Members of the media gathered at the Cleveland Ballet studio on Friday, Dec. 1 during rehearsals for “The Nutcracker,” which will feature 11 performances at Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace Thursday, Dec. 14 through Saturday, Dec. 23.

After the recent departure of Cleveland Ballet cofounders and CEO Michael Krasnyansky and artistic director Gladisa Guadalupe, just as each dancer in the 33-member company must be prepared to take on a new role at a moment’s notice, Cynthia Graham is stepping into the position of interim artistic director and Howard Bender is serving as president—demonstrating the steadfast resolve of seasoned understudies who determined that the show must go on.

Those familiar with “The Nutcracker” will notice a new grandmother character making her debut this year. Caroline and her Nutcracker Prince are also visiting two destinations for the first time: Austria and France.

These additions are unique to the Cleveland performance and choreographed by company member Marla Aleyda, who also performs the roles of Caroline and Queen alongside partner Bruno Palheta in several shows.

Palheta, who hails from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and joined the Cleveland Ballet in 2020, says he appears in eight different roles over the show’s seven-day run—allowing his body to rest from the rigors of performing as a principal dancer, both as Nutcracker Prince and King in the grand pas de deux.

Costuming the dancers is a logistical feat with seven different pairs of dancers – a total of 14 performers—alternating between the roles of King and Queen and Caroline and Nutcracker Prince.

“I keep a spreadsheet to ensure there are no quick changes that we can’t accommodate,” explains costume shop manager Krista Tomorowitz. “Because there is not enough time to make alterations between shows, [we] must ensure each costume can fit four or more dancers.”

Cleveland Ballet Presents The NutcrackerMoonlighting as a costume designer, company dancer Alexander Guzmán of Puerto Rico envisioned the grandmother’s gown and the brand-new Arabian outfits showcased at the Dec. 1 rehearsal. As he twirled ballerina Madison Campbell, Guzmán demonstrated the cutout in the back of her costume—inspired by the architecture of Morocco.  

A behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities was led by Bender and Rena Vysnionis, Cleveland Ballet director of marketing.

Winding through the dance company’s corporate offices, there is a small room with a massage table where a physical therapist is posted to help dancers recover from rehearsals or address an injury quickly.

Down the hall, a trio of performers is weight training inside a tiny gym. The smell of sawdust permeates the air where a worker wedged inside the set construction space toils on a table saw—putting the finishing touches on scenery before it will be hauled out from an adjacent loading dock.

Tiny nutcrackers overflow from cardboard boxes awaiting their lineup at a makeshift boutique in the Playhouse Square lobby—where, most likely, children will implore their parents to take one of the figures home in commemoration of their unforgettable experience.

With no space left unused, a canopy of tutus hangs overhead—suspended from plumbing pipes.

Nestled inside the Ballet’s cavernous space on Miles Road in Bedford is the School of Cleveland Ballet, where the corridor is flanked by headshots of the company, which represents 10 different countries this season.

By nightfall, the school will be filled with a new generation of dancers—38 youths and six Cleveland Ballet trainees preparing to saunter into the spotlight for The Nutcracker.   

Performers will remain in costume following the matinee performances on Saturday, Dec. 16, Sunday, Dec. 17, and Saturday, Dec. 23 for a meet-and-greet and photos.

Tickets to “The Nutcracker” range from $10 to $131 and can be purchased online or by calling Cleveland Ballet ticketing at (216) 320-9000, extension 107.

For the first time this season, two performances—the matinee on Thursday, Dec. 14, and the evening show on Sunday, Dec. 17—have been designated Pay as You Can performances to make the Cleveland Ballet accessible to everyone during this beloved holiday season.

Cleveland Ballet will not turn anyone away. Special provisions can be made by calling the ticket office.