PHOTOS COURTESY OF JL WILLIAMS
The weekend before Thanksgiving, Creighton’s Dance Company (CDC) kicked off the holiday classic “The Nutcracker” in the Lied Education Center for the Arts and enchanted audience members.
In partnership with the Creighton University Department of Fine and Performing Arts, Creighton’s Dance Company (CDC) closed its annual production of “The Nutcracker,” drawing full audiences and showcasing months of intense preparation, creative collaboration and emotional investment from dancers and faculty alike. For many performers, this year’s production represented not only a beloved campus tradition, but a deeply personal milestone.
For College of Arts and Sciences sophomore and dancer Kathryn Maciolek, who stepped into the role of Clara, the preparation demanded the same intensity as an athletic season.
“The process of preparing for ‘The Nutcracker’ is like preparing for a state tournament,” Maciolek said in an email. “It’s known as ‘Nutcracker Season,’ and it’s a huge deal to get any role. ‘Nutcracker Season’ is the busiest time of the year for most dancers, and most of us spend around eight hours every Saturday and Sunday getting ready for the shows. Rehearsals are long and tiring, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world!”
Her favorite moment in the production has been the same since she first danced the ballet more than a decade ago.
“My favorite scene from ‘The Nutcracker’ was the party scene. … It’s one of the most entertaining scenes to watch. I say that because not only did I get to dance, but all of my friends and I got to act our goofiest onstage,” she said via email. “The last time I did [‘The] Nutcracker’ (about 13 years ago), it was my favorite scene because, as a party girl, I looked up to the girl who got to play Clara, watching from the wings. This time, not only was I Clara, but I was able to spend so much time … bringing [that character] to life in my own way. It was a full-circle moment. … It was like little me was watching from the wings.”
That sense of community and continuity defines the CDC’s culture.
“There’s honestly so much camaraderie, support and love,” Maciolek said in an email. “Whether it’s … goofy moves in the wings to calm nerves or people silently jumping up and down to celebrate someone hitting their fouetté turns … the CDC is a company that feels like home, whether on or offstage.”
Dance Program Director Patrick Roddy, who staged and directed “The Nutcracker,” has been part of “The Nutcracker” tradition since childhood.
“My greatest reward is to see the students excel in their dancing roles and have a good time while in rehearsals and performances,” Roddy said over email.
He also reminded audiences that the familiar holiday classic has deep artistic roots.
“Most people may not know the ballet is based on an adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s fairy tale, ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,’” he said.
Roddy’s connection to Omaha’s ballet history also adds meaning to the production.
“The early Omaha productions were staged by my childhood instructor and mentor, Valerie Roche,” he said. “She also formed the dance program here at Creighton in the late 1960s!”
For College of Arts and Sciences senior and performer Brady Culp, joining the CDC for such an iconic piece was both humbling and inspiring.
“‘The Nutcracker’ is such an institution of ballet, and it was beyond an honor to be around people who have trained in the art of dance for so long,” Culp said in an email.
He noted one scene as a standout moment: “From choreography to set and costume design, the snow scene is particularly beautiful.”
Even after four performances, he added, “There is so much talent on stage and behind the scenes that … I still think there’s more to appreciate.”
As the curtain closes on this year’s production, the dancers return to classes, rehearsals and the rhythm of campus life. But for the performers, directors and audience members alike, “The Nutcracker” continues to be a powerful reminder of tradition, dedication and the magic possible when a community comes together.