Every child’s a star at The Nutcracker Tea

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The tea at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club the afternoon of Nov. 24 was a dazzling display of magic for the many children there. It gave a tantalizing hint of what was to come, especially for 5-year-old Anna Hopson, who was in many ways the star of that day’s show.

At the front of the vast dining room, a stage was set up, surrounded by colorful images illustrating the story of The Nutcracker ballet. After kids of all ages and their parents and grandparents nibbled on goodies, sipped punch and socialized, ballerina Sophia Jacobs danced the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, followed by other fairies, then Senoritas, a Spinning Top, then 13-year-old Audrey Geric as Clara, the story’s protagonist, dancing with the Prince and the Dream Fairy.

The numbers offered the Nutcracker Tea audience a glimpse of The Nutcracker performance that hundreds of Christ Episcopal Church Dancers will perform Dec. 14 at Lazzara Theater at the University of North Florida.

And in between, with more glimpses to come featuring Raggedy Ann and The Jester, Licorice Tap, Russian Doll, Arabian dancers, Chines Doll and swirling Marshmallows, little Anna got to dance with the other children in the audience when they were invited to the stage.

In her wheelchair, as scores of other children and teens twirled around her and danced with her, Anna beamed. As the afternoon wore on, she increasingly became the joyous focus.

Everyone knew who she was, because she had been introduced first, by emcee Claire Duffy. “Our sweet little Anna, from Community PEDS Care, who we’re going to be dancing for today,” said Duffy, whose mother, Felica Rhoden is the Nutcracker choreographer and director. Pointing to Anna and her mother, Kathleen Hopson and her nurse, Judy Sparks, sitting in front row seats of honor, Duffy said, “Thank you for all you do to inspire us.”

This year marks the 24st annual performance for Rhoden’s Nutcracker extravaganza at UNF. The event raises money for Community PEDS Care, Dreams come True and Amistad, an orphanage in Bolivia supported by the church. Many of the children at the tea will be in the show, and they know they are dancing for other children.

Community PEDS Care serves children with life-threatening illnesses as well as those who need palliative care, like Anna, Sparks said. Anna, a bright-eyed, talkative child, who sat on the edge of her chair as she watched the show, “has a lot of complex issues we help her with,” Sparks explained, but her condition is not life threatening.

As each dancer took the stage, they stopped to bow to Anna, who will also have a front row balcony seat with her family at the UNF production.

At the tea, however, Anna wasn’t content to just watch. Whenever she was invited, she went right out onto the stage.

“I think she’s liking it a lot,” her mother, Kathleen Hopson, said. “I think she really feels special.”