The Main Characters of the Ballet

Clara

The main character of the ballet, Clara is a lively, curious and courageous little girl of about 10-15 years old. Clara falls in love with her Nutcracker doll as soon as she sees him, and whishes for him to be real. During the battle, she saves the Nutcracker from death, and releases him from his curse.
Even though Clara is originally played by a young girl, in many ballet companies, the role is reserved for a company dancer of around 18-25 years old. Clara is also not the only name for the main character, as in some versions, she is called Marie.

The Nutcracker/The Prince

The Nutcracker is a wooden doll used for cracking nuts, which is given to Clara, as a Christmas present, by the mysterious Doctor Drosselmeyer. To protect Clara from the mice and rats, he is brought to life and goes into battle. He is then turned into a young Prince, and thanks Clara by bringing her to the Land of Sweets.
Did you know that in many ballet companies, even though the Nutcracker and the Prince are the same character, he is played by two different dancers?

The Sugar Plum Fairy

The Sugar Plum Fairy is the ruler of the Land of Sweets. She joyfully and generously greets Clara and the Prince, as she offers them a variety of sweets and puts on a dance performance for them.
It is one of the most known roles of ballet, and one of the most wished for by ballet dancers, as she presents an example of grace, beauty, kindness, and holiday magic.