Ashtabula Arts Center Dance Department News

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2928 West 13th St. Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 phone: 440-964-3396 Search This Site: HOLIDAY MAGIC - "THE NUTCRACKER": Posted: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 It is Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum home, a time when a little girl's dream may become reality. Join Clara as she begins a magical and wondrous journey through the enchanted snowforest to the Enchanted Palace of the Sugar Plum Fairy. There is nothing more magical than Ballet Theatre Ashtabula's holiday classic "The Nutcracker." The full scale production which has become a holiday tradition for many will run for eleven performances, December 3-5, 10-12 and 16-19l. Shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. There will also be Saturday matinees on December 11 and 18, with curtain at 2:00 p.m. The performance on Saturday, December 4, is already sold out. "The Nutcracker" has dazzling special effects, the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky, a growing Christmas tree, and fun choreography and costumes for all to enjoy. The children in the audience particularly enjoy the appearance of Mother Ginger and her vivacious Bon Bons who make their appearance from under Mother Ginger's huge hooped skirt. Reserve your tickets early to guarantee your family the holiday magic of the cherished classic that is "The Nutcracker." Come Join the Party! Many of the dancers have been rehearsing their roles in the show since mid-summer; however, we are continuously looking for people young and old to portray the many “party guests” required in the first act of the show. Is your child involved in the dance program and this your’s show, and you plan on coming to see most of the performances anyway? Why not join the cast? The Stahlbaum Holiday Party is always a lot of fun for cast members because they get to see “The Nutcracker” from a new and different perspective. Many family members are often involved in the cast together as a way to share the holiday season in a unique and meaningful way. For more information about becoming a guest in this year’s party scene, contact Dance Coordinator Shelagh Dubsky at 964-3396. MEET THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY!: Posted: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 It's time again for the Annual Sugar Plum Luncheon! Meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and some of her subjects at this year's special luncheon in the AAC gallery prior to the 2:00 performance on Saturday, December 11. The luncheon will begin at noon, and will feature not only some delicious food, but also the chance to meet and take pictures with the Sugar Plum Fairy. Her loyal subjects may also pop in to greet young guests and talk to them about "The Nutcracker." Adults and children are sure to enjoy this magical afternoon. What an exciting way to get up close and personal with the cast before watching them perform on stage! The cost of the luncheon is $9 for adults and $6 for children. In addition, those attending the luncheon and wishing to stay for the 2:00 performance of "The Nutcracker" that same afternoon will have their performance tickets discounted by $1.00 for each person. The event is co-chaired by Sandy Sposito and Debbi Waring. This luncheon fills quickly, So make your reservations early! Twenty-Two Years of "The Nutcracker": Posted: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 by Shelagh Dubsky, Dance Coordinator Each year I set aside a planning week to organize myself to face the overwhelming task of producing "The Nutcracker." This fall seemed no different as I began my planning for September, October, November and December 2004. However, in this process I became acutely aware of this creeping wave of nostalgia. It occurred to me how very lucky I have been to work with numerous Claras, Nutcracker Princes, Bon Bons, Sugar Plums, Snowflakes and Party Scene Guests. It's really funny how old some of these dancers have gotten while I haven't aged at all! Seriously, what a privilege it has been for me to work with all these young, and not so young, people over the years. I am also so lucky that they stay in contact with me and occasionally spend time back at the Arts Center dancing and coaching the new generation of dancers. I have memories of each dancer and their many Nutcracker experiences tucked carefully away in my heart and mind. There are also many physical reminders of them around the Arts Center - such as opening night good luck cards pinned to the bulletin board from people like Mark Sivy and Sarah Horrigan, or the awesome new sound speakers in studio A that have been donated by Charles Kiss. There are also the beautiful fall trees in the front of the building that Scott DeCola and I always loved to look at late at night after rehearsals, or the hill that Clover Robinson and Juliann Rhodes used to "play" on in between scheduled Nutcracker rehearsals. There's the picture of Randy Prill in his party scene costume taped half-hazardly to the stereo, and Daniel Jordan's t-shirt sleeve pinned to the bulletin board with the message "Help Me." There is also a picture gallery of all the dancers dating back to 1981 which hangs on the wall over my phone. Every day I come to work and I look at all of these individuals and realize how truly rich my life has been because of them. Many of my dancers have gone on to dance professionally or have gone on to college to pursue dance. Others have gone on to other careers such as teaching or working with computers or musical theatre. Regardless of the life path that each has chosen, the "Nutcracker experience" is a common thread that forever bonds them to each other and myself.