Tampa City Ballet hopes its rendition of 'The Nutcracker' serves as gateway to the world of ballet

TAMPA, Fla. - For members of Tampa City Ballet, "The Nutcracker" means many things. 

What they're saying:

"We see that it's a really great entryway for families and kids to learn about ballet and kind of fall in love with the magic of the holiday season," Tampa City Ballet Director of Marketing Nichole Lancaster said. 

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Nicole Assaad spends a lot of time on stage during the iconic show. The performer plays the principal role of the Snow Queen. 

"Performing is a way to express your emotions and feelings without using language, and body language is a universal form of communication," Assaad said. "It's an art that anyone can practice, like poetry, like music, so I think that to be able to give and take is something very special."

After months of rehearsal in a small space, checking their lines and moves in mirrors, Assaad feels a sense of freedom once she gets to take the official stage. 

"I feel like I open up. It makes me dance bigger," Assaad said. 

Carissa Smith is under the lights a lot as well, playing multiple roles on the stage. The performer plays a doll, a snowflake, an Arabian princess and the Dew Drop Fairy. 

"It's really a lot, especially emotionally, because dancing is very involved," Smith said. "You have to do a lot of acting, so really getting into the zone is kind of a lot, but it's really exciting to try so many different things and live so many different loves."

Big picture view:

Smith is a lifelong Tampa City Ballet member, growing up with the program since she was three years old, 17 years ago. 

Mixing performing pros with kids in the company's training school is a yearly tradition for "The Nutcracker". The program currently has around 100 kids enrolled at different levels. 

"A lot of the kids that you see on the program are actually students who are hoping to become professionals in our professional company," Lancaster said. 

What they hope for:

"We always want them to come back so that we can continue telling the story and so that it can continue being a tradition," Assaad said. "I mean for me selfishly, I want them to come back so I can keep performing."

What's next:

The company has four more performances this weekend at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. Long term, members hope to turn the company into a full-time ballet company. Right now, the professionals are hired on a show-to-show basis. 

"I think it's just so amazing to see how a ballet performance can light up a kid's eyes and just make them inspired and happy and excited to see the arts. It just, that's what I dance for honestly," Smith said.