Local ballerina will star in ‘Nutcracker’ at Symphony Hall

Dec. 1, 2021 | Hope E. Tremblay

Aida Nagle, 12, of Westfield, will star in the Dec. 18 production of “The Nutcracker” at Springfield Symphony Hall.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo from the Albany Berkshire Ballet

WESTFIELD — Dancing in “The Nutcracker” was a longtime dream for 12-year-old Aida Nagle, and audiences at Symphony Hall will be able to see it come true.

Not only did Aida earn a spot in the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s (ABB) Dec. 18 performance of the Christmas classic, she danced her way to the most coveted role: Clara.

“It has been my dream to be Clara since I first saw ‘The Nutcracker’ on stage,” said Aida, a seventh-grader at St. Mary’s Parish School in Westfield. “I felt auditioning for the show would be a good way for me to step out of my comfort zone, because, although I take ballet classes, ballet is not a style I regularly compete in or get the opportunity to perform on stage.”

Aida found a new love for ballet through the show.

“I love dancing ‘Nutcracker’ on stage, as it helps me strengthen my ability to connect to a storyline through dance,” she said.

Aida began dancing at New England Dance Center at age 2, and was smitten from day one. Ten years later, she still dances at NEDC and has been competing with her team there since 2015.

While Aida stars in this year’s production of “The Nutcracker,” this isn’t her first time being selected for the show. In 2018 and 2019, she danced as a party child and an angel, which helped prepare her for the role of Clara. She also performed as a fairy in Albany Berkshire Ballet’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” tour in the summer of 2019.

Aida’s parents, Eliza Lowell and Christopher Nagle of Westfield — and her sister Mia — are very proud.

“Chris and I were ecstatic to learn that Aida had been chosen as Clara,” said Lowell. “We knew it had been a dream for her for many years ... and it’s not every day that you get to see your child’s dreams come true.”

Lowell said her daughter’s dedication to dance did not come from her.

“I did one year of ballet when I was eight years old. I did not enjoy it,” she recalled. “My parents had to practically drag me to dance class every week. My recital photos show me turning left when everybody else was turning right, arms up when everybody else’s were down, and in first position when everybody else was in third. It’s safe to say I didn’t have much natural ability.”

Aida, however, spends much of her time dancing.

“Dance allows me to connect my feelings with the music and choreography, allowing me to express my emotions through dance,” Aida said. “When I’m dancing, I can forget about the worries of life and just focus on the movement. Most of my closest friendships come from dance. It has also given me the opportunity to travel and see new places.”

Although “The Nutcracker” has inspired a love of ballet, for Aida, contemporary dance is her favorite because “it gives you a lot of freedom of expression.”

She plans to dance for a long time.

“I plan to continue dancing through school and into college,” she said, “however, my long-term goal is a career in medicine.”

When not dancing, Aida enjoys riding horses.

Lowell said Albany Berkshire Ballet is a great program.

“One reason we love ABB’s ‘Nutcracker’ so much is it gives young dancers of all levels the opportunity to dance on the big stage alongside professional dancers,” said Lowell. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to see their young dancers on stage. It has become a wonderful holiday tradition for our family, and something we look forward to each year.”

Aida will perform as Clara at 1 p.m. on Dec. 18 at Springfield Symphony Hall. For ticket information, visit www.albanyberkshireballet.org/nutcracker.

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