Award-winning author Janine Kovac ’09 began her life on stage dancing in Ballet El Paso’s production of The Nutcracker, lead by director Ingeborg Heuser. Despite Heuser–who once performed for Hitler–frequently hurling insults at the young dancers, Kovac decided to dedicate her life to the beauty of the artform. She climbed through the ranks as a professional dancer and her Nutcracker roles progressed from soldier to snowflake to candy soloist. After leaving the stage, as all dancers must, Kovac adjusted to her new roles as a mother and audience member, watching her husband, children and students as they performed. Despite shifting roles at midlife, Kovac never lost her artistry. Transitioning her talents to writing, she remains connected with the same creative spirit that allowed her to take the stage in the first place. Now, she is set to release her autobiography, The Nutcracker Chronicles, which tells the story of Janine’s pursuit of an elusive dream that compels her to endure blistered toes, weekly weigh-ins, second-hand pointe shoes, and constant insults from her directors.
