Many Americans celebrate Thanksgiving weekend with turkey and trimmings, football games, shopping and family gatherings.
For some Augusta families, however, their traditions include the Colton Ballet Co.’s rendition of The Nutcracker, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary with multiple performances Thanksgiving weekend.
“It was 1975 when I saw my first Nutcracker with Zanne (Colton) as the Dew Drop and Ron (Colton) as Drosselmeyer,” said Mark Moody, who has made the ballet part of his holiday for many years.
He took his daughter Carson Moody to see the ballet when she was about 4. They went to see Caitlin McCormick, Mark Moody’s niece.
Carson Moody said she was hooked and started taking ballet classes. It would be a few years before she’d dance her first Nutcracker though.
“I started in 2005 as a soldier,” she said.
She danced in The Nutcracker until 2015 then took off for a couple of years off. This year, she’s dancing once again in multiple roles including Waltz of the Flowers, Spanish and as Bo Peep.
Over the years, father and daughter, who both work at the Savannah River Site, have been able to share moments together on stage in the party scene over the years. They’ve filled roles in some of the party couples.
“It’s really neat to be on stage with my daughter,” Mark Moody said.
Carson Moody said they have had private jokes that have helped them interact on stage and given them the right expressions as party goers having fun.
Like the Moodys, Mike Anderson started with The Nutcracker with his daughter, Olivia in the 1990s, but unlike his daughter, he continues to perform year after year.
“I took a ballet class,” Anderson said of how he got involved in the production.
One of his special memories was being in the party scene the year she danced the role of Clara, who takes the magical journey with the nutcracker into the Land of the Sweets at Christmas.
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“It was such a special occasion,” he said.
He recalled another special memory from the holiday ballet.
“One of my favorite times on stage was when she was performing the girl doll, and she turns to the young boys and blows kisses to them. Standing next to the boys, I couldn’t help but blow a kiss of my own to her. I am always a proud party dad. All the years are special in their own way,” he said.
She’s now on the dance faculty at the University of South Carolina, but he continues to assist with the Colton Nutcracker. While he’s been part of many party scenes, he’s also taken on roles such as Mother Ginger who dons a huge skirt and wears stilts.
“I look forward to it every year,” he said. “I like meeting my new family. It’s exciting.”
Over the years, he’s watched the young dancers as they’ve moved from the ranks of the young children attending the party to take on the more difficult roles as they’ve matured in their skills.
This Christmas is a special one for Bebe Ballas Kent and her niece, Deborah Latch.
Kent first danced as Clara in 1990, and she knew her niece was destined to dance.
“The first time I saw her point her foot I said ‘put her in ballet,’” she said.
Latch is a Stallings Island Middle School student and will dance as Clara this year, adding another bond to the duo’s relationship.
In preparation for the production, Latch has watched Kent’s taped performance several times. The role brings back many memories for Kent.
“I can still do the moves,” she said.
As they talked about the Nutcracker, Latch said her favorite part of the ballet was the beginning of the battle scene.
“Oh, I used to love that too,” Kent responded.
Kent and her sister, Claudia Latch, reminisced of their days with the Colton Ballet as children and teens. For them, the time surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday meant of flurry of rehearsals and performances.
“It was always two weeks of shows,” said Kent.
In addition, there were multiple performances for schoolchildren which meant no school for Kent and Claudia Latch, they said.
Upstairs in the green room of the Imperial Theater, the children would camp out for much of those two weeks, waiting for their turn on stage and returning there once they were finished.
One of the highlights for them was being in the theater preparing for a performance when the Christmas parade came through downtown.
Both Latch and Kent remember the magic of watching the parade from the theater’s second floor.
Claudia Latch said she formed lifelong friendships with those she met in The Nutcracker.
Fifty years of The Nutcracker in Augusta is a momentous milestone that Zanne Colton, the company’s artistic director, is thrilled about.
“I think of my husband Ron who along with his NYC Ballet friend, Robert Barnett, brought the Balanchine Nutcracker to Augusta. Against many skeptics, Ron was determined to establish the production as a yearly event. I think of all the children, dancers, guest artists, parents, technicians and designers who have contributed and worked diligently to make our beloved production shine. I am grateful for all these 50 years,” she said.
The Nutcracker will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26 and at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27 and Sunday, Nov. 28. Tickets are $17-$46 and are available at imperialtheatre.com or by calling the box office at (706) 722-8341.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
