Meet The Princes
One of our favorite parts of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® is seeing PNB School’s dedicated students onstage. Two of those students, Beckett and Ko, dance the role of The Prince this year. You’ll see them onstage as the mysterious nephew of Drosselmeier, the heroic Nutcracker, and the gracious prince. Meet them in the interview below.
Beckett and Ko before rehearsal.
Introduce yourselves and share your favorite part of doing ballet!
Ko: I’m 13, and this is my second year dancing. I’ve performed The Prince at another ballet school, but this is my first time performing at PNB. My favorite parts of doing ballet are leaps and choreography!
Beckett: I’m also 13. I’ve been dancing since the third grade. I was The Prince last year, and I’ve also been a party boy. Personally, I love performing. It’s very exciting to get up onstage and impress a bunch of people.
Beckett performs in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, choreography by George Balanchine © The Balanchine Trust, photo © Angela Sterling.
What’s something that surprised you about being a Prince?
Ko: For me, I was surprised when I read some of the materials they sent us after being cast. It just made me think, “Wow, this is so professional, and I’m so happy to be here.”
Beckett: Honestly, I wasn’t expecting there to be so many solos. When Mr. Boal showed us the steps, I thought, “Woah, there are a lot of opportunities for me to express myself.”
Are you on Team Mouse King or Team Nutcracker?
Ko: I like them both, but I would have to choose the Nutcracker. I’m playing the Nutcracker, so I’m biased.
Beckett: Oh, I would definitely choose Nutcracker. As the Nutcracker, I get to jump on the Mouse King’s back, I get to ride on the bed, and I get to slay him.
Ko performs in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, choreography by George Balanchine © The Balanchine Trust, photo © Lindsay Thomas.
What advice would you give to someone who’s never taken a ballet class before?
Ko: Ballet is a formal style of dance, but it’s not as formal as people think. Some teachers at PNB School are very, very chill. In class, we focus on learning, and we have fun!
Beckett: I would tell them that it’s important to be respectful to your peers and teachers. It’s a challenging dance style, so it’s important to absorb as much information as you can from everyone around you.
