Holiday tradition: the Holiday tradition: the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara brings a traditional “Nutcracker” to the Community Concert Hall, Dec. 14-16

Durango, CO – More than 70 local dancers will join the professionals of the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara to present the magical holiday ballet, “Nutcracker,” at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. The ballet will usher in the holidays with two matinee (2 p.m.) and two evening (7 p.m.) performances, Friday-Sunday, Dec. 14-16, 2012.

Artistic Director Rodney Gustafson holds true to the original classical ballet in this Tchaikovsky masterpiece, creating a traditional “Nutcracker” set in Victorian times and suited for all ages.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to see this timeless and beautiful ballet during the holidays,” noted Gustafson in a press release. “It’s a story everyone can follow as it’s brought to life through familiar music and timeless dance.”

The “Nutcracker” is based on the book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman, and tells the story of a young German girl, Clara, whose godfather Drosselmeyer, a skilled clock and toy maker, presents her with a toy nutcracker during a holiday party. In Clara’s holiday dream, the toy comes to life and escorts her on a journey to a magical land, where a cast of unusual characters entertains her through dance.

The young, local dancers scheduled to perform are coordinated by Durango dance instructor Judy Austin, with rehearsal assistants Jessica Perino, Holly Tate and Bernadette Bianchi.

Bon-bons (Friday/Saturday matinee):
Lauryn Christensen, Juliet DiGiacomo, Ashley Forrest, Elena Forrest, Dharma Gauthier, Elizabeth Greene, Abigail McKinnis, Lilah Potter, Sophia Scavo, Genevieve Thompson, Avery Trammell, Anna Wiley

Bon-bons (Saturday/Sunday matinee):
Katelyn Bowie, Kalina Brabeck, Penelope Brabeck, Gabby Braner, Danika Cox, Lily Gallacher, Isabel Greenberg, Molly Martinez, Taia Shaffer, Grace Tranum, Jesse Quenzler,
Zada Westbrooke Lile

Bon-bon Sisters:
Savannah Garcia, Cameron Kelley

Mice:
Tehya Barnes, Karoline Bassett, Shaelin Bassett, Elizabeth Chen, Eleanor Clark, Téa Forrest, Iliana Garcia, Hailey Levine, Nina Quayle, Zoe Ramsey, Rose Reiter, Lilia Reynolds, Axie Rohn, Lena Rohn, Paige Stanley, Mya Walker

Soldiers:
Zara Rose Brown, Laura Clark, Maia Clark, Sydney DeLacey, Emma Greene, Sailor Kabeary, Ivana Shirley Kibel, Lindsay Levine, Kate McKinnis, Silva Nesset, Alyxandra Potter, Gwendolyn Thompson, Rexanne Trautmann

Party Guests:
Bernadette Bianchi, Savannah Garcia, Kenzie Hoffman, Cameron Kelley, Holly Tate, Olivia Walker

Angels:
Betsy Baker, Francesca Bianchi, Cameron DeLacey, Alexandra Dobbs, Ella Gavlinski, Emma Hallin, Alpin Hanson-Holladay, Alyssa Maisel, Hannah Miller, Shannin Mayberry, Claire Nickerson, Lucinda Zastrocky,

State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara was founded in 1994 as a non-profit organization by Gustafson and his wife Allison and is known for its innovative choreography and unique style. Tackling at least three productions each season in Santa Barbara, the company has also toured throughout the United States, as well as internationally in Taiwan and China. Rodney Gustafson is formerly with Geneva Ballet, Cleveland Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

View a sampling of the State Street Ballet’s “Nutcracker” performance at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1loDPv61kzA.
Tickets for the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara’s “Nutcracker” – $29/$39 – are available by calling 970.247.7657, on the web at www.durangoconcerts.com, or visit the ticket office inside the Welcome Center at 8th St. and Main Ave. in Downtown Durango.

Doors to the Concert Hall and concessions, serving beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, open one hour prior to curtain.

On show day, the box office at the Concert Hall will be open one hour prior to curtain, and remain open through intermission. Purchase tickets to three or more Concert Hall productions in one sales transaction and receive 10 percent off each ticket. Discounts cannot be combined, and all sales final.

The Community Concert Hall is a not-for-profit, multi-use performance venue located on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Its ability to bring a diverse spectrum of shows to Southwest Colorado is made possible through a partnership with the college, a state-supported, independent institution of higher education, and through financial and in-kind contributions from generous members of the community.

Durango, CO – More than 70 local dancers will join the professionals of the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara to present the magical holiday ballet, “Nutcracker,” at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. The ballet will usher in the holidays with two matinee (2 p.m.) and two evening (7 p.m.) performances, Friday-Sunday, Dec. 14-16, 2012.

Artistic Director Rodney Gustafson holds true to the original classical ballet in this Tchaikovsky masterpiece, creating a traditional “Nutcracker” set in Victorian times and suited for all ages.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to see this timeless and beautiful ballet during the holidays,” noted Gustafson in a press release. “It’s a story everyone can follow as it’s brought to life through familiar music and timeless dance.”

The “Nutcracker” is based on the book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman, and tells the story of a young German girl, Clara, whose godfather Drosselmeyer, a skilled clock and toy maker, presents her with a toy nutcracker during a holiday party. In Clara’s holiday dream, the toy comes to life and escorts her on a journey to a magical land, where a cast of unusual characters entertains her through dance.

The young, local dancers scheduled to perform are coordinated by Durango dance instructor Judy Austin, with rehearsal assistants Jessica Perino, Holly Tate and Bernadette Bianchi.

Bon-bons (Friday/Saturday matinee):
Lauryn Christensen, Juliet DiGiacomo, Ashley Forrest, Elena Forrest, Dharma Gauthier, Elizabeth Greene, Abigail McKinnis, Lilah Potter, Sophia Scavo, Genevieve Thompson, Avery Trammell, Anna Wiley

Bon-bons (Saturday/Sunday matinee):
Katelyn Bowie, Kalina Brabeck, Penelope Brabeck, Gabby Braner, Danika Cox, Lily Gallacher, Isabel Greenberg, Molly Martinez, Taia Shaffer, Grace Tranum, Jesse Quenzler,
Zada Westbrooke Lile

Bon-bon Sisters:
Savannah Garcia, Cameron Kelley

Mice:
Tehya Barnes, Karoline Bassett, Shaelin Bassett, Elizabeth Chen, Eleanor Clark, Téa Forrest, Iliana Garcia, Hailey Levine, Nina Quayle, Zoe Ramsey, Rose Reiter, Lilia Reynolds, Axie Rohn, Lena Rohn, Paige Stanley, Mya Walker

Soldiers:
Zara Rose Brown, Laura Clark, Maia Clark, Sydney DeLacey, Emma Greene, Sailor Kabeary, Ivana Shirley Kibel, Lindsay Levine, Kate McKinnis, Silva Nesset, Alyxandra Potter, Gwendolyn Thompson, Rexanne Trautmann

Party Guests:
Bernadette Bianchi, Savannah Garcia, Kenzie Hoffman, Cameron Kelley, Holly Tate, Olivia Walker

Angels:
Betsy Baker, Francesca Bianchi, Cameron DeLacey, Alexandra Dobbs, Ella Gavlinski, Emma Hallin, Alpin Hanson-Holladay, Alyssa Maisel, Hannah Miller, Shannin Mayberry, Claire Nickerson, Lucinda Zastrocky,

State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara was founded in 1994 as a non-profit organization by Gustafson and his wife Allison and is known for its innovative choreography and unique style. Tackling at least three productions each season in Santa Barbara, the company has also toured throughout the United States, as well as internationally in Taiwan and China. Rodney Gustafson is formerly with Geneva Ballet, Cleveland Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

View a sampling of the State Street Ballet’s “Nutcracker” performance at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1loDPv61kzA.
Tickets for the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara’s “Nutcracker” – $29/$39 – are available by calling 970.247.7657, on the web at www.durangoconcerts.com, or visit the ticket office inside the Welcome Center at 8th St. and Main Ave. in Downtown Durango.

Doors to the Concert Hall and concessions, serving beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, open one hour prior to curtain.

On show day, the box office at the Concert Hall will be open one hour prior to curtain, and remain open through intermission. Purchase tickets to three or more Concert Hall productions in one sales transaction and receive 10 percent off each ticket. Discounts cannot be combined, and all sales final.

The Community Concert Hall is a not-for-profit, multi-use performance venue located on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Its ability to bring a diverse spectrum of shows to Southwest Colorado is made possible through a partnership with the college, a state-supported, independent institution of higher education, and through financial and in-kind contributions from generous members of the community.