The holiday season is a time to experience the joy of family

Published December 13, 2024

The holiday season is a time to experience the joy of family

Filer image element — *SNB soloist Anthony McMenamy in SNB's Peanutcracker-The Story In A Nutshell (Photo Credit: Manuel Calderon de la Barca)*

I recently read a beautiful post on Facebook about the united work of individuals who are members of a choir and of an orchestra. While the post was specifically related to the art of music, I find that same devotion and unification to be relevant in all of the performing arts and especially in ballet. The Facebook post inspired me to personally delve into the idea of what makes the art of ballet so inspirational and important in the world and why dancers from all over the world feel that we are connected like a “family.” I find that, no matter where I go or who I meet involved in the art of ballet, there is something magical that we all share.

Sierra Nevada Ballet has just finished eight performances of The Peanutcracker -The Story in a Nutshell at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno and at the Carson City Community Center. SNB performed for over 7,000 audience members in our community and the warm spirit of unification permeated all the performances both on the stage (with a cast of over 80 dancers) and within the members of the large audiences.

I was born into ballet as both my parents were dancers and my mother was considered one of the finest ballet teachers in the professional ballet world. She passed down her legacy to both me and my daughter. Being raised in such a unified, dedicated, disciplined art form positively influenced my entire life. It inspired me to want to do the same for others.

What makes the art of ballet so special is the unified vision, dedication, focus, intention, and emotional investment from each and every person involved. The unified practice of ballet joins us together as a family simply for the purpose of creating something beautiful in the world. The teachers, the directors, the dancers, the costumers, the set designers, the prop builders, the technical crews, the administrators, the marketing groups, and the board members all take part in the creation process. The spiritual intention that is shared is then passed on to the audience.

Ballet is magical, and those who experience it in this unified, spiritual way quickly make it part of their lives.

SNB and SNBA join together all year long as a unified family of people dedicated to creating beauty in the world, not only on stage but in life. No matter the gender, race, religion, language, political affiliation or economic background, we all come together for the same purpose, and it is something that is simple to experience but difficult to describe in words. Perhaps that is part of what makes ballet so amazing; there are no words. There is only feeling and emotional interpretation which unites and inspires us. Ballet inspires each of us to look within ourselves for intention. That individual spiritual practice, when it is shared together, creates unification and the magic and beauty of the art. It is the reason that the art of ballet has not only survived but has flourished and has been passed down from generation to generation since the 15th Century.

During this holiday time when we celebrate the joy of family, I am so very grateful to be part of sharing the magical art of ballet with our SNB and SNBA family and, in turn, with our wonderful audience community. Happy Holidays to all, and thank you for being a part of our family!

For information about the Sierra Nevada Ballet professional company or about the SNB Academy, please visit www.sierranevadaballet.org or call 775-360-8663.