A 13-year-old from Red Hook will take center stage when the curtain rises on the New York City Ballet’s iconic production of “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” at Lincoln Center this week.
Sasi Shrobe-Joseph landed the lead role of Marie, also known as Clara, for half of this holiday season’s performances — a feat she shares with her best friend, 11-year-old Stella Tompkins of Connecticut, who will take the helm for 25 shows.
“I’m super excited because I feel like Marie is such a magical and dreamy role, and it’s just so fun to be in ‘The Nutcracker’,” Shrobe-Joseph told Brooklyn Paper while heading to rehearsals last week.
To prepare for her debut, Shrobe-Joseph attended daily three-hour rehearsals on top of her regular ballet training at the School of American Ballet. She said the only downside to sharing the role is missing the chance to perform alongside her best friend. Still, the pair has had “a lot of fun” learning the part together with the cast of more than 150 dancers.
The beloved ballet, set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, is a holiday staple for many, with vibrant costumes and sets that transport audiences to the enchanting Land of Sweets.
Shrobe-Joseph’s journey to the stage began as a toddler when she took African dance classes in Fort Greene. After her family moved to Red Hook, she pivoted to ballet, joining a local troupe in Cobble Hill. Her talent and dedication to barre work were evident early, according to her mother, Chandrika Shrobe, who said those qualities helped her secure a spot at the prestigious School of American Ballet.
Since then, Shrobe-Joseph has appeared in several New York City Ballet productions, including two previous performances of “The Nutcracker.” However, landing the role of Marie was a dream come true.
“I was extremely excited. My husband and I were both like, ‘Should we pinch ourselves? Are we dreaming?’” Chandrika said. “We have tears in our eyes when we see our little girl up there dancing her heart away.”
The achievement carries special significance for Chandrika, as her late sister Susan Sasi Shrobe. — Shrobe-Joseph’s namesake — danced with the Joffrey Ballet.
“She really took her namesake to the next level,” Chandrika said. “Susan was definitely smiling down on her.”
Shrobe-Joseph, who is Black, Lebanese, Jewish, and white, is also following in the footsteps of Charlotte Nebres, who in 2019 became the first Black dancer cast as Marie in “The Nutcracker.”
“She opened the doors for dancers like Sasi,” Chandrika said. “Sasi is a true symbol that we all can live with love harmoniously.”
“George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” opens Nov. 29 at Lincoln Center and runs through Jan. 4.
