Hi! My name is Elpida Voryas, I am 15 years old and I go to the Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts. I’m so excited to be sharing the role of Clara this year in the production of The Nutcracker at Metropolitan School of the Arts.

What is your favorite part about about playing the role of Clara?
My favorite part about playing the role of Clara is the amount of acting. I’ve never been a role in a production that required more acting and mental thought processes than dancing. It’s so much fun getting to go through all of the emotions that Clara goes through.

How many hours a week do you dance?
In total, I dance about 30 hours a week, especially when a show, like the Nutcracker, is going on.

What is your favorite genre of dance?
My favorite type of dance is ballet, but I take many other types of dance classes as well to supplement the ballet. One of my favorites is musical theater jazz, and contemporary. But I also take modern, acting, and other performing arts classes to assist with auditioning. I also sing, and take private voice lessons once a week.

What is your biggest dream?
One of my biggest dreams after I graduate high school is to get into a well-known ballet company, go through the ranks, and do school on the side to get a degree in arts management.

Who is your biggest inspiration?
So far, my biggest inspiration would have to be my main ballet teacher, Mrs. Jackie. I consider her to be my second mom and it amazes me how much she gives to a singular student, or a singular show. Especially in Nutcracker season, we spend 7 – 8 hours with her on Sunday, and then we see her again at 8:30 am for ballet class. And although she’s probably absolutely exhausted, she doesn’t show it and still puts 100% in whatever were doing that class. I really admire her for that.

What is one thing you’d like everyone to know about this year’s Nutcracker production? 

One thing that I would like everyone to know about this years ballet production is that it is mainly students performing. This is my ninth year performing in MSA’s production of the nutcracker, and not once did we not hear the audience say that it looked like a professional production. The entire cast, faculty, and crew, work so hard to make this production look the best it can be every single year. The show is on December 2, and 3, at the NOVA Annandale campus theatre.

You can get your tickets at www.metropolitanarts.org/tickets and I hope to see everyone at the show!