Carroll will perform the roles of the Snow Queen and Dew Drop Fairy. Shows begin Dec. 16 at Voorhees Middle School.
The South Jersey Ballet Theatre has a lot to be proud of this year in celebrating 25 years of its annual winter production of “The Nutcracker,” and 17-year-old Marlton resident Giana Carroll, who will be performing the roles of the Snow Queen and Dew Drop Fairy, has a lot to be proud of as well.
The roles mark a major accomplishment for Carroll, who has been dancing ballet for the past 12 years and has been performing in the SJBT’s “The Nutcracker” for the past five.
With her upcoming performance on her mind, Carroll said these are by far the biggest roles she’s ever had.
Carroll describes the two roles as incredibly different, with the Snow Queen requiring an elegance and softness to her movements, while the Dew Drop Fairy calls for a more energized performance with many jumps and sharp turns.
“It pushes you to really dance to the best of your ability, and that’s what both these roles require,” Carroll said. “They’re both very challenging for me, but I feel that I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles to come this far.”
While Carroll said there’s a bit of nervousness from the added responsibility of having such important roles, more than anything else, she said she’s excited to perform.
“Once I get on stage, I think it helps me dance more … because it’s so much fun to be on stage and do what you love,” Carroll said.
Carroll said she first fell in love with ballet for how it allows dancers the freedom to move their body. She describes going into the studio and simply forgetting about any problems.
Carroll hopes audiences who come to this year’s performances of “The Nutcracker” get that same feeling.
She said audiences are in for a treat with a “wonderful production” filled with kids who love what they’re doing on stage, which shows in the high quality of their performances.
“To me, a successful show is when people just forget about all their problems, and they just enjoy the show that’s laid before them,” Carroll said.
SJBT’s “The Nutcracker” will debut on Friday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Voorhees Middle School on Holly Oak Drive in Voorhees. Additional performances will run Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2:30 p.m.
Girl Scouts and other student groups will have an opportunity to meet the company after the Friday and Saturday 4:30 p.m. shows at a special ticket rate.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for seniors or children. To purchase tickets, call (856) 222–2849 or visit www.southjerseyballet.com.
Additional Marlton residents with roles in this year’s shows include Cherokee High School freshman Cami Alexy as Soldier Doll, Marzipan Lead and Spanish Lead; Cherokee sophomore Caraline Christie as Kissy Doll, Marzipan Lead and Spanish Lead; and Cherokee freshman Laura Daily as Spanish Lead and Candy Cane Lead.
