By Shelby Haygood

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Freshman Ashlyn Graddy performed as part of the mice army in the Hawaii Ballet Theatre’s 35th annual production of  “The Nutcracker.” On Dec. 12, 13, 19 and 20, Graddy, along with hundreds of other dancers island-wide, performed at Leeward Community College.

“This was the first big production I’ve been a part of. I was both excited and nervous. My favorite part about this whole experience was just dancing on stage. Being able to perform with my friends is so much fun,” stated Graddy.

While Graddy may not have had the largest role in the performance, there was still quite a bit of work to be done in preperation for the show. “I played a mouse, and even though I had an oversized furry costume on, there was still a whole lot of technique that I had to learn,” Graddy said. Kierstin Graddy, Graddy’s mother, added, “(Graddy) had to try out for her role in ‘The Nutcracker.’ I was proud of her for receiving a part. She was one of the older girls doing the mouse part, so the younger girls were able to look up to her and follow as she learned the choreography. It was a great experience for us both.”

Balancing her role in the performance with school was not an easy task, especially because the performances coincided with finals week. “It was very intense; practices for ‘The Nutcracker’ were held twice a week at Punahou and when the show came there were practices almost every day,” Graddy said. “Luckily, most of (Graddy’s) ‘Nutcracker’ practices were on the weekends, so she was able to balance school and practice. When the performance got closer, she had some weeknight practices, so she would be tired the next day at school, but luckily that didn’t happen too often. But most of her practices were at Punahou, so it was a big commitment to drive down there every weekend,” Kierstin Graddy said.

Though “The Nutcracker” may have been Graddy’s first major performance, her passion for dance stretches far back into her youth. “I began dancing ballet when I was 5 years old. I also took a jazz class for about two years. I decided to take a short break and I started back up again when I was 9 (years old), and I’ve been dancing since,” said Graddy. Kierstin Graddy added, “(Graddy) started dancing at Moholland Dance Studio in Fairbanks, Alaska. We initially signed her up because it was something fun for her to do when she was little, but she enjoyed it and decided that she wanted to stick with it. She also danced jazz and tap when she was younger. ”

Graddy hopes her passion for dancing stays strong and that her love for performance doesn’t fade as she progresses in high school along with adulthood.“I want to be a part of (the) Ballet Hawaii team. They are really professional and they do a lot of big productions,” said Graddy. Graddy’s older sister, Senior Emma Graddy, added, “(Graddy) is a really great dancer. She does extremely well in performances and is also very motivated. She’s worked hard to get to where she is today and I’m proud of her and everything that she’s become. ”

Graddy will continue working hard at dancing, whether it’s auditioning for upcoming performances that may come her way, or even participating in routine practices so that she can stay eminent in her dance. If all goes as hoped, Graddy will have her spot on the popular Ballet Hawaii team, performing with hundreds of other excellent dancers who share the same dreams and aspirations as her.