A Homegrown Sugarplum Takes the Stage

Baltimore native Alicia Williams will step into the spotlight in the principal role of Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, presented December 6 and 7 at Chesapeake Center for the Arts. An alum of Baltimore School for the Arts and Coppin State University, Williams is well known in Baltimore's dance scene for her powerful, emotional dancing with Full Circle Dance Company, one of the city's most visible modern dance ensembles. Her choreography was recently featured in the 2025 Baltimore Black Choreographers Festival. 

The Sugarplum Fairy is the benevolent queen of the magical Land of Sweets, where candies and other delicacies come to life. Reigning with confidence, kindness, and grace, she welcomes the child heroine, Marie Clara, into an enchanting dreamland.  

The Baltimore Dance Bulletin spoke to Alicia Williams as she prepared to take on this iconic and demanding role.

Q. What is your favorite part of this role?

A. I'm literally having the time of my life the entire time I'm on stage! But if I had to choose, my favorite part would be the Grand Pas. That's the section danced with a partner, with many lifts and turns. It's truly exhilarating.

Q. You often dance roles in the Full Circle Dance Company repertoire that explore weighty topics and darker emotions. How does it feel to shift to the Land of the Sweets?

A. It's definitely a huge change from the heavier topics.  It's equally demanding physically, but it's also a breath of fresh air, exploring being cheerful and bright. This will be my first time taking the stage as Sugarplum, and it's a really powerful mix of pride, satisfaction, and joy to dance this role in my hometown.

Q. You are a mother of two young children. What do you hope they take away from this production of The Nutcracker.

A. I hope my own little ones--and all the others in the audience--take away from this Nutcracker an appreciation for ballet, a smile on their faces, and warmth in their hearts.

The Nutcracker is presented by the Dance Foundation of Maryland and the Morton Street Dance Center December 6 at 6:00 pm and December 7 at 2:00 pm at Chesapeake Center for the Arts.

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Photo: Brion McCarthy Photography