Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/221385
The Nutcracker Brings Magic to the Holiday Season by STEPHANIE CRIDER A tradition in Fayetteville with the Richmond Ballet, Ballet since 1977, The Nutcracker Theatre of Maryland and the Ballet is many things to many Dayton Ballet. He is currently an people. This year it has special independent guest artist. This is his meaning for Director Charlotte first time dancing with the North Blume and one of the guest Carolina State Ballet. Gaitan will artists, Adam Chavis. double as the Nutcracker Prince with When the North Carolina alternating Claras Mary Maxton and State Ballet's Nutcracker returns Ashley Watters. to the Crown Center Theatre on Wei Ni, assistant director of the Dec. 8, 14 and 15, it will be a North Carolina State Ballet, will homecoming for Chavis. dance the Nutcracker Prince on "This is a very good Dec. 8, with Deprecia Simpson as opportunity not only for Clara. Ni trained in China and was dancers to display their talent, a principal dancer with the Carolina it also provides a performance Ballet in Raleigh before joining the opportunity for dancers," said North Carolina State Ballet. Blume. "And we do use regional Other leading dancers in the dancers and guests. It provides Nutcracker are alternating Little a good show experience for the Claras, Ella Lewis, Marissa Morris region." and Hannah Reader. Snow Queens A Fayetteville native, Chavis are Ashley Watters or Deprecia trained with Charlotte Blume Simpson. Flower Queens are Ashely for seven years and performed Watters or Deprecia Simpson. various roles in The Nutcracker The North Carolina State Ballet performs The Nutcracker Ballet at the Crown Center Theatre. Local actor Daniel Moore returns as a student. Chavis is like as Drosselmeyer. many of Blume's students. While the community looks "They grow up at the studio; they start at early ages and spend a lot of forward to the production of The Nutcracker each holiday season, for their time at the studio," said Blume. "To get to the level to perform, it takes Blume, the dancers, parents and staff, it is a labor of love that starts in a lot of years of training. The dancers become committed, and their parents late summer and requires serious commitment from everyone involved. do as well. It takes teamwork to create productions like The Nutcracker." Auditions take place in August. While Blume insists the dancers come This year, Chavis guests with Alicia Fabry as Cavalier to Fabry's Sugar to the auditions prepared and in top form, the real work starts once the Plum Fairy. Chavis went on to study at the North Carolina School of the parts have been assigned. Arts and was an apprentice with the New York City Ballet Company before "We start rehearsal in September," said Blume. "It is a big show. It is joining the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh. Both Chavis and Fabry are principal 1 hour and 45 minutes long. It is all intense dance and it has to be at a dancers with the company. They perform on Dec. 8. professional level. It does take a lot of rehearsal — we meet seven days a Jessica Fry and Ramon Gaitan will dance the roles of Cavalier and Sugar week to practice for The Nutcracker and this is separate from class time." Plum Fairy on Dec. 14 and 15. Each year the dedication and practice pay off, as the performances do A supporting cast of 65 dancers and actors perform in the two-act, threenot disappoint. scene production. The Nutcracker is performed for area schools on Dec. 6,9 and 13. Alicia Fabry was raised in France and studied ballet at the English Public performances are Dec. 8, 14 and 15. All performances are at the National Ballet School in London. She danced with the Ballet Chicago Crown Center Theatre. Tickets for the public performances Studio Company before joining the Carolina Ballet Theatre and Pennsylvania are $16 for general admission and may be purchased at the Ballet. Crown Center Box Office or at Ramon Gaitan, a native of Nicaragua, began dancing at the age of 18 with ticketmaster.com. Curtain time is STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor. COMthe Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Ill. He is a Northern 3 p.m. MENTS? Editor@upandcominIllinois University graduate with a bachelor of fine arts. Gaitan has danced gweekly.com. UP & COMING WEEKLY'S Local Classifieds Stedman • Eastover • Spring Lake • Hope Mills • Fort Bragg 14 4 lines / 7 days = $11.95 All ads online! DECEMBER 4-10, 2013 Ask us about Free Ads and Yard Sale Kits! • Contact Christina Edge • classifieds@upandcomingweekly.com 484-1009 www.upandcomingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM