Team Kirtland family dances Nutcracker Ballet together

  • Published
  • By Lia Martin
  • Nucleus Journalist
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  Lt. Col. Thomas Freeman, Air Force Safety Center, wife Julia Freeman and daughter Christina Freeman will be performing with the Ballet Repertory Ballet.

It was understandable when Christina auditioned to perform the Nutcracker with the repertory company. After all, she began dancing when she was 3-years-old and is in her fifth year dancing in the Nutcracker Ballet.

As her father moved with the Air Force, Christina performed wherever they lived.
Her last Nutcracker performance was with the Space Coast Ballet in Melbourne, Fla. Christina says that the art of dancing has much beauty and grace.

"There is a feeling of exhilaration," Christina says, struggling to describe what the ballet means to her. "I am dedicated to ballet."

Her father and mother drove her to her audition, Christina says, and when director Katherine Giese said she was looking for fathers and mothers to dance with them, Mrs. Freeman volunteered not only herself but her husband, who was sitting out in the car waiting for them.

"I was pleasantly surprised when he stuck with it," she said, though he was nervous until the steps were outlined and he was comfortable with the dancing.

Mrs. Freeman says they have practiced as much as possible since October, and they are ready to dance the ballroom dance steps on the stage beginning Dec. 15.

Of course, Mrs. Freeman says that she has been trying to get her husband to ballroom dance with her for years.

The Nutcracker is the story of a young German girl who dreams of a prince. The Nutcracker prince battles against a mouse king with seven heads. On Christmas Eve, the family is going to have a party complete with music and dancing and they are waiting for their guests to arrive.

Godfather to the family, Drosselmeyer arrives with two life-size dolls, which are the hit of the party. When Drosselmeyer presents his gifts to Clara, and her brother Fritz, immediately there is a problem and the scene turns dramatic. Clara had received a beautiful and wonderful nutcracker from her godfather, which Fritz wanted. He grabbed it from Clara and it breaks.

Nutcracker Ballet at KiMo will be performed at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15, 2 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2 and 7 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2 p.m. on Dec. 23, and 1 p.m. on Dec. 24, which is a special show including a Nutcracker Tea.

The KiMo Theatre is located at 423 Central Avenue NW, Albuquerque. N.M. For event information, contact KiMo at 768-3544.