The Creative Outlet Studio performs their seventh annual Christmas production of A Nutcracker Ballet on Tuesday, Dec. 29.
Traditionally, the students would perform the Nutcracker production before Christmas.
This year, Creative Outlet is accommodating the schedule to make room for their large-scale Nutcracker partnership production with Ballet Victoria on Dec. 22.
The two Dec. 29 productions will include all of the beloved characters and Tchaikovsky’s beautiful melodies, scaled down for families to enjoy.
“We do this one for the community,” said Debra Cross, Studio Director. “The kids love to put the time and work into it.”
Many of the dancers had their first role in production years ago as a teddy bear or party girl, and have danced their way “through the ranks” into larger roles.
Female lead Clara will be played by Emma Lee, and Uncle Drosselmeyer will be played by Brady Moore.
Most of the 30 dancers on stage are Creative Outlet students, ranging from little four year olds to teens and adults.
Some of the performers are returning graduates who began dancing with Creative Outlet as children. Adrian Cross (playing the Sugar Plum Fairy) and Brooklyn Goryniuk (playing the Snow Queen) are performing with the studio on a trip home from dance studies at George Brown in Toronto.
“It’s really exciting for the younger kids to have the opportunity to dance with them,” said Cross.
Well-known in Chilliwack’s theatre industry, Nigel Floyd will be narrating the story for all the audience to follow along.
There will also be two special guest performers, Liam Edgson from Deas Island Dance in Tsawwassen will play the Snow King, and Miguel Nyguen, principal from Ballet Argentina, will be a soloist in the evening performance.
Enjoy A Nutcracker Ballet on Dec. 29 at the HUB Theatre in the Chilliwack Cultural Centre at 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 and are available at the Centre Box Office, by phone at 604-391-7469 or online at chilliwackculturalcentre.ca.
