The grand pas de deux Tomasson crafted to crown this “Nutcracker” amply rewards balletomanes who sit through the party scene pleasantries for the umpteenth time in order to see what that day’s cast can really do. After the magically grown-up Clara steps out of her jewelry box/transformation chamber, she gets to fly into shoulder-sits and plunge into fish-dives, and play teasingly with rubato to the famous “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” celesta solo. Soloist Jasmine Jimison, the company’s new “it” girl after her success in both “Giselle” and “Romeo and Juliet” last season, made her Grand Pas debut into a vision of long, soft arms; her Nutcracker Prince, corps member Mingxuan Wang, was also winningly gentle, quite surprising given his muscularity, with landings soft as a cat.

But the dancer I really wanted to see as the Nutcracker Prince was soloist Cavan Conley, and I caught his second-ever performance in the role. How can you not have a soft spot for a guy whose face beams delight and surprise at his partner’s every move? (I’ve said it before but at times I feel Conley missed his calling as a Mark Morris dancer; his irrepressible expressiveness verges on camp.) Could he hack the bravura technique? His sissones were giant, his tours clean, the landings soft, and his jeté elancé scythed the air. Only when he reached the grandes pirouttes could you see him fighting to pull it all off—and who doesn’t enjoy rooting for a talent this sweet? 

Conley’s partner as the grown-up Clara was Frances Chung, one of the company’s most rock-solid principals (and certainly the female dancer with the most unfailing turnout). What an opportunity for him to partner her and learn the craft from one of the best. If Chung seemed to be teaching him by trial, she also seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself, particularly in a time-bending arabesque balance. As the company heads into one of its most ambitious seasons ever, the principal roster is lean but mighty, and team spirit seems to be running high through all the ranks.