Nutcracker 2009
Conejo Civic Ballet Company's Nutcracker 2009 production was performed Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 2:30pm in the Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Peter Tchaikovsky's score for Nutcracker remains one of the most beloved in ballet. This production was choreographed by Brett Weidlich and this year we reintroduced the Mother Ginger scene. Of course there are always changes in choreography from the previous year's performance. Dancers advance in their training and are capable of more difficult choreography and new dancers are added and need an opportunity for stage experience.
Many people contributed to make this performance exciting. First of all are the dancers of CCBC, some that danced in their first ballet production and others that have danced on stage for many years and danced more difficult roles in this performance. Special thanks goes to our artist director, Eva Pokorny, and Helena Pokorny, our talented Ballet Mistress. Melisa Sutherland and Linda Lewis, two instructors at Ballet Arts, danced in this production of Nutcracker and worked behind the scenes to make this production a success.
The guest artists in this Nutcracker production are all resident in the Los Angeles area. Our Nutcracker Prince was Ryan Hansen who has danced with CCBC twice before and joins us after returning from a tour of Japan. Arianna Emance and Eddy Hawks dance the Grand Pas de Deux as Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Mr. Hawks also fills in the role of Clara's Father. Natalie Kramer joins CCBC's Kelsy Koenig in the lead for the Arabian dance in the second Act. Finally, Drosselmeyer is played by Kevin Quigley, a professional dancer and actor in Los Angeles.
We also thank Robert Loftin, who is an instructor at Ballet Arts and has danced in a great many CCBC productions and danced the role of Mouse King and Party Parent in this performance.
A full list of the program credits can be found on the electronic copy of the Program for the show.
We have tried to capture some measure of the excitement of this performance in the photo galleries accessed in the right hand column. Both the Performance photos and the Dress Rehearsal photos were taken for CCBC by Harry Mathias. The Dress Rehearsal photos have a more intimate tone since they were taken in the wings and around the stage - something we cannot do for the actual performance.
Video Clips
Coming Soon.