A Greater Purpose

As part of the 40th Anniversary Heritage Photos series, Hella—a BBT alumna, Adult Open Division dancer, and Pre-Ballet Division parent—shared photos of her experience at BBT as a Youth and photos of her son’s joy over The Nutcracker now.

I participated in the BBT Nutcracker from the time I was a little Angel in 1995 until I left High School in 2007. The Nutcracker truly marked the season for all those years and was the highlight of every Fall and Winter for me and my friends. It was especially meaningful as a teenager to have the community experience of being in the Youth Company and working together towards a greater purpose. When I moved back to the Bay Area as an adult, it was such a joy to share the BBT Nutcracker with my son. He was just 2 years old when he first attended, but he sat through the entire show quietly, utterly transfixed! He's been obsessed with The Nutcracker ever since. My son thinks Eugene is just the coolest and loves to watch him in class, so seeing Eugene as Cavalier made a huge impression. Dino still talks about it a year later!