Hundreds of El Pasoans will pack the Magoffin Auditorium at the University of Texas at El Paso this week to kick off the holiday season by viewing the El Paso Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker, and they’ll enjoy the talents of a Reyes Elementary School student on stage.
Lucca Johnson, a third-grade student at Reyes, is one of the local ballerinas who will be participating in the famous ballet during the performances today and Thursday.
Marta Katz, the director of El Paso Ballet Theatre, said Lucca will perform in front of students from throughout El Paso, many of whom have never been exposed to ballet in the past. This is the 14th year the ballet troupe has staged the performance at UTEP.
Reyes Principal Dr. Jessica Carrillo said Lucca is a talented dancer who has invested time and effort into the difficult world of ballet.
“She started dancing ballet at 3 years old in Prattville, Ala., and then spent four years at Olga’s Russian Ballet when her family moved to El Paso,” she said.
The Nutcracker is a holiday classic that through dance and music tells the story of a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life to help her battle an evil mouse king.
Everyone in Canutillo wishes Lucca good in her performances. Break a leg!