For over three decades, the same dress has graced the stage of Ballet Minnesota’s annual production of “The Classic Nutcracker.” This year marks the 37th anniversary of a special burgundy dress, adorned with a pink petticoat and lace ruffles, worn by the character Clara.
Cheryl Rist, the company’s costume director, discovered the dress in 1988 at an antique store. She tailored it for the ensemble’s inaugural Clara and has since kept it in excellent condition through diligent repairs and cleaning. “It’s still in good condition,” Rist stated, referring to the dress affectionately as “she.” “She still looks good on stage. I have her here now at my house because I was going to iron her and get her ready.”
The origins of the dress remain somewhat elusive, as Rist cannot recall the exact store or the purchase price. “I actually got it at an antique place,” she explained. “It had the right feel to it. It didn’t look like what it looks like now. It was totally redone after we bought it. I added tons of ruffles. I wanted one that looks like a coat dress. On stage, it reads very well.”
The choice of burgundy was intentional, as Rist explained that the color plays a significant role in the story. “Clara’s mother loves that color. She wears an old-fashioned magenta color. The Sugar Plum Fairy wears a very dark magenta. It’s all connected to Clara’s dream. It’s all connected to her reality.”
Crafting a Magical Costume
During the production, Clara dons the dress at her godfather Drosselmeyer’s Christmas party. When she exits the stage, the design allows for a swift costume change. “Clara has, like, maybe 10 seconds to get back on stage, so it had to be a drop-away dress,” Rist said. The collar and ruffles of Clara’s dress mirror those of her nightgown, facilitating a seamless transition.
Clara Jang, a 13-year-old ballerina from Woodbury, described the quick-change process. “It’s like a trap door,” she said. “You just step out of it so you can be ready for your next scene quickly.” An off-stage assistant assists by unsnapping the bow at the back of the dress.
The dress is adjustable to accommodate the varying heights of the ballerinas. Jang shares the role with fellow dancer Cindy Chen, also 13, who expressed pride in wearing the dress. “Being able to add my name (to the list) makes me feel very happy,” Chen remarked. “I’m proud to go on stage in this mostly hand-made dress.”
The two young dancers alternate performances, with Chen scheduled to perform on December 20 and 21, while Jang will take the stage on December 21 and 22. Interestingly, Jang’s name was not chosen for its relation to the character; her mother, Grace Jang, shared that they simply liked the sound of it.
A Seamstress’s Journey
Rist’s connection to the world of ballet extends beyond costumes. She is a co-founder, director, and teacher at the Classical Ballet Academy in St. Paul, a school affiliated with Ballet Minnesota. Her journey into costume design began when she became pregnant with her first child and had to pause her dancing career. “I was 28,” Rist recalled. “The doctors told me I couldn’t dance when I was pregnant.”
While visiting a friend at a costume shop in Minneapolis, Rist received an unexpected opportunity to learn how to make tutus. “They looked at me and said, ‘Do you want to learn how to make a tutu?’” This experience transformed her into a skilled costumer while allowing her to continue dancing for several more years.
Looking ahead, Rist anticipates that Clara’s dress will continue to be part of the production for at least the next few years. “It’s still in good condition. It still looks really good on stage,” she stated. While she acknowledges that a replacement will eventually be necessary, finding a suitable dress can take time. “I’m going to start looking. It takes about two years to find something like that dress — just to find the lace and everything.”
The cherished dress is worn for only four performances and one dress rehearsal each year at The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University. After each performance, Rist ensures it is cleaned and carefully stored.
In addition to maintaining Clara’s dress, Rist also focuses on restoring other costumes, such as the Sugar Plum Fairy’s tutu, which she completely disassembled for cleaning. “I took it totally apart and took off all the jewels, which is a ton of jewels, so it could be dry cleaned,” she explained.
Clara Jang reflected on her love for “The Nutcracker,” sharing that her passion for the character began in kindergarten. “We watched some of it in class, and we listened to some of the music, and ever since then I’ve just been in love with the character of Clara,” she said. “It’s been a really special experience getting to be in this role. I feel destined to dance the role of Clara, since we share the name.”
The performances of “The Classic Nutcracker” are scheduled for December 20 at 14:00 and 19:00, and December 21 at 14:00. Tickets range from $20 to $47 and can be purchased online at oshag.stkate.edu/events.
