A Ballet Dancer Talks Nutcracker
By Connie Flachs for Women’s Lifestyle Magazine
A Grand Rapids Ballet dancer tells the tale of how The Nutcracker comes to life.
As the air gets cooler and twinkling lights emerge to illuminate the city, ballet dancers across the country prepare themselves to audition for one of the most beloved ballets of the holiday season. The Nutcracker is performed at almost every ballet company in the country, and the Grand Rapids Ballet is, once again, bringing this classic tale to the stage at DeVos Performance Hall throughout December.
Seeing The Nutcracker during the holiday season brings many enjoyments for audience members: It serves as a family-friendly night out with a timeless story performed in marveling movements, a celebration of the holiday spirit and a chance to lose oneself in the beauty and nostalgia of the production. We are joined by the Grand Rapids Symphony performing the unforgettable score with incredible talent, giving you the opportunity to experience two of Grand Rapids’ best performers for the price of one ticket.
If you manage to pull your eyes away from the grace and finesse of the awe-inspiring choreography by Val Caniparoli, you will also notice the stupendous stagecraft of GR Ballet’s production. Conceived in 2014 through a collaboration with Patricia Barker (GR Ballet’s artistic director), Chris Van Allsburg (Grand Rapids native and author of The Polar Express), Eugene Lee (award-winning set designer of Candide, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Wicked), the production value rivals that of Broadway shows.
Even more important than the re-imagined set design and the mesmerizing dancers is that GR Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker manifests from the city and people of Grand Rapids; the talent you see onstage lives, works and plays within our city. The dancers you see may pass you later in the grocery store and your child may take ballet class from the ballerina doll or learn how to do a pirouette from the Mouse King. There are many companies performing beautiful productions of The Nutcracker throughout America, but GR Ballet is West Michigan’s home team.
Nick Schultz (Nutcracker Prince) and Yuka Oba (Clara)
Dive into the full experience of a night at the theater by dressing up in your favorite holiday attire, taking a photo in the lobby with the Nutcracker himself, bringing your glasses or binoculars to see the dancers’ expressions up close, and hanging out after the show by the stage door to catch an autograph from Young Clara or The Nutcracker Prince.
You can buy tickets for this unique holiday performance by calling (616) 454-4771 or visiting GRBallet.com.
What: Grand Rapids Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker
Where: DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW
When: December 9-11 & 16-18 (showtimes at GRBallet.com)
Tickets: Starting at $34
