Curtain up.

When I was growing up I loved Christmas vacation, not because of the time off from school, but because I would be rehearsing The Nutcracker every day. It was my bliss to be in rehearsal, to hear Tchaikovsky played by our rehearsal pianist, and to gradually take on new roles, which I did for most of the eight years I was in Irine Fokine's Nutcracker in New Jersey. I still get a buzz over Nutcracker, and I plan to try to transfer this excitement to various nieces and nephews. In terms of the performers, not every little girl will get to play Clara, and not even' budding ballerina will get to dance Sugar Plum, Dewdrop, or Snow Queen. This month, Cheryl Ossola's "Nutcracker's Delectable Divertissements" zooms in on the fun in-between roles, those colorful bursts of virtuosity that are known as Spanish, Russian, Arabian, Merliton, and Chinese. (I danced the Spanish for years, but went all swoony whenever I heard the music for Arabian.)

Our cover story brings you the dazzling accomplishments of Hope Boykin, Alicia Graf, aim Dwana Adiaha Smallwood. Three more different dancers you couldn't imagine, but they are all in one company, which happens to be the most popular modern dance company worldwide: Alvin Alley American Dance Theater. Each embodies a different aspect of the Ailey vision. Though it's too easy to say that Hope is earth, Alicia is wind, and Dwana is fire, that analogy gives you an idea of the elemental force of each of these women onstage.

In another vein, the less widely seen Yoshiko Chuma & The School of Hard Knocks is preparing for a premiere of Chuma's iconoclastic work. A woman who dances to her own drummer, Chuma has brought her brand of zany, brainy work to more than 30 countrics. Amanda Smith's astute profile delves into Chuma's creative process to get closer to this enigma on the experimental scene.

During this gift-giving season, we bring you some dancer-friendly ideas for your holiday preparations in "Simple Gifts." And, so we don't lose track of the original meaning of the holy days, Janet Weeks' "When the Spirit Moves" tells us about choreographers who are steeped in a spiritual tradition.

Our gift to you is another year packed with relevant stories, interviews, and tips, coming up in 2007--our 80th year!

WENDY PERRON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

[e-mail]