world, the Nutcracker is about a girl and her Nutcracker doll that comes to life and takes her to the Land of Sweets. It is here that Marie (also known as Clara) and her awakened prince meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and watch dancers from around the world.

On Tuesday, November 3^rd, I had the opportunity to speak with Jill for the first time and watch one of her rehearsals. Ms. Marlow is partnered with Liang Fu and it is the first season for both of them to perform The Nutcracker. Also rehearsing that day with Jill and Fu were Kristy Capps and Ogulcan Borava. It is Kristy’s 8^th season, out last year due to injury and Ogulcan’s 9^th.

I first sat in the Kaplan studio and watch the rehearsal from the floor just off to the side. When I first walked in, the male dancers were on the floor relaxing and the female dancers were stretching and attending to hygiene. Massaging sore muscles seemed to be a common theme after a week off. The instructor walked in and straight over to the music station barely noticing that I was sitting there and so it began.

The more experienced (for this production) dancers were in the front, while Jill and Fu practiced behind them. I was a little confused wondering why they were not next to each other however, it didn’t seem to be a problem for the instructor, who seemed to notice everything that both couples were doing. A great thing to note is that this guy is not just someone who stands there and barks instructions. He is able to physically teach since he too is a dancer. Usually these instructors are retired dancers. At one point, he actually picked Kristi up into the air to show Olgulcan, first time partner to her, how he wanted it done.

I am amazed at how well Jill and Fu were dancing in a ballet that they have never performed. Next week, I will be meeting with Jill again to see how she is doing and how she feels after the first week of rehearsals.