The music of Tchaikovsky comes to The Eagle Eye Theatre - along with some mice, a Mouse King, tin soldiers and the Sugar Plum Fairy - as The Squamish Youth Ballet performs The Nutcracker next Friday and Saturday (Dec. 2 and 3).
"This is the second year we are performing The Nutcracker," said Howe Sound Dance Academy owner Shalimar Blanchard, who is heading up the holiday production. "This is being done under the umbrella of Squamish Youth Ballet, not one dance studio, so everyone in the Sea to Sky could have a chance to audition and have the experience of performing in The Nutcracker."
Auditions were held in June, with 31 dancers earning roles and a rigorous rehearsal schedule.
"We started rehearsals in August," Blanchard said. "They've been working very hard for the past 13 weeks. Each student has at least three roles in the production, and some have up to six - depending on their abilities."
The cast ranges in age from nine to 20, but Blanchard said the students bonded and helped each other out during the gruelling schedule.
"The little ones often look up to the bigger kids," she said. "They all help each other, and it's so nice to see the connections. They've really worked their butts off, too. They've given up their weekends and been so dedicated. So, of course, I have to be equally dedicated to them."
Blanchard said The Nutcracker is a perfect example of the traditional holiday experience.
"The Nutcracker is just such a traditional Christmas piece to do," she said. "And, with the popularity of TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance, the emphasis these days seems to be on flash and hype. It's the wow factor and hip-hop dancing. But there is something so elegant and graceful about ballet. It's great for kids to be a part of that, and also, there's a lot of dance talent in Squamish. It's great to be able to showcase all that talent."
So far, this year has been a bit easier than the inaugural production last year.
"We were lucky this year in that we already had most of the costumes from last year," Blanchard said. "We also had the choreography already from the previous production."
However, don't expect a simple repetition and rehash of last year's Nutcracker.
"I have changed some of the choreography to keep it fresh," she said. "I also made a few subtle changes, so if you saw it last year you may sense it's different but may not be able to figure out just what is different. I also made sure that students who were in the production last year had new roles to play this year, so they get a new experience as well."
Performances of The Nutcracker take place Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, available at the door, or at the Howe Sound Dance Academy studio in Brackendale.
For more info go to www.howesounddance.com.
