In Their Own Words… with Lissa Curtis, Executive Director of Safe Haven Ballet

For audience members, “The Nutcracker” ballet is a time-honored Christmastime tradition. For around two hours, they are transported into a magical world of beautiful, sparkling costumes and intricate choreography.  

You can’t help but be swept up in the magic of the ballet, and spend the rest of your night with images of sugarplum (fairies) dancing in your head. What audiences don’t know, is that behind the glitz and glam of a full-scale production of “The Nutcracker” lies months of preparation.

“Nutcracker season,” as it’s called in the dance world, begins in August, when auditions are held and roles are cast. From there, it’s a mad dash to opening night. Each dancer learns the roles they were cast in, and the choreography for other roles. Costumes are fit and tailored for each dancer, and new ones are designed and bedazzled by hand. Set pieces are refurbished, props are made, venues are booked, programs are made, merchandise is created and more. 

Lissa Curtis, the director and founder of Safe Haven Ballet, is no stranger to the whirlwind of the season. Safe Haven Ballet, the first-of-its-kind, trauma-informed professional dance company, is embarking on an eight-city tour across New England with two full-length ballets. 

Bringing the magic of the season to a city near you is no small feat, and Curtis gives us a glimpse behind the curtain into Safe Haven Ballet, and what makes the magic possible. 

Lissa Curtis and Joseph LaChance as the Sugarplum Fairy and Cavalier in “The Nutcracker”

New Hampshire Magazine: Tell us a little about the history of Safe Haven Ballet. What has changed since we talked last in 2018?

Lissa Curtis: Safe Haven Ballet literally began because of a dream I had and a huge life-altering trauma that I endured at the hands of a previous ballet director 10 years ago. Very soon after, barely making it home from escaping from my perpetrator overseas, I had a dream with “Safe Haven Ballet” written on a brick building. I heard “You’re not done dancing,” and “I have things for you to build.”

It felt like God was speaking directly to me, but I laughed it off knowing how incredibly incapacitated and traumatized I was. I fought in and out of court for nine years for justice; now I’m the one laughing, because my dream became a reality in 2019 when I began free trauma-sensitive classes (ballet, art, paint, Pilates) in 2019 for survivors of sexual and domestic violence in Dover. 

At that time, I was still in and out of court against my abuser, and beginning these classes was a way for me to give back and also find continued healing through leading the classes. 

Fast-forward five years since we began Safe Haven Ballet, and we have expanded into a trauma-informed professional touring ballet company with 11 dancers, a professional ballet school for ages 3 and older, and we continue to run our weekly free trauma-sensitive classes that we began with years back. 

We have created something that rarely exists in professional ballet: a healthy and safe environment where artists, students and survivors can thrive.
 
NHM: We know that you are in the process of ramping up for “The Nutcracker.” What goes into the staging of a production like this?

LC: I feel like I wear many hats when it comes to launching our Christmas Tour, which actually is two full-length productions: “The Nutcracker” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” This year, we have an eight-city tour with 10 performances across New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I start about 12 to 18 months prior to touring with booking venues, theater tours and numerous production details. I’m very blessed to have amazing volunteers and staff around me who uphold our mission, and are pushing for growth and change in the ballet world.

NHM: How do you approach the set and costume design, and what is the creative process like behind these elements?

LC: Music is typically my No. 1 inspiration for everything, and second is the talented dancers that I get to work with. We try to keep our set designs on the minimal side, because we have to transport everything in a large U-Haul. We own a digital projector that goes on tour with us, and that has been one of our greatest investments to date.

Professional ballerina Lissa Curtis teaches dancers choreography during auditions for Safe Haven Ballet’s production of “Romeo and Juliet” last spring.

With costume design, we typically have a trifecta of hiring in a designer(s), renting and purchasing. When Safe Haven Ballet began in 2019, three-quarters of the costumes were donated to us for “Nutcracker.” Each year since, we’ve budgeted to update certain sections of the holiday tour — this year the Dew Drop, Chinese and Soldier Doll costumes, to name a few, are being hand-designed and created.

NHM: What happens behind the scenes that people may not realize? Any unique or unexpected moments from past productions that stand out?

LC: Well, right now I am a wife and mom of four, in addition to still training and performing myself, and running Safe Haven Ballet. My husband and I have two children of our own and two foster children. So, I think honestly a snapshot behind the scenes is pretty hilarious, because in between mothering these precious kids I am choreographing, answering messages/ phone calls, running to meetings, making dinner and planning rehearsal prep simultaneously. Family is first, work second, and I hope to inspire my dancers that they can have a family and be a touring artist also. It’s possible.  

And in terms of unexpected moments — I tell my dancers all the time to plan for the unexpected. It’s live theater, and all it takes is an illness, injury or emergency to change casting sometimes right before the curtain goes up.

NHM: What role do collaboration and teamwork play in bringing “The Nutcracker” to life, especially among the dancers, choreographers and production team?

LC: Teamwork and collaboration is huge at Safe Haven Ballet. Just looking back at the six seasons we have created … it has taken so many people, groups, volunteers, dancers, guest artists and choreographers to make it possible. I am continually humbled by the doors we have seen open for us. I think the community truly loves how we support survivors, and we have been so blessed with many wonderful opportunities. My board of directors is also incredible and they uphold me so much and keep me on track.  

NHM: What is your favorite part about this production?

LC: For “The Nutcracker,” my favorite part this season in particular is that I have choreographed a new snow scene featuring twice as many dancers on stage — it’s now twice the magic! For “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” my favorite part is watching my ballet partner, and Safe Haven Ballet staff member, Joseph LaChance, play the Grinch. You will have to see for yourself, but he is insanely talented, hilarious and right up there with Jim Carrey. 

NHM: What are you most excited for this season?

LC: This season I am thrilled to be bringing our holiday magic to three new cities, but for spring of 2025 I am creating a brand-new, original production of “Aladdin” which will feature our company dancers, students from Safe Haven Ballet and dancers from anywhere else that want to audition.

NHM: Are there any plans in the works that you can tell us about? Any future plans or initiatives that you have in store that you’re particularly excited about?

LC: Yes, we are opening up free tuition to our ballet school for any children in the foster care system. If you know of anyone, please have them reach out through our website. Movement heals.