Victoria Ballet's The Nutcracker coming to Revelstoke

The sugar plum fairy will once again be alighting on stage at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre this Christmas season.

Ballet Victoria, with the help of local dancers, will be performing The Nutcracker on Dec. 14 and 15.

For the fourth annual performance, Loren Morabito will play Clara.

When casting the role back in September, Miriam Manley, executive director for the Revelstoke Arts Council, said when it came to technique each of the dancers was on a similar level, however, Morabito shone through when asked to improvise.

Just For Kicks ballet teacher Kenley Knock agreed with Manley.

“I’ve watched Loren dance on in class and stage for the last three years and when I asked the dancers to improvise and act as Clara, Loren showed me something I haven’t seen before,” Knock said in an email.

“Her face lit up, her body language changed and that’s when I knew she would be perfect for the role; poised and graceful.

“Her discipline and love of dance allow her to step into any genre with strength and confidence.”

Since casting, the dancers have been gathering on Sunday afternoons to practice for the show.

One of the things that makes this version of The Nutcracker so special is the chance for the kids to dance beside the professionals, Manley said.

In the first half of the “Party Girls” dance, they are onstage the whole time.

In the second half, the littlest dancers take to the stage as mice.

This year there are 25 children involved in the production.

They will practice until December, when Ballet Victoria will join them for a run through and a dress rehearsal before the performances.

On Oct. 13, the Revelstoke Review stopped in to check out the rehearsal.

“I’ve been practicing,” Morabito said.

“I can tell,” Knock replied.

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Right now, she also plays volleyball and in the spring she plays soccer, but dance is her favourite activity.

This year she is learning a lyrical as well as a musical theatre solo, that she will perform at competitions at the end of the season.

When asked about the future of her dance career, Morabito said that she knows that if she wants to pursue dance she will probably, eventually need to move away.

“It upsets me but I will be doing what I love,” she said.

“I want to dance for the rest of my life.”

If she does decide to move, Morabito said that leaving her Just for Kicks dance family will be one of the hardest parts.

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