Ginga Siznaps

"The Nutcracker" opens this Thursday and, like the holidays, it seems to have crept up on me. Granted, my part this year is about 3 minutes long compared to about 20 minutes last year and I have attended only a handful of brief rehearsals. Yesterday, I began to bond with the dancers who will be emerging from my character's hoop skirt. Little girls all, they spent some time with me offstage, waiting for our entrance. I told them that I felt the 2nd Act of the ballet is a metaphor for gang life, how each groug dances instead of fights. A couple of the more rambuctious girls agreed with me and showed me "fronting moves". Another flashed what appeared to be a gang sign at me. I told them that the Metatrons (the group that comes before us) thought they were all that and we should show them what's up. There was some modest agreement and we entered the stage to do our thing. So far, so good.