Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
- Jenna Rae Herrera returns to Ballet West's "The Nutcracker" after giving birth to her son, Theo.
- Herrera balances dance and motherhood, supported by family and the Ballet West community.
- Continuing dance through motherhood is rewarding and joyful, she said.
SALT LAKE CITY — Just a year after giving birth to her first child, Ballet West principal artist Jenna Rae Herrera is back in the spotlight performing almost every night in the holiday classic "The Nutcracker."
Herrera can be seen at the Capitol Theatre smiling through the show as either a lead in Waltz of the Flowers, Snow Queen or the iconic Sugar Plum Fairy, a role she first performed in 2017.
"It was always such a dream role for me as a little girl, you know, you always want to be the Sugar Plum Fairy," she said.
This year, however, performing the role feels different as she took some time off to give birth to her son Theo last December.
"He is just all things joy and light and laughter. He really just has a very sweet temperament, very smiley. He loves to be around the studio. He is such a gift to me and my husband," she said.
Dancing as a mom has been "very freeing" because she has the "greatest gifts" at home in her husband and son, and she can celebrate that on stage.
"I find a lot more joy in dance now because of that," she said.
While she has never been more exhausted (especially with a current teething phase), Herrera said she has never had so much joy in her life.
She jokes that she doesn't get to have her pre-show nap as often anymore, but she is just taking it one day at a time while trying to be as present as possible wherever her feet are.
"When I go home, I am immediately mom, and taking care of my son is top priority. But that makes it all the sweeter when I come to the theater because I get to dance, and it's something beautiful that I get to experience and also share with my son," she said.
Herrera continued performing with the company through the first 16 weeks of her pregnancy before her final performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., when Ballet West participated in a show called "10,000 Dreams." The show was choreographed by "ballerina moms," and Herrera said it was a gift to receive wisdom from them on how to navigate pregnancy while dancing.
She kept taking technique classes up until her third trimester. After a fortunately drama-free birth, Herrera slowly started integrating herself back into class at about three months postpartum during which she worked with a pelvic floor therapist and did an exercise regimen called Gyrotonics to help her feel connected to her body again.
"Pregnancy and labor just completely disrupted that; I had no control of my body whatsoever. I'm sure most other mothers can recognize (that feeling)," she said.
In April, she participated in the last program of the season, then started truly full time with the company in August.
"It was not easy, but Ballet West is such a supportive environment for mothers," she said. "My boss, Adam (Sklute), was so patient and gracious. He said, 'Come back at your time, whatever you need to do ... we're here to support you.' I really felt encouraged and celebrated."
Herrera is not the first mother to grace the Ballet West stage. Ballet West Academy campus principals Katherine Lawrence and Allison DeBona walked the same path while they were in the company and current principal artist Emily Adams gave birth this summer.
Herrera said she's grateful for a community of fellow ballet moms who know what she is going through and encourage her to continue dancing.
"I had so much support in these amazing ballerina moms who would always say, 'Yes, it's hard. Yes, there will be challenges and doubts and discouragement, but it is possible. You can be a great dancer and a great mom.' Just keep pushing forward because ultimately, me being a dancer is going to make me a better mom, too," Herrera said.
Getting back into full-time ballerina mode hasn't been all sunshine and roses.
At one point, her little boy was refusing a bottle and preferred only breastfeeding. So her husband would bring Theo over to the studio every few hours so Herrera could nurse him during breaks from teaching. Other times, she could be found pumping in the locker room between classes.
"It was really a family affair. My father-in-law actually is our nanny. I could not do this without our families; I owe so much to them for really supporting us," she said.
Just two months ago, Herrera started weaning Theo as both nursing and dancing full time was very demanding on her body.
"I recognized that my job was going to be very hard if I continued to nurse so I nursed as long as I could," she said.
Sweet, smiley Theo now loves listening to ballet music and often can be found joining Mom in class to watch the dancers. With a ballerina for a mom and a former professional dancer for a dad, Theo has been immersed in the dance world since his time in the womb.
"It's been so special to share this art form with my son. He has been in the studio since like 3 months old, and even in my stomach he was in the studio," she said. "I love getting to share this part of me with him. Even if he doesn't remember it, I will remember it, and it's so special. And maybe someday he will be out on stage."
Ballet West's "The Nutcracker" runs through Dec. 27.
"On Theo's birthday, I will be dancing Sugar Plum, which I think is really amazing because I think back to last year where I could barely walk after having him to now — a women's body is amazing," she said.
