BOSTON (WHDH) - Hannah Kendrick has been pirouetting, chasséing, and sautéing for more than a decade. It’s where she found her passion, her community, and herself.
“Dancing makes me feel good in my heart for myself because it’s really fun,” she said.
Now she’s taking center stage as Clara as part of United Dance Company’s production of The Extraordinary Nutcracker.
The enchanting performance at the Calderwood Pavilion is putting inclusivity on pointe. Dancers living with disabilities perform alongside professional dancers, with performers from Boston Children’s Hospital and the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress setting the barre high.
“We wanted to do a show where they are the ones driving the show — they were the main characters, they were the main reason for the show,” said choreographer Gianni Dimarco.
As New England’s only narrated nutcracker, the show reimagines the familiar fairytale through Clara’s eyes. Organizers say it’s a performance that will leave both audiences and dancers spinning with delight.
“The goal is to make them feel empowered by allowing them to be the main source of the art,” Dimarco said.
Dancers like Casey O’Donnell say they feel right at home on stage.
“It makes me the star — well I am the star,” he said.
Organizers say they wanted to create a space where everyone can enjoy the holiday magic. The dancers, they note, are not defined by their differences, but by their discipline, devoting hours of training to master their skills and refine their techniques.
“This is a show that carries as much of a powerful message as perhaps other companies in the city that are also doing something similar, but this has a different taste to it,” Dimarco said.
The performers are eager to showcase their abilities and spread some Christmas cheer.
“I want to see the audience going through a journey, celebrating Christmas,” O’Donnell said.
The Extraordinary Nutcracker will be performed at the Calderwood Pavilion Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
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