ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Hundreds of children filed into Popejoy Hall Tuesday morning as they found their seats, they anxiously waited for the curtain to rise.

“For some kids, this is their very first time seeing ‘The Nutcracker.’ This is their maybe their first experience seeing live performance, live dance, being in a theater,” said Anna Bridge, artistic and school director for the New Mexico Ballet Company.

Before the show started, there was a quick lesson in theater etiquette and history as the ballerinas took their places backstage.

“This ballet is such a huge tradition, especially with American ballet companies, and now all over the world. It’s a big part of people’s holiday traditions,” said Bridge. 

As the show starts, it’s not just the children in the audience who are excited.

“It’s really such a cool experience to be part of this. I’ve grew up watching ‘The Nutcracker.’ It’s like our family tradition,” said Brielle Mccrory, playing Fritz. 

This is McCrory’s second year in ‘The Nutcracker’ and first year playing the character Fritz. 

Both her and her cast mates love the energy the student performance brings to Popejoy.

“Just the spirit of Christmas that comes into Nutcracker and the spirit of family at NMBC. We really are a family and a community, and I think that reflected in our Nutcracker program,” Madyson Kettler, playing Ballerina Doll.

Hopefully, that reflects on the students as well.

“If that inspires even one kid to start taking a dance class, or to go into theater, or drama, or music, or anything, you know, live performance art, then we’ve done our job,” said Bridge. 

‘The Nutcracker’ has three more performances at Popejoy Hall this year, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.

For more information on ticket prices for The Nutcracker at Popejoy Hall, click here.