Ballet Des Moines’ “The Nutcracker”: A performance that is “uniquely Grinnell”

To put on a ballet production is a feat. It demands countless hours of rehearsal, organizing and seamless coordination between dancers and crew. When Ballet Des Moines decided to tour a full production of “The Nutcracker” in Iowa with 30 young community dancers from Grinnell, the complexity was greatly magnified.

The production represents a collaboration between Ballet Des Moines, Grinnell College’s Office of Community Partnerships, the Grinnell Area Arts Council and the Grinnell School of Music. In an email to The S&B, Sarah Smith, director of Community and Government Relations at Grinnell College, wrote that the partnership emerged from a shared desire to bring more high-quality arts experiences to rural communities.

“In February of 2025, Grinnell College hosted ‘See the Music (Hear the Dance),’” wrote Smith. “Following that successful performance Grinnell was asked to host ‘The Nutcracker’ in December.”

For Joyce Lin `26, the production represents something she hasn’t experienced much during her time on campus — a chance to perform ballet again.

“I did ballet for 15 years before coming here,” Lin said. “Usually I start preparing for Nutcracker in October, and that’s always been a big part of my life.”

Lin’s ballet journey began when she was very young, training at a studio where she performed smaller supporting roles. Over those 15 years, she worked her way through nearly every background part “The Nutcracker” has to offer — baby mice, angels, bon bons, party children, snowflakes and flowers in the Waltz of the Flowers.

“The parts in Nutcracker productions actually differ depending on the studio or the company that’s producing it,” Lin said. For this Ballet Des Moines production, Lin performed as one of the maids.

Lin said she auditioned through video over summer break when most students were off campus.

“Grinnell doesn’t have a huge ballet focus,” Lin said. After performing at the International Student Organization’s Cultural Evening event last spring, she realized how much she missed ballet. “This is my last year, so I was like, I’m going to perform.”

When evaluating opportunities for community partnerships, Smith wrote the office looks for projects that strengthen partnerships with organizations who share values around education, creativity, access and community vitality.

She added that the office seeks to expand cultural and learning opportunities for both the College and broader community, inviting participation from local residents, “in ways that honor their talents and encourage lifelong engagement with the arts.”

“The Nutcracker” traditionally follows young Clara on Christmas Eve as she receives a nutcracker doll from the mysterious Drosselmeyer. After nightfall, Clara dreams of the Nutcracker coming to life to battle the villainous Mouse King. She throws her slipper at the Mouse King to save the Nutcracker, who then transforms into a prince and leads her through a moonlit pine forest where snowflakes dance. They travel to the Land of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy, where various sweets perform dances in celebration.

Ballet Des Moines makes significant adaptations to this narrative. Many story elements are trimmed to focus on dance rather than plot. Traditional scenes like Fritz breaking the nutcracker doll, the grandfather clock striking midnight to begin the battle and Clara throwing her slipper are all absent.

The first act opens with the Christmas party, where four pairs of young male and female dancers portray evening ball guests, exuding youthful energy. The tin soldiers, performed by Grinnell youth, marched alongside Blaise Houchin as the Nutcracker in the battle against the Rat King.

The scene with mice children scurrying across the stage proved the evening’s most charming moment. Small performers in oversized mouse costumes created both whimsy and mock menace.

Clara, danced by Judith Bruggeman, brought both innocence and wonder to the role. Rather than throwing her slipper to save the Nutcracker, the grown Nutcracker gets stabbed in battle. The scene then transitions directly to an icy forest.

The second act departs significantly from tradition. Gone is the Land of Sweets with its Sugar Plum Fairy, chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China and candy canes from Russia. Instead, Ballet Des Moines presents a European forest inhabited by rabbits, dewdrops and flowers.

The Des Moines Ballet company filled the entire second act, their years of training evident in every extension, every turn, every synchronized formation. Where the first act celebrated community participation and youthful enthusiasm, the second act reminded audiences why professional companies exist — to execute ballet at its highest level.

The pas de deux, a dance for two performed by Logan Hillman and Amelia Grubb Hillman, showcased classical technique at its finest. The lifts were executed with apparent effortlessness, and the chemistry between the dancers elevated the performance.

The production concludes with Clara waking from her dream, grounding a fantastical journey back in familiar reality. This ending replaces the traditional reindeer-drawn sleigh departure or the elaborate beehive apotheosis of the original 1892 production.

Without a live orchestra, the production relied on recorded music. The recorded score had maintained Tchaikovsky’s lush melodies, providing clear musical cues for the choreography. The costumes ranged from elaborate period dress in the party scene to whimsical mouse and forest creature designs, while lighting design enhanced transitions between the domestic Christmas setting and the dreamlike forest sequences.

For Lin, the experience has meant more than just getting back on stage. The community aspect of staging the production surprised her in its warmth.

“One of the families was kind enough to give me rides to rehearsals, and they were very nice,” she said. The rehearsals brought together dancers from across Poweshiek County.

The partnership’s success lies not just in bringing professional ballet to Grinnell, but in creating genuine opportunities for local dancers to work alongside professionals. For the 30 community performers, many of whom are children and teenagers, sharing the stage with Ballet Des Moines offers a glimpse into what professional dance demands and what it can achieve.

Smith described successful community partnership as built on “shared vision and co-ownership, where each partner contributes its strengths — Ballet Des Moines with artistic excellence, the Arts Council, School of Music, and Grinnell College with coordination, communications, venue support and local connections.”

Smith emphasized the importance of “participation from all residents, ensuring that local dancers and families feel supported, welcomed and celebrated.” Success, she noted, “means that the final performances feel like they truly belong to Grinnell — created with the community, not just for it.”

While Ballet Des Moines’ streamlined adaptation sacrifices much of the traditional Nutcracker narrative, the choice allows the production to tour with practical feasibility. The result is less a complete retelling of Hoffmann’s tale and more a showcase of ballet technique bookended by just enough story to provide context.

For young community dancers like those from Grinnell, the experience of performing alongside professionals likely matters more than narrative completeness. For audiences expecting the full traditional production, the cuts may feel substantial, but the quality of dancing on display compensates for the abbreviated storytelling.

Smith wrote she hopes the partnership brings expanded access to the arts in Grinnell, especially for young people who may not otherwise have opportunities to perform alongside a professional ballet company. The event also reinforces Grinnell as “a creative, welcoming and lively place to live.”

Ultimately, Smith wrote, “events like this show what’s possible when local organizations and the community work side-by-side to create something meaningful, memorable and uniquely ‘Grinnell.’”