Feeding the Nutcracker Crew in Cody, Wyoming

Cynthia Kaelberer

Description

Cynthia Kaelberer looks back at how “The Nutcracker” ballet has become an essential part of the Christmas season in Cody, Wyoming, and feeding the cast.
When Elizabeth announced she wanted to produce “The Nutcracker,” her family members nodded their heads.
Her mother, the author of this book, was excited about what such a production would entail: choreography, lighting, costumes, and of course, other parents. What she might not have envisioned at the time, however, was how much cooking and baking would be required to feed the crew.
In this book, she looks back at how the first production in 1998 came together from scratch.
Grandmothers, mothers, friends, and parents sewed costumes and helped with the props, with Elizabeth always being determined to offer a first-class production. She even folded the programs herself, ensuring that each fold was straight and razor sharp.
Each of the dancers that first year performed multiple roles and worked long hours preparing. While exhausting, it all came together and made their collective accomplishment that much sweeter when it came to fruition.
Join the author as she looks back at how a magical ballet—along with some great recipes— became an essential part of the Christmas season in Cody, Wyoming.

Sujets

• Cuisine
• La cuisine et son histoire
• Wyoming
• Cody
• Cooking
• Nutcracker

Informations

• Publié par: Archway Publishing
• Date de parution: 07 septembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665728065
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 14 Mo

Extrait

FEEDING THE NUTCRACKER CREW IN CODY WYOMING
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cynthia Kaelberer
 
Copyright © 2022 Cynthia Kaelberer.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
Archway Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.archwaypublishing.com
844-669-3957
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture quotations marked “ESV” are from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved
 
ISBN: 978-1-6657-2807-2 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6657-2806-5 (e)
ISBN: 978-1-6657-2808-9 (hc)
 
Archway Publishing rev. date:  09/07/2022
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
To my children, and grandchildren,
When I think of you my heart is filled with joy and gratitude.
“The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
Psalm 16:6 ESV
Table Contents
Introduction
Beginning
Becoming a Family
Recipes
New Vision
Growing Stronger
25 Years
Introduction
A t long last, here it is, the book I have talked about for years and of all the people who probably can’t believe it is in print, good or bad, I am, no doubt, the most surprised. So, thank you to everyone who secretly wondered if it really would ever happen and didn’t say it out loud.
When the idea of putting together a book called “Feeding the Nutcracker Crew” first came to mind, I saw it as a collection of recipes and a few pictures. However, from the onset this book has taken on more than I thought it would be and it has come to be a personal story told by someone’s mother. The story is about Elizabeth Fernandez, teacher, choreographer, director, writer, great stepmom, aunt, wife of Ryan Fernandez, sister of Erich Kaelberer and daughter of the mom telling the story, Cynthia Kaelberer.
I have taught private piano lessons for more years than I care to say and have met some fine people because of it, most of them my students.
I live with my dog Moose in Cody, Wyoming and am blessed to have my children, Ryan, Elizabeth, Erich and Jenni close by.
Ryan’s name will be mentioned a few times and so I should say he is Elizabeth’s number 1 fan. He claims that because he is married to her, his world has become broader than he had ever planned as he also is now so involved in the world of dance and performing.

 
I have a very long list of people that I want to thank. I have always been blessed with people who encouraged me, (whether they knew it or not), to “do better”, strive to “do more than you think you can”: my parents, Tom and Joyce Asay, my children, my grandchildren, my brothers, and the friends I have come to know through the years.
Craig Satterlee is one I feel privileged to count as a friend. Without Craig I’m not sure this book would have been finished. So many times, I wondered how to take the next step, “what does this mean that the publisher wants?” “Not sure I can do this today.” However, Craig’s steadiness, his knowledge of what technical terms mean and how it works was invaluable.
Most of all his artistry in photography and his love of dance and what Elizabeth does is inspiring and beautiful. Your pictures give meaning to the words. Thank you is not enough but all I have to give. Thank you, Craig, thank you.
Finally, to all the many students who have taken dance through these last 25 years, I wish I could have included a picture of each one of you. Even in this day of digital storing I couldn’t get that done but please know each of you, as an individual, are very important and Elizabeth always remembers every student whom she has taught. Thank you for being a part of RMSA/RMDT within the last 25 years, you have left your mark.
 
I n the evening the profile of mountain peaks stand out and yet blend into the sky. Shades change from sky blue to hazy grays, pinks and purples as the clouds move through the mountains and sky. The changing of weather is seen coming in the form and color of the clouds – from the North and the West through the passes created by the mountain ranges – Logan, Carter, the Beartooths….
It was time to go where writing is not only required but really the only thing. Loading up Moose and Sawyer (the dogs), Trixie, Mr. Gilly, and Swimshady (the goldfish) we headed to the mountains. Oh, and by the way, none of those names were my idea.
Driving to the camping spot I listened to the Boccherini Concerto No. 9 in B-flat Major. It seemed as if all nature was responding to the music written more than 200 years before, recorded in a studio hundreds of miles away by musicians of the 21 st century. As the sun set on a quiet world, I again thought of living in the West where horses, cattle and farming are still the norm; where we still hope our children will be strong and tough as we live according to what God has given us, in this, the country of the West. Here there is room for wide open spaces and beautiful music in every form it will take. As is said in the “Wild West Spectacular” there is still room for dreams and plans to be worked and fought for.
There is also room for Tchaikovsky to be heard and felt and danced to, and where a girl from Cody, Wyoming could come home after studying dance and fight to make it happen.
 


 
W hen Elizabeth announced she was going to produce The Nutcracker no one hardly paused – we just nodded our heads and said, “Ok”. To teach and create with a vision of what the final product could be, can be stimulating and exciting for everyone involved: choreographer, student, lighting designer, stage designer, costume maker, and parents.
She is fond of The Nutcracker for many reasons, but the beginning of that fondness was not that we went to see it every year in Billings, Montana from the time she was young, or that as she moved into high school she got to participate, somewhat, with a professional company. Her real love of this ballet started at the University level.

Elizabeth was accepted into the University of Northern Colorado’s dance program at the most fortunate time for her. Jeffrey Rockland was the dance master at UNC at the time. Jeffrey had worked with Robert Barnett, who was one of the people to whom Balanchine had given his choreography of The Nutcracker. Jeffrey asked Mr. Barnett to come and set parts of it with Jeffrey’s students, which he did.

Jeffrey also created special parts for his students. The “Toy Dolls” part is one he created with Elizabeth and her roommate, Tammy, in mind. Although the bones of the somehow, always new, story of The Nutcracker have not changed Elizabeth too has lent her own mark and interpretation to that story.

“That is the most wonderful thing of all about music, dance, and the performing arts. While we respect and honor the standards, we also have the ability to infuse them with personal interpretations, influences, and stories to love them as our own.” (String Ovation, a Connolly Music Pub.)











 
I t’s amazing to read that Tchaikovsky thought his music for The Nutcracker Suite was a failure; he thought it worse than Sleeping Be auty .

Originally, when the Director of Russian Imperial Theatres commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the ballet based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s folktale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (which was later adapted by Alexandre Dumas) in 1890, it is said that Tchaikovsky wasn’t too happy with the idea. He did like the story but not the scenario in which it would be told. Hoffman’s folktale was not a children’s story but a “glimpse” into how a nightmare can “bring to light” a great fear.
The Director later wrote to Tchaikovsky, “I have experienced agonies of remorse for asking you to do this ballet. I know it is unappealing to you. You are an exceptionally kind soul for not refusing me.”
It took Tchaikovsky almost 2 years to write it and it was the last ballet he ever wrote.
Now, over 100 years later it has become a beloved part of the Christmas season all over the world. As a post from Economist said: “The Nutcracker has been tweaked, honed and reinvented, becoming the perfect fabric onto which Christmas dreams are stitched.”
 
A fter graduating with honors from the University of Northern Colorado, where she received degrees in Dance Teaching/Movement Analysis and Dance Sciences (Kinesiology), Elizabeth, as with most graduates, was looking to the future. Now that she had worked and gotten thus far, the advice from her 6 th grade teacher came to mind: “No one wants to dance – rethink your options.” Was he right? She wondered this more than once and after visiting with the owner of the only dance studio in Cody at the time and being told there really wasn’t a place for her, except maybe, teaching a jazz class; more pondering took place.
Finally, (deep breath) we took the big leap and decided to start Rock