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A 'suite' performance: For one dance school, this year's Nutcracker is a pandemic triumph

On a recent afternoon, the Peachtree City School of Dance performed the Nutcracker like every other year, even though it’s so not like every other year.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — It’s a perfect day for a timeless tale.

Five hours before showtime, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Kathleen Senger and a dozen dedicated dance parents arrive at Southern Ground Amphitheater in Fayette County to assemble a familiar set on an unfamiliar stage.

“I’m really grateful," says Senger, known by her students as Ms. Kathy. "This afternoon, there’s gonna be people out there watching the Nutcracker.”

They usually perform at a high school. They usually don’t erect their set the day of the show.

“Right now we’ve got a blank wall," Senger said as she surveyed the stage. "And that’s gonna be turning into the Kingdom of Sweets."

But this afternoon, the Peachtree City School of Dance will perform the Nutcracker, like every other year, even though it’s so not like every other year.

“We’ve had to overcome so much to be able to do this, and we’ve had to come together as a community to do this," Senger told 11Alive's Matt Pearl. “It’s kind of a Christmas gift to our community.”

For years, the local dance community embraced the school and this show. Dozens of dancers embraced each other. COVID-19 forced them all to adapt.

“We closed up our studio in March," Senger said. "We went online with Zoom classes. I moved the furniture out of my living room and taught in my living room.”

Senger continued classes that were as much a ritual as the Nutcracker. Over the summer, she reopened with strict precautions. She raised money from parents and local businesses to sponsor students who couldn’t afford tuition.

“We had over 100 families that needed some help with tuition," Senger said. "And we just feel like, if a child has a passion to do this performing art, to dance, we’re gonna make it happen.”

Two hours before showtime, the stage welcomed the dancers.

They’re already in costume because, at this show, there’s no dressing room outside.

That’s just fine with the Moore family: parents Amy and Ben, daughters Kendall and Taylor.

“This is tradition," said Amy. "We plan everything around this. We put up our Christmas tree early because it’s Nutcracker season.”

This year, Nutcracker season seemed distant for many months in the face of pandemic stress. Amy and Ben worried about their jobs. Even though they continued working, they faced new challenges, namely juggling careers with remote learning for their children.

Was there ever a concern that the girls would have to give up dance?

“No," Amy said, "Because I knew Kathy would not allow that to happen. I knew that if our kids wanted to dance, if any kids wanted to dance, she would make that happen.”

Weekly dance classes became communal outlets.

“I would click on Zoom," Senger recalled, "and I would say, ‘How are you doing?’ And they would say, ‘We hate coronavirus. I’m having a tough day today.’ And just to have the opportunity to say, ‘We’re all in this together. We’re gonna tough it out together. We’re gonna make it through,' it was our lifeline for one another."

Just as school went on, so would its signature show.

This year, the stage is a grid. This year, the dancers will sit in the audience. This year, the audience will see its own work reflected.

“One of the moms made masks for our young dancers," said Senger. "The little mice have little mice masks. Everyone’s said, ‘What can I do to help?’”

“The children need the outlet," said Amy Moore. "The adults need the outlet. The parents that have missed so many things, they get to see their kids. They get to applaud them. That was something that was taken away.”

Fifteen minutes before showtime, Senger gathered the dancers for an annual pre-show tradition: circle time. It is her version of a pep talk and a congratulatory ceremony for the graduating seniors.

This year, it had many meanings.

“Even when it’s a 2020 Nutcracker," Ms. Kathy told her dancers, "we have our traditions, right? You make this tradition stay alive. It’s a big responsibility, but it's a fun responsibility.”

Fifteen minutes later, she sent a similar message into the stands.

“Normally the curtain would be closed," Senger told the parents, grandparents, and community members in the audience. "And it would open up to this magical world. Well, audience, you are a part of our magical world. It’s your opportunity to sit and enjoy a live event, and we thank you so much for coming today.”

For the next hour, the tradition etched another notch. A familiar plot unfolded on a socially distanced stage.

It’s not complicated - just a timeless tale in a tumultuous time.

“It’s all about finding a way to come together to have something positive happen," Senger said. "And that is what’s needed most right now in the lives of our kids … and that is what our community is doing.”

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