ARTS

Waiting in the wings

Backstage, it's a new routine for little mice and angel dancers. But the thrill is still there.

By Jeanne Claire van Ryzin
AMERICAN-STATESMAN ARTS WRITER
Tuesday, December 09, 2008

It's 4:15 p.m. just two days before Ballet Austin premieres "The Nutcracker" at the new Long Center. And it's time for the mice.

"Cast C mice to the stage please," booms a voice over the backstage speaker system. "Mice, please, to the stage."

In 15-minute increments last Thursday afternoon, groups of children costumed as mice, angels and dancing bon-bons took their turns on the Long Center stage. The young dancers were just some of the 200 Ballet Austin Academy students that will perform in this year's "Nutcracker," which runs through Dec. 23. And for each child, it's the first time to step on the Long Center stage.

After years in the University of Texas' Bass Concert Hall — and last year spent at the Paramount Theatre while the Long Center finished construction and the Bass was under renovation — Ballet Austin now brings its holiday classic to the new civic performing arts center. And though the production remains the same sparkling confection set to Tchaikovsky's romantic music with choreography by Ballet Austin artistic director Stephen Mills, there's a new backstage routine to learn.

The basement-level dressing rooms smell vaguely of new paint. The tile floors gleam without so much as a single scuff mark. And now that the first cast of mice has just returned from the stage, it's time for this afternoon's first group of angels to have their dress rehearsal.

"Don't pull your wings or the wings on the person in front of you," says a parent volunteer as she lines up a bevy of fidgeting angels. "Otherwise the wings will get all bent out of shape and then you'll be an angel with weird wings."

The fidgeting stops. No one wants to be a weird-winged angel.

In a neat line the angels walk through the backstage corridors and up the stairs to the stage, hands clasped as if in prayer. Staying in character is part of today's drill. And that means dancing off the stage too.

"When you come offstage, you think you're done but you're not done," says Michelle Martin, Ballet Austin associate artistic director who for years has been rehearsing "Nutcracker" kids. "Keep dancing until you're all the way backstage. Just keep dancing."

Back downstairs, while the angels practice their routine of tip-toeing and kneeling, the six girls who comprise the cast C mice have gotten out of costume and would love to talk.

All think the new Long Center is cool. Nine-year-old Camille Perry travels from Temple to study at Ballet Austin; 10-year-old Layne Smith comes in from Georgetown. All have been angels before. All are thrilled to have graduated to mice.

"You get to do a lot more dancing," says 11-year-old Caroline Dunn. "You're not just tip-toeing around like the angels do."

The mice have an important offstage role, too, the girls point out. Before the show, they scamper around the lobby, mingling with audience members, posing for pictures. "The mice costumes are kind of scary for little kids," says 10-year-old Georgia Oldham, adding that the foam mouse head takes some getting used to. "It's like wearing a hat that falls into your eyes. It's not heavy, but it is a little itchy."

So how many of them want to be a professional dancer when they grow up? Six hands shoot eagerly into the air.

"Pointe shoes rule!" say the 11-year-old Morris twins, Ashley and Madison.

"Can I say something to the public?" asks Madison Morris, savvy to the fact that she's talking to a member of the media. " 'The Nutcracker' is a timeless classic, and you'll want to see it again and again."

Oh, and one more thing from cast C. " 'Hi' from the mice!" the girls say.

And yes, hi, from the Long Center, too.

jvanryzin@statesman.com; 445-3699