Dance ensemble member Kristan Jackson shines her own unique light onstage with every performance, and the AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration is no exception. Jackson brings her international experience to Hilbert Circle Theater for the 2024 Yuletide Celebration and is excited to usher in the magic of the season. Read on to hear from Jackson about where she gets her inspiration from during this holiday season!
INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: What is your role in the AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration this year and what path has led you to this role?
KRISTAN JACKSON: I’m a dancer in Yuletide and I trained at Trinity Laban Music and Dance Conservatory in England. While I was working over there, I got an opportunity to come stateside, and that’s when I met our choreographer, Jen Ladner. I was able to show her my dancing skills and build a good relationship with her, and I was invited to join the Yuletide family. I’ve been dancing for a very long time, so it’s nice to be able to share my expertise and talents with this side of the theater.
ISO: How does Yuletide capture the spirit of the holiday season and how do you incorporate that energy into your performance?
KJ: You know, Yuletide ushers in the magic of the season. It does that by the decorations throughout the theater lobby, to the outside of the theater, to the intricate set details, on the stage, the beautiful costumes we get to wear, the lights and of course — the sound of the orchestra.
Yuletide transports us to a magical sense of joyfulness. As a performer, I truly embody this energy. I tap into the sense of wonderment and the respect I have for my fellow performers, and the joy I get knowing that I get to share my craft and talents with others and the spirit of the season is joy. I like to think that every performance, I get to give the gift of joy to so many people.
ISO: What is your favorite part of the rehearsal process in preparing for Yuletide?
KJ: To be honest, as a performer, my favorite part of performing is rehearsal. I’m not sure if many people say that, but I really do love the work. I love what I do.
We get to work with Jen Ladner and watch her creativity come through, and then we add the singers. I love the work and the magic really happens during the rehearsal process. When the pieces start to come together and you actually get to see it, I’m like, “Oh, this is where this section fits in!”
I also like seeing each of my colleagues shine in their own individual way, and I think the cast of Yuletide is phenomenal. We have people who are true performers and really exquisite in their craft, and I think just being able to be in one room with all of that talent — that’s magic in itself.
ISO: If you weren’t performing in your current role, what other parts might you like to explore, whether behind the scenes or on stage?
KJ: Okay, so there’s two. I would actually like to have Aaron Fuksa’s role as one of the writers of Yuletide. I’m not quite sure the whole extent of what he does, but I love him as a person and he just seems to have a handle on everything. He writes, he puts stuff together, and he just has that creative mind. The other one is that I want to handle the spotlight!
ISO: What do you hope that audiences will take away from this year’s Yuletide performances?
KJ: A sense of community, a sense of all belonging together, you know. We have that community and we all belong — we all have a purpose.
ISO: Describe Yuletide in three words.
KJ: Bright, joyful, and happiness.