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For many, “The Nutcracker” is a holiday tradition. For Jermel Johnson, it has defined his entire life.
“‘The Nutcracker’ was actually the reason I got into dance,” Johnson, who makes his home at 10th and Bainbridge streets, said. “It was awesome, all the hopping around and dancing around. I saw the New York City Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ on TV when I was 11 and it’s the same ‘Nutcracker’ that I’m dancing in now.”
Impressed with the jumps of the athletic dancer, Johnson promptly told his mom that was what he wanted to do. More than a decade later, he will be taking the stage for the eighth time in the Pennsylvania Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker,” in which he plays a Chinese Tea performer, Russian Candy Cane performer and the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier.
“For the most part, I’ve been doing the Tea and and [Candy Cane] hoops for seven or eight years now. This is the fourth year of the Cavalier,” Johnson, 27, said.
The Pennsylvania Ballet’s production of the George Balanchine’s classic will be playing at the Academy of Music through Dec. 31. For the dancers, dancing “The Nutcracker” is as much a tradition as attending each season has become for area residents.
“I do try to add something new to it every year within the confines of the choreography,” Johnson said. “With Chinese Tea it is really the jumping. I’m the one known in the company for jumping and splits and stuff, so I try to do everything a little higher.”
Johnson, who has been with the company since 2003, was promoted to the role of soloist in ’09. While he used to dance the role of one of the Soldiers in the first act, as well, an influx of new talent into the company led to a sharing of roles so all dancers could participate. The Cavalier, however, is still an exciting new exploration for the talented dancer.
“The Cavalier is probably my favorite. I love the hoop and Chinese Tea, but with the Cavalier, I’m having a lot of fun with it this year,” he said. “The Cavalier is basically with the Sugar Plum Fairies. I come out in the last act and dance a pas de deux.
“It’s just basically dancing with the Sugar Plum Fairies at the end of the entire show. I’ve been doing it so long now I’m just having fun with it, finding new ways to keep it fresh, different and exciting.”
Born and raised in Baltimore, Johnson knew from a very young age he wanted to be a professional dancer.
“I knew. After I’d seen ‘The Nutcracker,’ I told my mother [Kim Jerrett] that that was what I wanted to do so she looked around for a dance program,” he said. “My elementary school had an afterschool dance program with a little show every couple months. They recommended the Baltimore School for the Arts, and to go there if I really wanted to get classical training.”
Johnson auditioned and was accepted to the prestigious high school, where he studied many forms of dance but continued to favor ballet.
His original attraction to the art form was the athleticism of the dancers, and the wow-factor of the perfectly executed jumps. While jumping is now the dancer’s own strength, he has grown to appreciate all of the intricacies a performer must embody.
“The jumps, the jumping, the ability — it just looked so effortless and then once I got into trying, I realized how difficult it was. I figured there had to be some reason they were working so hard to do it,” Johnson said. “I just love the movement, the challenge, the technique.
“There’s always something new to work on or discover and improve upon in turning or jumping or partnering.”
Excelling quickly, Johnson spent his senior year at the school through correspondence when he studied in New York and finished up in time to graduate. Completing his work by the end of ’02, he auditioned and was offered a contract to start with Pennsylvania Ballet beginning in ’03.
“It’s been gratifying [working with Pennsylvania Ballet]. I’m always growing and experiencing new things,” Johnson, who moved into the main company after a year, said. “I think this is my third or fourth year at the rank of soloist. There are lots of opportunities to dance and I’m having a lot of fun right now.”
Promotions in the company are made at the director’s discretion, when the dancer is deemed ready to be moved up. Having reached the rank of soloist, Johnson has his sights set on the next tier of principal, but knows he is lucky to be in his current position.
“The next rank, sometimes it doesn’t happen. I already feel lucky I made it this far. Some people may not have the chance and I’m currently still working and improving and hoping it’s possible. To make it to the principal rank is ideal for me,” he said.
In addition to the motivation of moving up the ranks, there are a slew of roles Johnson would still love to dance, including those of Puck and Oberon in the Shakespearean work “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” And while he hopes to have a long career, his other passion is helping himself and others prolong the amount of time they are able to dance as well as their overall body health.
“I am very interested in massage therapy, physical therapy and training and everything,” Johnson said. “I’m very much into the body maintenance part of dance. I do a lot with rolling my legs out on different size balls, releasing muscles and how to prolong my career.”
The young dancer, however, already seems to be on the right track. Only a short drive from his hometown, he tells his parents to come to shows when he is dancing a new, big role and recently his younger brother, Dion Jarrett, began studying dance at The University of the Arts.
He may have a chance to head home for a quick reprieve between performances, but dancing with his second family at Pennsylvania Ballet isn’t such a bad way to spend the final days of the year.
“It’s ‘The Nutcracker,’ it’s so much fun, so exciting,” he said. “It’s the perfect holiday season tradition. If you haven’t been going for years, there is never a dull moment. There is something for everyone.” SPR
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