‘Nutcracker’ returns to Lake City

Next month, “The Nutcracker” will celebrate 11 years of bringing the music and magic of the holiday season to Coeur d’Alene. And dancer Shayla Griff, 17, has been part of that magic since it began. “It’s been an important part of my family’s Christmas, too, because they’ve seen it 11 times,” Griff said during a rehearsal Friday evening. “It’s cool that family can come to it. It’s also a really unique experience because we get to be in it with professionals.” The Coeur d’Alene High School senior has played many roles in Tchaikovsky’s classic Christmas ballet through the years — a ladybug, an angel, a “party kid” — and now in her farewell performance she will dance in the “Waltz of the Flowers.” “The Nutcracker” is based on the story “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice,” written by E.T.A. Hoffman. It has all the enchanting elements of Christmas: Toys coming to life, magical kingdoms and more. Griff said she loves “The Nutcracker” for many things, including how it tells a story in a special way/ Devin Heilman , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here .

Question: How many times have you seen the “Nutcracker” live?