Fourth grader to play lead role in The Nutcracker

Ella Frances Mandell watched the curtain just before it opened for Alabama Ballet’s production of La Sylphide this fall. From her seat in the audience, the young ballerina had a revelation.

“I can’t imagine what the dancers are doing right now,” she told her mom, Mary Virginia Mandell. And then she thought a moment and realized, “But wait, I can imagine.”

Ella Frances, 9, was backstage with the company last year just before the curtain opened for The Nutcracker. She played a baby mouse and an angel. This year she will be with the company again — only this time she will be the lead role.

The Mountain Brook Elementary fourth grader will play Marie, known as Clara in other versions of the ballet, in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at the Wright Center at Samford University.

Ella Frances has been taking ballet since she was 3 years old and involved in the Alabama Ballet since her family moved from Montgomery to Birmingham a year and a half ago.

“It’s been so fun to watch her get so excited about something,” Mary Virginia said. “You hope your children find something they are passionate about, and it’s exciting when they are.”

The Alabama Ballet is the only company in the South and only one of seven in the world granted the right for the George Balanchine version of The Nutcracker. Each year, Darla Hoover from The George Balanchine Trust in New York City travels to Birmingham to judge for auditions. And this year Ella Frances made the cut.

Since September, the three girls who play Marie in different performances, plus an understudy, have practiced five days a week.

“Sometimes there’s pressure at rehearsals, but it’s fun,” Ella Frances said.

As the weeks progressed, rehearsals got closer and closer to feeling like the actual production. The girls cast as Marie started rehearsing with nutcracker dolls in early November and then with Alabama Ballet later in the month.

“Then it’s not like you are dancing with air anymore.” Ella Frances said.

But Ella Frances’ favorite part of the preparation process is when she gets to stay up late to rehearse at the Wright Center.

“Then the girls are star-struck by the professional dancers,” Mary Virginia said.

Mary Virginia often finds Ella Frances in her room practicing routines while The Nutcracker music plays on an iPad. The Mandells also watch the movie of the New York City Ballet production.

“The costumes from the New York city Ballet version are even so similar; it’s really cool,” Mary Virginia said.

Ella Frances carpools to Nutcracker practice with other dancers who live nearby, including her friend and understudy, MBE third grader Lillian Still, which she said makes things more fun

 “There is always lots of giggling when I pick them up,” Mary Virginia said.

Ella Frances has also been a community cast member of Swan Lake and hopes to be in The Sleeping Beauty in the spring, but she will be sad to see this year’s holiday production come to an end.

“It’s sad when The Nutcracker is over because it’s so much fun.”

Ella Frances will perform as Marie at the Wright Center at Samford University in the 2:30 p.m. matinee on Dec. 22 and as a party girl on Dec. 16 2:30 p.m. matinee and 7:30 p.m. performances of Dec. 21 and 22. She will play Marie in three performances in Anniston in early December as well. There are also performances of the production at the Wright Center Dec. 14-16. For more information and tickets, visit alabamaballet.org.