Young Dancer Gets Her 'Nutcracker' Wish

Dec. 21 -- Every year hundreds of child dancers dream of performing in the Christmas classic The Nutcracker at New York's Lincoln Center. Like most things in New York, though, competition for the prime roles is tough. But one little girl who hoped for a big role in last year's performance learned that persistence can make all the difference in making a dream come true.

Last year, then-8-year-old Anjelica Fellini and 121 other children were trying out for New York City's School of American Ballet, one of the most prestigious in the world. It's through the school that children who perform in The Nutcracker are eventually chosen. The auditioners were inspected by Garielle Whittle, the children's ballet mistress for the New York City Ballet, and Kay Mazzo, the co-chairman of the school's faculty.

The story — nearly 200 years old — is about a girl who receives a toy nutcracker as a Christmas gift from a mysterious toymaker. In some productions, the girl's name is Clara. In this one, choreographed by the late George Balanchine, her name is Marie. In Marie's dream, the Nutcracker comes to life and first defeats an evil Mouse King who threatens the household, then becomes a prince who takes Marie to a land of sweets on an enchanted journey.

The major dance parts, of course, are performed by the world-renowned New York City Ballet.

Children play the roles of angels and toy soldiers. And there's one small part for a bunny, although it's not the one most kids imagine themselves in.

Most of the girls want to be in the ballet's party scene, wearing beautiful dresses with ribbons in their hair.

More than 100 kids are involved in the production, split into two casts — called the "A" cast and the "B" cast, both considered equal — which perform on alternate nights. Dressed in elaborate costumes, the young dancers step naturally into the fantasy they've become part of. The bunny may not dance in the handmade silk and taffeta skirts the other girls wear in the party scene, but she is still part of the dream.

Last year, 20/20 was there on the day that the lucky group of kids who had made it into the school were chosen to be in The Nutcracker. We watched Anjelica as she anxiously waited to see if her name would be called.