Filipino American Performs in The Nutcracker at the Lincoln Center this Holiday Season

Emil Jose Kelso

Every morning, Emil Jose Kelso, 12, wakes up at 5:45 am to be on time for the 8:00 am opening of his public school. Three times a week after school and also on Saturday mornings, he rides the subway to go to Lincoln Center for a 90 minute ballet class from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. These days, however, Emil is staying up later. Since last November 29, Emil has played the role of the Nutcracker in NYC Ballet's, yearly performances.

Emil, whose mom Tricia Capistrano is an immigrant from the Philippines, is one of three boys selected to play the role of Nutcracker who turns into a Prince. There are three rotating casts of principal children for the ballet company’s 49 shows. The performances started on November 25 and will end on January 3.

Emil has been going to the School of American Ballet for 6 years. He is currently in the Boys 3 class of the School of American Ballet where he attends ballet class four times a week. His teachers include former NYC Ballet Soloist Arch Higgins, Principal Jock Sotto, and Children’s Ballet Master Dena Abergel. SAB and New York City Ballet were founded by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein.

Emil has been in the following New York City Ballet shows: Sleeping Beauty (2013), Swan Lake (2013, 2015), a member of the party scene in The Nutcracker (2013, 2014), and La Sylphide (2015). This is the first time he is playing the role of the Prince.

It is a taxing schedule for a 12 year old but for Emil and the other children at the School of American Ballet, it is worth it. After each show, at midnight, in a small NYC apartment, Emil is still dancing.

Tickets are available here:
http://www.nycballet.com/

Emil Jose Kelso’s upcoming Performance Dates/ Times:

Thursday, December 24 (2 pm)
Sunday, December 27 (1 pm)
Tuesday, December 29 (2 pm)
Wednesday, December 30 (7 pm)
Sunday, January 3 (5 pm)

The Nutcracker