Event

Nutcracker

Ballet Bellevue in its 25th Anniversary year tops the 2009 holiday season with the Eastside's exclusive production of Nutcracker for the entire family, young and old. Experience the Eastside's only performance of Tchaikovsky's thrilling ballet with live orchestra under the baton of conductor and music director, Barney Blough. The company's professional dancers and guest artists in lead roles share the stage with over forty students from regional dance schools performing children's parts. Dancers from the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy (Christina Stockdale) and her spectacular Cavalier (Scott Bartell) to the tiniest angel and darling bonbons are coached by Ballet Master Oleg Gorboulev,children's Ballet Mistress Christina Stockdale and Stage Director Katerina Fedor-White. Lighting is by Kevin Harkins and costumes by Tina Evans. The beautiful corps de ballet in the Land of Snow and Waltz of the Flowers is set off by solos and duets by Natasha Keeley (Snow Queen), Kyle Johnson (Snow King and Spanish), Alexa Kovalick (Arabian), Terry McKinnon (Arabian and Mouse King), Alisha Cushing(Spanish and Harlequin Doll), Erin Lake (Dew Drop, Solo Flute)and apprentice Marray Gardner as Drosselmeyer. Brad Jacula and his Ukrainian Folk Dance students will inspire everyone to fitness with the exciting Russian dance. Young Clara and Fritz are performed by Natalie Rahn and Sophia Sevier with understudies Chloe O'Laughlin and Erin Compton. The Nutcracker Prince is performed by Danil Vishniakov. Founded in 1984 (as Ballet Petit) by Don and Helena Snyder, Ballet Bellevue became the Eastside's own professional ballet company in 1995 with Ronn Tice, Artistic Director.