‘Blood, sweat and tears’ Devoted students of Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy hope their performance of ‘Nutcracker’ stands apart again

Fresh off last weekend’s Anchorage Concert Association ‘Nutcracker’ extravaganza, every production company in Southcentral Alaska is taking its turn at the classic Christmas ballet.

Pulse Dance Studio is on it this weekend, as is the Glenn Massay Theater out in the Valley, but let us not forget ‘Nutcracker’ is ballet at its core, and the Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy is once putting its best pirouette forward like none other Friday and Saturday at the Performing Arts Center. It is, after all, the devoted ballet students who devote themselves to what is probably the most technically challenging and physically demanding pursuit in all of dance.

“For any ballet school or company, Nutcracker is the staple and the highlight of the season,” said ABCA artistic director Michelangelo Canale. “When I was in a company touring we’d do 40 show runs year after year, and some of the dancers if they heard ‘Waltz of Flowers’ or anything from Nutcracker, they’d be, ‘turn it off.’ But I was never that way. It’s beautiful music. I hear the Trepak and I get that adrenaline right away to my heart.”

As usual, the ABCA is bringing in world class professional talent in the key dancing roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Pepita Youalli) and her Cavalier (Argenis Montalvo).

“It’s all really high-standard international stars for principals,” Canale said Saturday at the ballet studio in the Geneva Woods shopping plaza on International Airport Road. “Our school is internationally recognized — we produce a high level right here in this little shoebox of a studio.”

The rest of the cast is made up of students in the ACBA, including veteran dancer Moriah Walker, who this year takes on multiple roles including the mother of the Marie (sometimes called Clara). At 24, Walker has been in the local ballet company on and off since she was 5. She still looks forward to performing Nutcracker year after year.

“With the Anchorage Ballet I’ve done several (Nutcracker) productions,” Walker said. “I do value the traditionalism of it — you think Christmas, you think nutcracker… You do have to mentally prepare yourself every time. You have to do your mental preparation because everyone gets stressed for it and you have to be here for each other.”

Walker remembers being drawn to ballet nearly 20 years ago.

“I saw a production and I remember it being so beautiful how articulate they were with each movement and I wanted to be a part of that,” she said.

Bailey Taitano, 17, first started in ballet when she was 5, but she didn’t become serious about it until two years ago.

“I have done a little ballet when I was 5, but, like every girl does that, but not the serious stuff they do here,” Taitano said. “It’s challenging, figuring out how to control everything from what your pinkies are doing to what you’re doing with your eyes. And, everything is in French, so there’s learning that.”

Both described ballet as a labor of love that requires plenty of sacrifice and stress, both mental and physical.

“I have to stretch my feet because my arches are not very good,” Taitano said. “That’s a very painful thing to do — I have to do it every day.”

“It’s blood, sweat and tears,” quipped Walker, who still dreams of dancing in productions around the world as a guest, a la Youalli and Montalvo. “Eventually I would hope to freelance. I do love dancing and I do love learning from other people — other people’s tastes and artistry. I hope to be able to travel and see what other people are up to.”

In pursuit of her dreams, Walker has discovered it’s a commitment that goes beyond what a dancer does in the studio; it bleeds into his or her everyday life.

“You have to be super-conscious of what you do on a day to day basis — what you put into your body, what’s your daily routine,” Walker said. “Everyone gets chronic injuries when you practice this art form. Your body does break down at a young age if you’re not careful. You won’t make it if you’re not careful.”

Matt Mahoric is brand new to dance of any sort, and in the all-important, and well costumed role of the Nutcracker, he’s finding out first-hand just what a commitment ballet is.

“I would say it’s been a little shocking — fun, but a little challenging,” the 16-year-old West High student said. “They were searching for a boy to be the Nutcracker and I was offered the role, so why not try it? I had no formal dance experience, whatsoever, and it’s very hard technically, but I’ve been practicing a lot.”

Decades Mahoric’s senior, John Fraser has a background in musical theater as a character dancer and he’ll be reprising his role as Drosselmeyer for the first time in his fourth year in the ACBA.

“It’s a lot of lifting and dashing about the stage, spreading the magic of Christmas to everyone at the party,” Fraser said. “There’s some fantastic dance in this with experts of all ages, from children up to professional dancers. People will be treated to holiday spirit and cheer and fantastic Tchaikovsky scoring — it’s got all the things we love about Christmas in one place.”

Another male in the class is Josiah Harvey, who counts Toy Soldier among his multiple roles in this weekend’s show. He’s a five-year veteran of the academy and been in almost as many Nutrackers.

“My mom pretty much made me take that first class and I didn’t stop,” the 15-year-old homeschooler said. “I just like the artistry and being able to describe yourself in dancing.”

Harvey said he preaches the gospel of ballet when possible to his friends.

“It’s kind of hard to explain,” he said. “Seeing everyone else dance makes me want to dance. I’m pretty much saying something I can’t say in a physical form (instead).”

Canale said enrollment at ACBA remains high and interest strong despite a conventional wisdom that says ballet is a dying art form.

Walker said she’s seeing new generations of ballet dancers catching the bug all the time.

“The great thing about ballet is it’s an art form you’re always learning, so no matter your age it helps you become more self-aware, helps you be more conscious about how your body feels at any point in time,” she said. “It has so many benefits for people of all ages. It’s a neverending process.”

Friday’s show is at 7 p.m. with a pair of shows on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30.