Setting the Stage
In a rite of passage for throngs of aspiring young dancers, auditions are held each fall for the chance to appear in the Sacramento Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, which has featured thousands of children on stage since debuting in 1968—including one Greta Gerwig—and will take place Dec. 9–23 this year. The latest tryouts for roles like Mice, Candy Canes and Baby Bunnies were held on Sept. 9 at the troupe’s midtown studios, and photojournalist Max Whittaker was there to capture the moments of anticipation, determination and pure joy throughout the day during this storied Sacramento tradition.
Young dancers, accompanied by their parents, line up outside the Sacramento Ballet studios to audition for this year’s Nutcracker performances, which will be staged at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
Liana Wu, 7, steadies her nerves with the help of a volunteer and her dad, Bob Wu.
Leeann Danielson helps her daughter Noah Danielson prep for her audition.
Kalela Dondro (left), age 9, and Violet Fairman (center), age 8, talk to an older dancer as they wait to audition.
This and the next three photographs show dancers waiting their turns to try out for The Nutcracker. The auditions attracted aspirants as young as 7 years old and over 200 candidates in total.
Choreographer Colby Damon demonstrates a move during auditions.
From left: Evelyn Muff, Cyan Lindsey, Eve Biwott and Emma Claire Steel- Lowney display some fancy footwork.
Piper Duncan (left) and Sophia Cozy smile their way through their auditions.
Margaret Briggs gets her height measured, along with her fellow dancers.
Grace Killian performs for choreographers Julia Feldman (left) and Colby Damon.
Isabella Ruiz uses the barre as she gets ready to perform.
Kieley Leary and her fellow dancers warm up for their auditions.
Addyson Donato, 10, embraces her mother, Katy Donato, after completing her audition. Weeks later, she received the happy news that she was cast as one of the Mice.
