Over winter break, artistic students occupied the streets, this time spreading the festive spirit to homes and theaters of San Francisco through the gift of their talent. Whether they danced or caroled their way into the hearts of their audience, two groups helped make the holidays in the city a jolly bit merrier.

In December, junior Sander Chu took part in two productions of The Nutcracker – the first at the Stapleton School of Performing Arts and the other at The Ballet Studio.

Chu, who studies at the Oberlin Dance Company (ODC) and Henry Berg’s Ballet Studio under full scholarships, played the Russian lead for the Stapleton School of Performing Arts as a paid guest artist. In the Land of Sweets, Chu and the Sugar Plum Fairy entertained Clara, the Nutcracker Prince and the audience with lifts, jumps and advanced dance techniques. “The partnering in this role was difficult because it’s not just me that I have to work with,” Chu said. “It comes down to how well the partners can work together and trust each other. I can’t do a lift if the partner doesn’t jump because they’re scared.”

Chu has performed in nine Nutcracker productions since 2004. His first Nutcracker was with the San Francisco Ballet at age eight, in which he played a minor role of the Party Boy in the first act. His favorite costume belonged to Butch Pseggo, a character from one of his earlier performances. “It was the first costume I ever wore,” Chu said. “I remember it had two funny bips on the side of the shoulders, and I would always play with them backstage.”

Chu’s first experience with performing set him firmly onto the path of ballet. “When I went on stage for the first time at the War Memorial Opera House, I was amazed,” Chu said. “It’s a great experience being on a stage in front of such a large audience. Being on that kind of stage so young shaped the way I viewed dance as well. I loved it.”

After five years as a Party Boy with the San Francisco Ballet, Chu took on new roles as the Russian lead with Stapleton and the Snow King with The Ballet Studio. The most prominent scene in The Nutcracker remains the Snow Scene – at least it is for Chu. With its majestic landscape draped in white, the winter wonderland is more than just memorable. “I love the music, especially the Grand Pas de Deux,” Chu said. “During the dancing, snow comes down from the roof onto the stage. I was always enchanted by that when I was younger.”

According to Chu, Pas de Deux means “Steps of Two,” a partnered dance. “As Snow King, I did lots of lifts with my partner,” Chu said. “There wasn’t too much dancing for me – the scene is more about the snow queen, and the snow king just helps her. I lifted and carried her, helped her turn, and presented her.”

Chu put in a considerable amount of time into practice for the special performances– some rehearsals lasted from nine to twelve hours. “Rehearsals started in September and were usually during the weekends,” Chu said. “But near performance, we had practice every day.” However it wasn’t all physical training, rehearsals tested patience as well. “It really is just a lot of waiting,” Chu said. “There are always multiple castings, so you have to switch off with others for your role. When the kids rehearsed with the company, rehearsals got very long.”

Chu began taking formal dance lessons at the YMCA when he was four. “I was so young at the time that when my parents signed me up for it, I couldn’t object,” Chu said. During a dance workshop, he was advised by Evelyn Cisneros, a prima ballerina with the San Francisco Ballet at the time, to try out for the school. By the age of seven, he received a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet, the first professional ballet company in the United States. “From there I loved it,” Chu said. “It’s the most challenging activity. It involves the mind and body and requires musicality. Later my mom had signed me up for piano at this time as well and the music really strengthened my dancing.”

In summer 2010, Chu was offered a contract by the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, which he declined. "It was a full year commitment, and I decided school was more important.” Chu said. Last summer, he accepted a full scholarship to the Rock School for Dance Education. Chu has also been offered scholarships to the Orlando City Ballet and the Pre-Professional Program at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York.

Along with his regular dance classes, Chu remains open to new opportunities to perform. “As a guest artist, my options open up a lot more for contracts around the Bay Area,” Chu said. “I can be cast as to whatever fits the choreographer’s need.”

And casted he was, by some of the top ballet schools in America. “I was very honored to get the part and thankful,” Chu said. “To get the opportunity to perform on stage is great experience for any artist.”

While Chu danced away in the Land of Sweets, 15 Chamber Choir students caroled away at the Mark Hopkins Hotel under the direction of choir teacher Jason Chan.

For two evenings, Dec. 1 and 8, the carolers helped raise holiday spirits through a 45-minute songfest, starting at 5:30 p.m., in their annual caroling event. “Mr. Chan collaborated with the Mark Hopkins Hotel so we could carol there this year,” junior Nick Bourgault said. Juniors Jordan Leung and Priscilla Melo added that they had previously performed at elderly homes and even Union Square. “This was our first time actually caroling inside the hotel though,” Leung said.

The group sang “Carol of the Bells,” “Carol of the Drums,” “Fum Fum Fum” and other non-holiday favorites which had also been performed at the Winter Choir Concert. “The audience was very attentive,” Melo said. “They had great energy and were warm and kind.”

Even the hotel staff found reasons to be cheerful amidst the singing. “The whole caroling experience was fun,” Bourgault said. “Although the most memorable part was when the hotel manager pretended to conduct us.”

While giving, the carolers felt rewarded as well. “The experience was exciting,” Leung said. “It never occurred to me how much fun it was to carol and bring the Christmas spirit alive.”

According to Melo, the caroling was such a success that passersby stopped to record on cell phones. “Complete strangers captured the moment of us performing,” Melo said. “It felt great to see them smile, which meant we were doing our job. It gave me the feeling that people really did appreciate us being there and enjoyed our singing.”

A version of this article first appeared in the Jan. 27, 2012 print edition of The Lowell.