Ava Wichser pirouettes through the Nutcracker ballet

Tessa Rosa, Fashion Blog Editor|December 7, 2014

Ballerina, Ava Wichser, has been dancing for 13 years and dances annually in the Nutcracker. “She started ballet because of her love to perform. The first time she saw The Nutcracker, she was not in it, but she knew she wanted to be.”

Photo courtesy Ava Wichser

Ballerina, Ava Wichser, has been dancing for 13 years and dances annually in the Nutcracker. “She started ballet because of her love to perform. The first time she saw The Nutcracker, she was not in it, but she knew she wanted to be.”

For Ava Wichser, (’16) life is tights and tutus. From the time she was three years old she has been in ballet. In the last 13 years, the passion for the thrill of dance has not faded. If anything, it has grown just as her skills have. To this day, around the holidays, she performs in the annual Nutcracker Ballet. This year is the 24th annual show at St. Croix Ballet, and she is finally getting to be The Sugar Plum Fairy.

“We have been dancing together for over ten years,” said Catherine Wessel (’15), “and it has always been so much fun!” Wessel dances in The Nutcracker Ballet alongside Wichser. Although she is one year her senior, she sees Wichser as an equally good dancer, and for the past four years she has been able to dance alongside of her in the same level.

Together they have danced their way through roles, starting at the bottom, with an extras role, and now at the top, with major roles. Improvement in their dancing over the years has led to improvement in the roles.

She started ballet because of her love to perform. The first time she saw The Nutcracker,  she was not in it, but she knew she wanted to be. With persistent practice, she finally was. Over the years, as she has improved, she has been in many roles, and surely will be in more, but her favorite two were Clara and The Sugar Plum Fairy.

“I have seen her in the Nutcracker just about every year,” said Ellie Erickson (’16), who is a dear friend of Wichser.“She gets really into it and does really well.”

 

Wichser started at the bottom like everyone else, and after years of practice has reached the roll of The Sugar Plum Fairy. In her purple costume, she brought life to the character with grace. The time before the performance passed, full of stress, nerves and adrenaline, and like every year before, Wichser is now relieved and satisfied. Relieved that it went well and that there is no more reason to stress,  she is also sad because it is over.

“I am in awe of her dancing every time I see her,” said Nina Thueson (’17). “Whether it is in our ballet class or watching her on stage.” Thueson is also in The Nutcracker Ballet. She has danced alongside of Wichser and Wessel during performances and loves it. “Her spirit and joy for dancing is contagious and she helps us all do our best.”

This year, without all the senior dancers who were there the year before, Wichser is one who must teach the younger dancers the ways of the show and ballet. Her passion for the show is very evident in her performance and in her words, even after 13 years.

Ballet is very time consuming for her, but she manages to balance the relationships with her friends and family and her love for dancing in a healthy manner. Not only has dancing created more experiences and memories, it has caused her to make more friends and lasting relationships.

“Ballet without her would not be the same. She is a friend as well as a great teacher,” said Thueson.