1. Costumes!
![Ballerina in peppermint-striped tutu dancing in Nutcracker](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Nutcracker-Peppermint.jpg)
2. Stage makeup
“
Professional Makeup” by Amie Fedora. Licensed under CC By 2.0
3. Indoor snowstorms
![Dancers onstage in white tutus for Nutcracker snow scene](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Nutcraker-snow-storm.jpg)
4. Entering the theater… through the backstage doors
![Backtage door](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Nutcracker-door-backstage.jpg)
5. Warming up onstage
![Dancers warming up onstage](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Warmup-onstage.jpg)
6. Dressing room craziness…
![Ballet dancers in dressing room](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Dressing-room-ballet.jpg)
7. The day someone brings cupcakes for the cast…
![Cupcakes with yellow, green, and white frosting](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Cupcakes-2.jpg)
8. Or any little present for that matter
![Candy canes in a coffee mug](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Candy-canes.jpg)
9. Laughing about the things that went wrong in the show…
![Women laughing together](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Laughing-friends.jpg)
10. Hanging out in the house….
![Dancers in theater house](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Dancers-in-house.jpg)
11. Watching from the wings…
![Ballet dancers in floral costumes onstage](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Roses-ballet.jpg)
12. Photos, photos, photos. So many opportunities for fun photos…
![Dancers dressed like Nutcracker mice greet peope in theater lobby](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Nutcracker-mice.jpg)
13. The one-hour countdown before the show…The jitters. The excitement.
![Dancers in dressing room getting ready for ballet performance](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Before-act-1.jpg)
14. The indescribable feeling of dancing and acting onstage…
![Nutcracker Act II Pas de Deux](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Nutcracker-Pas.jpg)
15. Stepping inside a fairy tale…
![Dancers in Waltz of the Flowers](https://www.danceadvantage.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Flowers-Nutcracker.jpg)
What do you love about Nutcracker theater week?
Rachel Hellwig is a dance writer/editor/blogger from Birmingham, Alabama. She enjoys taking ballet classes, reading about dance, and attending live performances of ballet and classical music. She blogs at Clara’s Coffee Break. Read Rachel’s posts.