Area children perform in 'Great Russian Nutcracker' at River Campus, meet dancers

Sydney McClintock has been dancing since she was 3 years old. Now 8, Sydney was one of a handful of children who danced beside the Moscow Ballet Monday night.

The sold-out performance of "The Great Russian Nutcracker" integrated local children into the ballet performed at the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

"Sydney was beside herself with excitement," said her mother, April McClintock of Cape Girardeau. "She has had recitals and performances before, and hasn't ever really shown a nervous side, but when I asked her about this performance, she said, 'I know, Mom, but these are true prima ballerinas.'"

"It is such a cool experience for the kids to be able to perform with someone who is a touring professional in something that is what you dream about," McClintock said.

Sydney and the other children worked hard in preparing for the performance. After trying out over two months ago for ballet mistress Svetlana Todinova of the Moscow Ballet, the children had been rehearsing every Friday. "The kids put a lot of time into it," McClintock said. "This is what they love, and they want to give it nothing but their best."

The children got to meet some of the dancers before the performance and had the opportunity to have pictures taken with them.

The families of the children are also given discounts on their tickets for the show. "Involving the children does draw more of the community in, and for us to be able to save some money for all of the family members that want to see her perform is wonderful," McClintock said.