COVID NUTCRACKER SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – "Let's dance" was the plea from the children who were cast this year in Ballet West's iconic production of "The Nutcracker." With COVID-19, their Capitol Theatre performances were canceled — but where there's a will, there's a way. This is the story of a private pandemic performance. It began with a very different dress rehearsal — no sets, no costumes, no props and the performance would be the same. "There is nothing like ' The Nutcracker' — it has a very special magic to it," said Heather Thackeray, Ballet West's student ballet master. When the county closed its performing facilities – the children, the older Ballet West Academy students and their parents asked if there was any way they could perform. Artistic director Adam Sklute thought it was a great idea. A bit like going back to the original production that Willem Christensen created – homemade everything.