The universal appeal and pure joy of Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ is undeniable, and once again audiences will be treated this December to Westside Ballet’s production, which has become a tradition since its 1973 repertoire debut. Beyond its magical story and balletic prowess, ‘The Nutcracker’ compresses what would amount to years of ballet training and exercises into two acts and three scenes. ‘Because it comes year after year, the dancers can grow into roles,’ says Westside principle teacher and coach Martine Harley, who received her formative training at Westside, and returned to WSB after a professional career with the Houston Ballet. ‘The young dancers can aspire to the next role and the next as they improve their skill base.’ They progress from Christmas party children, warring mice and toy soldiers, and dancing sweets and snowflakes, to the most technically challenging roles of the Dewdrop Fairy and Sugar Plum Fairy. Indeed, as a focal point of the ballet, the Sugar Plum Fairy appears only at the end of the ballet’s culminating pas de deux and must not only dance well but also epitomize radiance, grandeur and sweetness. Westside Ballet’s company is made up of the students in the school. Many, like Harley, started training at the age of 5. As Harley progressed, she danced every ‘Nutcracker’ role from Clara to the Sugar Plum Fairy. Harley says that one of the joys for her is returning to Westside and working with other former students who are now teachers. ‘When I was dancing Clara as a young girl Caprice Walker was the Dewdrop Fairy and Francine Kessler was still actively dancing. It’s remarkable to have worked with them side by side.’ Looking back at her own ‘discovery’ of ballet, Harley said that the dance form became a real possibility for a future career when she was 13. ‘It really comes when you begin to audition for the summer intensives,’ she says. ‘The top schools around the country offered me full scholarships, which gave me the idea that perhaps I was talented enough to compete on a larger scale.’ Harley won scholarships to the summer programs of the American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet. She joined the Houston Ballet in 1983 and was promoted to soloist in 1988, dancing featured roles in all of former artistic director Ben Stevenson’s full-length classics. She won critical acclaim for her lyricism in many roles, most notably the third song in Stevenson’s ‘Four Last Songs,’ the Sylph in ‘Graduation Ball,’ the Lilac Fairy in ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ and The Dying Swan. Harley grew up in Sunset Mesa, where she and her husband still live. At 5 feet 6 inches, she is of average height for a dancer. ‘I was lucky that I always had a ballet body, long and thin limbs,’ she says. ‘I had never had to worry about weight, but I always was aware and remind my students that training is difficult, and while the ballet aesthetic is important, you have to stay healthy. I remind the girls that their health is of paramount importance. The body is their instrument.’ Training at Westside Ballet remains ‘very constant and professional just as it was when I was a student,’ she says, while adding that she has noticed a shift from the academic side. ‘I felt the education system understood I had these extracurricular activities, but now the students have to work a lot harder to balance the two.’ Rehearsals for ‘The Nutcracker’ have been ongoing since September weekday afternoons and all day Saturday. Although Harley notes that there are a few advanced students who may go on to pursue a professional career, she finds their progress along the way to be the ultimate goal. ‘It’s always exciting to see kids who have come through the school take the experience and discipline with them on to college life and their careers.’
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