Nutcracker

Back when our daughter Fiona, now 18, was 9 and in Ballet 2 at the San Francisco Ballet School, we found out that she had gotten two roles in the company's brand new production of the Nutcracker.  She was to be Daisy in the party scene and as a clown in Mother Ginger in the second act.  We were very excited as this was Fiona's first time  performing in the Nutcracker.  First row tickets were on reserve at the Opera House for parents, so I naturally bought two for Rich and me.  I also bought three more so my mother and sister could come to San Francisco to see the ballet.

On opening night, Rich and I sat in the darkness, listening to the Overture.  A thrill washed over us.  As the curtain went up, and Fiona came running down the stairs with the other party children, my heart nearly burst.  She absolutely glowed in her yellow dress, with her hair curled into shining ringlets. Rich and I turned to look at each other and we could see  tears in each other's eyes.  A swell of pride washed over us both.  This has to be one of the best moments of parenthood, I thought.  There are many triumphs, big and small, along the path of raising a child.  But something like this makes for pure, unadulterated love and joy!

As it turned out, Fiona danced beautifully and really put herself into the role of Daisy, the youngest girl at the party.  When all the guests were leaving, Daisy went to sit in a chair by the fire, all by herself.  It was a sight beautiful as any painting.  When her "mother" called, Daisy sleepily got up, hugged the teddy bear she had gotten as a gift, and ran to her mom.

In Act Two, Fiona was a clown who led the circus bear (an enlarged version of the one Daisy received at the party) back under the dress of Mother Ginger.  Fee was very cute in her black and white costume, complete with a pointed, European style clown hat.  When we picked her up after the performance, we told her how proud we were of her.  It seemed to us that she hadn't just played the role, but had actually become Daisy and the clown.  Seeing Fiona dance on stage has become one of my fondest memories, one that I can take out of the album of my mind and admire anytime.