Santa Clarita Ballet Company Celebrates the Nutcracker’s 25th Year!

 Since its first American staging by the San Francisco Ballet in 1944, The Nutcracker Ballet has become as synonymous with the Christmas holidays as Santa Claus and Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. Twenty-five years ago, our hometown Santa Clarita Ballet Company mounted its inaugural production of The Nutcracker recognizing the potential for providing Santa Clarita audiences with a beloved holiday tradition as well as performance opportunities for dancers of all ages. The Nutcracker is an essential part of Santa Clarita Ballet’s dual mission: presenting affordable, high-quality ballet performance to the community while providing a dance training experience for the littlest mouse or an accomplished, career-bound Sugar Plum Fairy.
Tickets are available by calling 661-251-0366. Performances will run on Friday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 14 at 2 p.m. as well as 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 15 at 2 p.m.
Over the years, Santa Clarita Ballet’s Nutcracker has become a polished production enjoyed by over 3,400 loyal audience members annually. It now boasts over 150 performers and has hosted professional guest artists from renowned companies worldwide such as New York City Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and the Cuban National Ballet to name just a few. Notably, Santa Clarita Ballet dance alumni who were featured in our local Nutcracker performances have gone on to professional careers with State Street Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Washington Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the Royal Swedish Ballet, and Les Ballet de Monte-Carlo. The quality and community contribution of the production has been recognized by grant awards from the City of Santa Clarita as well as the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and other regional and national foundations such as SoCal Gas, California Arts Council, and Target Stores.
Most rewarding, our annual production also serves the Newhall School District with a student outreach performance: Arts in The Classroom: Classical Dance. Originally funded in 2000 by the City of Santa Clarita, the program busses fourth grade students to the College of The Canyons Performing Arts Center to see a full-length production of The Nutcracker, followed by a question and answer session with the dancers in the production, including professional guest artists. Prior to the performance all teachers are provided with a resource toolbox that gives the students an opportunity to learn the history of The Nutcracker, the music, and the story. This popular program is supported by district officials, administrators, teachers, and parents alike.
Thanks to all for your support and recognition. Here’s to the next 25 years of Santa Clarita Ballet’s Nutcracker for dancers, students and Santa Clarita audiences! For more information go to www.santaclaritaballet.net.