Summer McIntosh makes guest appearance in 'The Nutcracker'

Summer McIntosh (right) performs in The National Ballet of Canada's rendition of "the Nutcracker" on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (Courtesy of The National Ballet of Canada)

Summer McIntosh made a splash during her guest appearance in The National Ballet of Canada’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

The 18-year-old swimmer and Olympic gold medallist took to the stage in Toronto Friday night alongside her sister, Brooke, as a Cannon Doll, a non-dancing role reserved for Canadian and local celebrities in the first act.

Video from the performance shared with CTV News Toronto shows the two sisters flanking a company dancer before he fires a confetti-filled cannon into the audience.

The National Ballet says that the only “hard and fast rule” the Cannon Dolls performers must follow is that one is timid and the other is full of bravado. The short cameo saw the star swimmer take the latter role.

Other famous Canadians who have taken part in the National Ballet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” include Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, former Toronto Raptors great Kyle Lowry, and retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield.

Friday night’s short performance caps off a big year for McIntosh.

She won three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the first Canadian athlete ever to do so at a summer or winter games. McIntosh also won a silver in the 400-metre freestyle.

Earlier this month, she won the Northern Star Award as Canada’s athlete of the year shortly after taking gold in world-record time at the short-course world championships in Budapest, Hungary.