A Ballet's Greatest Gift: Job Security

"The Nutcracker' is a gig dancers can't quit

- JACOB PASSY

Looking for a seasonal gig that could last for a half-century or more? Consider dancing in "The Nutcracker."

Peter Boal performed in his first production as a party guest after he enrolled in dance classes with the School of American Ballet in New York in 1975. In the nearly half-century since, he estimates he appeared in some rendition of the holiday classic in 36 of those years.

When Boal became artistic director of Seattle's Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2005, his former boss challenged him to take on the role of Herr Drosselmeier, the gray-haired toy maker who invents the eponymous doll. After all, he had performed every other male role in the story.

"I did one show only that year just to complete the circle," Boal, 59, says. But he couldn't stop. Nearly two decades later, he still dons Drosselmeier's cape and eye patch for a few performances each season, along with coaching others. "I suppose I'm waiting for a bad review or a 'boo' from the audience," he says. "So far, so good."

"The Nutcracker" plays a leading role in shaping the careers of scores of dancers. It's often the first full-length ballet children perform in as students. Those who pursue professional ballet inevitably appear in a production year after year. Following retirement, many continue in non-dancing roles.

In Virginia, Susan Israel Massey, 82, has performed as the grandmother in Richmond Ballet's Nutcracker for 35 years. A former dancer-turneddance-teacher, she stepped into the role when her daughter started taking lessons at the company's school.