M'Lanie Hunter Dance to perform Nutcracker Ballet Dec. 8 and 9
- by Xavier Trudeau
- in Financer
- — Déc 7, 2017
"In 1996 we were honored by the White House for our production".
Krohley, a local resident since the 1970s, has been producing a Nutcracker Ballet with her students every December at the Burgdorff Center in Maplewood Village since the 1980s. Marie and her younger brother Franz arrive at home, where their immigrant mother-a sculptress of modest means-designs the seminal masterpiece that will preside over the Fair. "When they see 'The Nutcracker, ' it gets them into the Christmas season". He entertains with enchanting visions of the what's to come, distributing gifts in the process, which includes a mercurial nutcracker for Marie.
There is a great battle between the Toy Soldiers, led by The Nutcracker, and the giant rats that are ruled by the Rat Queen. This program spurred Fanney and the entire ballet school to think about how they can better work with special-needs children. As the dream ends, the Fair explodes with light and Marie suddenly awakens to find it is Christmas Day. In 2016, the academy added live music, molding the performance into a new form of art. The full Joffrey company is also joined onstage by over 90 young dancers from the Chicagoland area and young vocalists from four different local children's choirs. In Act I they speak of prosperity and happiness for the Stahlbaum family as they gather to celebrate Christmas; in Act II's Kingdom of candies the designs reference the elaborate confectionery of Nuremberg, where...
Performances will take place at 2 and 7 p.m. "And it's fun to see families coming together for a Christmas celebration", said ballet dancer Dillan Ritmiller, who plays the sugar plum fairy. Tickets prices are $12 for adults and $8 for senior citizens 55 and older and children under 12.
Classes consist primarily of classical ballet but also include jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern and stretch and strength.
★★★★★ Peter Wright's Nutcracker for the Royal Ballet is one of the most successful productions in the company's history. The training program offers career and college-minded advanced dancers additional training taught by master teachers from global and regional ballet companies.
Don't forget: Can't get enough "Nutcracker" from these two productions?
The Dance Arts Theatre is presenting "The Nutcracker" for the 26th year at ECU's Wright Auditorium this weekend. Connect with the Joffrey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
