My Granddaughter and I have gone to The Nutcracker for the last four years together. We can now call it a tradition of ours. Before the ballet the Musical Arts Center has a Holiday Tea, it is where the characters come out and mingle with the guests and take photos with them. The Clara in this photo and in the show was only 11 years old. The university has a youth ballet program that is advanced, and is it ever. This girl held her own for the intire program. Very impressive. It is a good thing the hardest dance is for the Sugar Plum Fairy which was done by a university student. I am very lucky to live in a town with a wonderful School of Music within the university and try to take advantage of it as much as possible.