The magic of Willam F. Christensen's "The Nutcracker" is the children. They're everywhere. The first person on stage is Dr. Drosselmeyer's nephew. There are youngsters in the party scene. Children perform as the toy soldiers. And they are pages, Oriental servants and ladies in waiting. And we can't forget the buffoons.

And as Mr. C has said in the past, " . . . 'The Nutcracker' is for children of all ages."

Still, with all the energy young people can produce, they need some guidance.

Since 1986, Bene Arnold has been able to channel the talent of approximately 300 young dancers and show Utah audiences how well they can perform.

The first and foremost rule of dance is discipline, Arnold said. But the young dancers were not at the top of her list. "In order for me to be able to discipline the children, I needed to be disciplined myself," Arnold said just before rehearsals. "In order for me to work with the children, I needed to be patient."

Arnold remembers when she used to get stressed about rehearsals to the point that she would get mini-anxiety attacks.

"My first rehearsal with the children in 1986 was a nightmare," she said with a laugh. "I didn't know how to deal with some of the children's energies. There were some who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and others who, along with their parents, do feel that just being onstage is a privilege."

But as the years went on, Arnold found her niche. "I approach the children like they are professional dancers. I come in and sit and wait until they are ready. If it takes too long, I tell them that rehearsal was supposed to begin so many minutes ago.

"It has gotten easier, however, because there are the children who have worked with me before," Arnold explained. "They cue in the newcomers. And since there are always kids who have worked with me before, my reputation precedes me."

Still, stern and strict discipline all the time isn't healthy when training children for "The Nutcracker," Arnold said. "This production has its own spirit. It's a joyful one. And it involves children. And I take that to heart. So, when we rehearse, I involve the young dancers as much as I can."

Involvement, Arnold explained, is having the children watch the other children rehearse their roles. When the variation is finished, Arnold asks the onlookers what they thought. "We vote on each group and give critiques. No one wants to be last, especially when it comes to their peers. And that type of participation just makes the groups work harder."

Sometimes, however, Arnold doesn't always agree with the votes. "When that happens, I tell them which group I thought was better. Every child in this performance wants to do a good job. This is something they can look back on throughout their lives."

Arnold said the joy of working with the children is the impact the "Nutcracker" experience has on their lives.

"It's OK if a young dancer who is in the production doesn't become a professional dancer," Arnold said. "But this is something they'll look back on. They are working with a professional and acclaimed ballet company. They have the chance to work with a live symphony orchestra. They get the ambience of seeing how the costume-fittings work and how they are professionally made. They get to see how the tech crew changes scenes and how it all comes together for a performance."

Most of all, Arnold said, it helps children focus on what's important.

"When a child auditions for 'The Nutcracker,' they don't want to be left out," she said. "They don't want to do a shoddy job. When you think about it, audiences from all parts of the state are watching them, not to mention their friends and families."

There have been occasions where the young dancers' energies will get out of hand. "I have worked with some dancers who just couldn't get along with the others," Arnold recalled. "I saw him fighting and choking another young dancer. So I took him aside and told him that that kind of attitude is not within the spirit of this production."

Arnold said the boy said he would drop out of the production. "I looked at him and said, 'Did I tell you to drop out?' He said, 'No.' And I said, 'I didn't ask you to drop out. I'm just asking you to do your best. Work with the others, because we are all suppose to work together.' And, you know, it was a wonderful experience to see this young man change. He was working well with the other dancer he fought with and really rose to the occasion."

Other, similar rewards have come to Arnold while working with the children.

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"We had some dancers who were not doing well in school," she said. "We've had dancers whose self-esteem has not been on the level — we work with these children and bring their level of dancing up to the company's professional level. And when we do, we see a change. Their confidence grows. We've had parents call us to tell us that their children's grades have improved. And on occasion, we are informed that a child has graduated from remedial courses and is now in advanced classes.

"Those are the rewards," Arnold said. "And every year, we're faced with different challenges. But I know each year we will have the chance to impact someone."

Arnold then said with a smile: "Sometimes when I think of children being born, I think to myself, maybe I could train that one for an upcoming show."


E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com

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