Categories 
Dec
21
2010
Take photos of little girls twirling outside the Nutcracker? Check.
I used to walk past the Opera House on the way home from work, and in December I’d see all the little girls leaving the Nutcracker in their holiday dresses. They’d come outside to twirl in their skirts, and leap like the ballerinas they’d just seen onstage. Every Christmas, it stopped me on the sidewalk with my breath fogging in the air.
This year, I finally got a chance to see the San Francisco Ballet with Margaret and her daughters, Bea and Isabel, and they twirled for me.
Happy holidays, everyone.
Been waiting for this one. Happy Holidays to you too! (little boys don’t do nutcracker)
Best twirly dresses ever. I love these photos.
Oh, I love the one with the lounger in the background. So John Singer Sargent.
So sweet!
When I was four, I was a mouse in the Nutcracker. I rode on a giant piece of cheese. Every year after that, we attended the performane of the Nutcracker until I was about 18. These pictures remind me of my sister and I at that age. Such a good memory.
Wholeheartedly seconding MomVee. Took my breath away, that one.
Such stylish girls!
This is perfect! Happy Holidays!
I’m so sad that I have reached the age where twirling your skirt so high just makes you slutty.
oh, gosh. how lovely. happy holidays to you too.
Sarah, slips are your best friend. Slips and swing dancing.
many hearts for this. been to the SF Nutcracker and the twirly girls are almost better than when the Snow Queen comes out and they dance in the perfect blizzard. mmmm, thanks for sharing. <3
I just knocked an item off my list this week too: Take my daughter to see the Nutcracker in a big city while she is still little. I live in Maine and there are sweet little local productions, but I wanted to go for the big guns–fancy theater, twirly dress, the whole shebang. NYC was the obvious choice. We just got back this afternoon and it was as magical as I had hoped. We also did Santa at Macy’s (I almost cried looking at the window displays, I was so happy to be experiencing a NY Christmas with my 4-year-old) and the tree at Rockefeller Center.
Those are some really fabulous twirly dresses!
Lovely, lovely. My own 3-year old twirler and I went last Sunday and she was even brave enough to sit through the fight with the Mouse King. This is when being a parent utterly rules. Well, this and late-night post-bedtime cocktails, and also them getting things for you all the time. “What are we, your slaves?” – my son, age 7. Yes, son. Yes you are.
Maggie is too nice to mention that the first shot of Isabel twirling was taken in the parking garage where we were stuck post Nutcracker due to a flat tire. Of course, just because you are stuck in a parking garage doesn’t mean you have to stop twirling. Duh.
These are magical. The third one down looks like an oil painting.