Craft Corner with the Dancers of BTM

Clara Molina, Catherine Welch, and Hannah Hanson put finishing touches on the Sugar Plum Fairy tutu

When people describe ballet dancers, they often include words like "hard-working" or "diligent." This is true not only when we're dancing, but also when we have some time on our hands! When we're not participating in a rehearsal, you'll often find us going over choreography or practicing some cross-training. For a number of BTM dancers, you may even find them working on a quiet handicraft!

BTM has long had what we lovingly call "Craft Corner," where dancers on a rehearsal break make progress on their creative projects. It's common to see them keeping their hands busy during downtime, especially as an alternative to doomscrolling on their phones. The process usually results in some beautiful final products.

Read on for a few examples of what BTM dancers have been creating, including a sneak peek into costumes for our all-new production of The Nutcracker!

Embroidery, Crochet, and Knitting

Rachael Spicer

Corps de ballet member Rachael Spicer is just starting her new project: an embroidered tablecloth. Here you can see her preparing her supplies before she gets started.

Amanda Cobb

Demi-soloist Amanda Cobb observes Party Scene rehearsal as she works on the first piece of a complex sweater. Not only is she busy with a work-in-progress, she's also wearing a sweater that she crocheted!

Erin Jenkins

Demi-soloist Erin Jenkins first started knitting legwarmers when she was 17. It was originally a way for her to make a little money while she was finishing up high school, but now she loves to make them as gifts for her friends.

Hannah Hanson

Demi-soloist Hannah Hanson had already finished the shrug she's holding up to show Catherine Welch, but she's not satisfied with how the neckline turned out. Her project for the day is to take the neckline apart and redo it.

Sewing Costumes

Clara Molina

While working on costumes isn't a personal craft, it reflects the same skill, diligence, and attention to detail. Demi-soloist dancer and Wardrobe Coordinator Clara Molina is responsible for designing and constructing the Sugar Plum Fairy tutu for our new production of The Nutcracker. The full costume has been complete since the spring, but Clara continues to add a few finishing touches.

Putting together a tutu can be a three-person job! Below, Clara and Catherine sew gems onto the Sugar Plum tutu as Hannah applies a liquid seam sealant to protect the edges of the tutu's overlay from fraying.

Danielle Daniel

Elsewhere in the room, trainee dancer Danielle Daniel has volunteered to sew hook-and-eye closures onto the new Ballerina Doll tutu. Different dancers will wear the same costume during the run of a production, so adding a few rows of eyes allows each dancer to have their own perfect fit.

For the Non-Crafters: Sewing Shoes and Reading Books

Even for those of us who don't do crafts, there's one task all of the ladies have in common: sewing pointe shoes. Having supportive shoes is essential to dancers' physical wellness, so it's important that we stay on top of preparing new shoes.

Below, demi-soloist Marjorie O'Hearne works on her shoes as she observes Party Scene rehearsal. Sewing on ribbons and elastics ensures that our pointe shoes conform to our feet as we move.

Here, corps member Ellie Goods darns the tip of her pointe shoe to extend its longevity and enhance her balance en pointe.

Lastly, demi-soloists Mimi Hardin and Catherine Welch show off their current reading material.

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No matter what we're up to during our downtime, the dancers of BTM are hard at work preparing for our all-new production of The Nutcracker! In just three weeks, we'll premiere the show at Coppermine Pantherplex in Hampstead, MD. Visit our Nutcracker page to get your tickets for Hampstead or our Annapolis performances in December.