Here's how it's done

Holiday performance traditions do not just occur naturally. Here's a drive-by scene that illustrates perfectly the glamourous back-breaking labor behind the scenes of some of the holiday's best. Honest, I wasn't trolling for material, I was just parking the truck on North Potomac Street and saw something interesting.

Here you have some of the volunteer board members I witnessed this morning on North Potomac Street, loading props and scenery into a rental truck, preparing for load-in at the Maryland Theatre for the Potomac Classical Youth Ballet's production of The Nutcracker. It was way below freezing, and the season's first snowfall was still on the ground from the night before. Chilly: very. Inspiring: VERY MUCH. These folks have done so much to run a quality program for young dancers over the past ten years that it is not possible to give them too much acknowledgement. The combination of young artists committed to their art, with adults who recognize passion and potential and and then answer with solid support is a wonderful thing to behold. Even when to the ordinary observer it's a bunch of middle-aged folks hauling assorted crap into a parking lot to a rental truck in the freezing snow.

Also, here's a sweet photo from last year's production to give you an indication of the colorful quality of this performance. It is charming, it is excellent, and it might be just the thing that reminds you of why we have a holiday season anyway. If we've ever needed a reminder, this is the year, and if we've ever been given a reminder, this is it.

At the Washington County Arts Council, we aim to encourage (and fund) artistic excellence, and this company of young people respond with a fabulous performance year after year. Speaking for the WCAC, we have good reason to be proud of this lovely program. May it continue for young dancers and appreciative audiences forever.

The Potomac Classical Youth Ballet performances of The Nutcracker are at the Maryland Theatre Saturday, December 8 at 7:30pm and Sunday, December 9 at 3pm. Give yourself a special gift and see this performance. It's been said that Christmas is for the young. Here's an instance where the young give Christmas to us. Do it. You can order tickets online from the Maryland Theatre, or call them to reserve at 301-790-3500.