nutcracker-1 large copy.jpg

PENDLETON — Pendleton Ballet Theatre ushers in the holiday season with its performances of “The Nutcracker” this week. Set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic “Nutcracker Suite,” the ballet follows the adventures of a young girl, Clara, who is gifted a nutcracker at a holiday party and then experiences numerous adventures.

Last year, several of Pendleton Ballet Theatre’s highest-level dancers graduated from high school and moved on to college or other endeavors. That set the stage for new dancers to take on major roles.

“We have a big shift in our cast,” Julie Sneden Carlson said. “We had five graduating seniors last year and, as much as we’ll miss them, it’s exciting for our up-and-coming dancers to step into their roles.”

One of those dancers is Kallie Campbell. At 13, Campbell has been dancing in “The Nutcracker” for five years. She will appear in eight different scenes, but her biggest role this year will be as the Russian dancer, a solo performance.

“I am excited and nervous,” Campbell said. “Last year, I had a solo as one of the dolls in Party Scene, but in that scene, you aren’t alone. You know there are people behind you that you know are supportive. Not having those people behind you is a little nerve-wracking.”

To prepare for the performance, Campbell attends class twice a week, “Nutcracker” rehearsal once a week and individual pointe practice.

“I wish people knew ballet isn’t just tutus. It’s a lot of work, it takes dedication and it makes your feet hurt,” Campbell said.

Tirion Speakman will perform the solo in the Chinese dance.

“I was very excited when I found out,” she said. “It was a lot of hard work to get to this point.”

She said the hardest part of a scene like that is trying to memorize everything that goes into it. Before going on stage, she runs through all the choreography in her head while warming up, especially her feet.

At 14, Speakman has been dancing in ballet for more than half her life.

“It’s very interesting,” she said. “Ballet is a difficult sport. It may look easy, but it’s difficult.”

A newcomer to Pendleton, Don Miles will be dancing the role of the Cavalier. Miles trained under Sneden Carlson early in his career. He said when she called and said she needed someone to play some of the male roles, he packed up and came to Oregon.

“I told her years ago that I was going to try and finish my career back in her world,” Miles said. “I was in the perfect spot where I could say, ‘I’m out of here, and I’ll be there in August.’ Starting your career with her and finishing a career with her is nice.”

Miles said he has performed in more than 100 individual performances of “The Nutcracker” during his ballet career and no one does it the same as Sneden Carlson.

“It’s an awesome show. It’s unique,” Miles said. “Where else in the middle of Eastern Oregon can you go see ‘The Nutcracker?’”

Because of the cast changes, Sneden Carlson has brought back some dance pieces from the past to accommodate the new dancers.

“As in every ‘Nutcracker,’ I really strive for some continuity and some fresh, new changes too. I like to have a little bit of both, and I always try to have as much humor as I can,” she said.

The ballet will also include some returning favorites like Sammie Mahaffy as the Snow Queen and Elizabeth Currin as Clara.

Currin, a seventh-grader at Pendleton’s Sunridge Middle School, will be performing Clara for the third year in a row.

Performances of “The Nutcracker” will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, and 2 p.m. on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 in the Bob Clapp Theatre on the Pendleton Blue Mountain Community College campus. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children under 12 and will be available at the door.