Ballet Yuma dances 'Nutcracker' this weekend

Yumans still have a chance to catch the holiday favorite, “The Nutcracker,” this weekend.

Ballet Yuma will present its production at Snider Auditorium, 400 S. 6th Ave., with performances Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Reserved seating tickets are $12, $17 and $22 for adults. There is a discount of $4 for children 12 and under.

Tickets are available at Dillard's in the Yuma Palms Regional Shopping Center or may be purchased at the door. For more information, call Ballet Yuma's business office at 345-1534 or go to www.balletyuma.org.

Co-directed by Kathleen Sinclair and Jon Cristofori, this year Ballet Yuma production will feature guest artists who have performed with numerous professional companies. Two are graduates of Ballet Yuma and two direct other local dance companies. The show will also feature five graduating seniors.

“It's kind of exciting. We'll be showing the community how we've been able to train and foster and help young artists and now they're dancing with us and bringing back their talents,” Sinclair said.

Kyndra Ricker, recently with Atlanta Ballet and Disney Tokyo, and Joseph Jefferies, a longtime featured dancer with Ballet Memphis, will play the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Taylor Owens, a 2011 graduate of Ballet Yuma who is now attending the University of Arizona on a dance scholarship, will perform the roles of Dewdrop and the Snow Queen, with Joseph Jefferies as the Snow King.

Erika Fara-Romanyuk, owner and artistic director of Arizona Classical Ballet, and Frank Amparo, owner and director of Bien Suave Dance Company, will perform as the Arabian couple.

Children's roles will be danced by students from Yuma Ballet Academy. Graduating seniors Ariane Guthrie, Nicolette Gutierrez, Andrea Hennig, Tiffany Jones and Margeaux Miller will be performing in their final Ballet Yuma production of the “The Nutcracker.” Guthrie and Hennig have been dancing together since they were 4 years old.

“The Nutcracker” story begins with a grand Christmas Eve party at the Stahlbaum home. Young Clara and her brother, Fritz, are excited as guests arrive including the mysterious, magical figure, Herr Drosselmeyer, whom has brought gifts including a soldier nutcracker for Clara.

She dearly loves the present, but her brother becomes jealous and breaks it. Herr Drosselmeyer mends the nutcracker, and Clara's attachment to the small soldier grows.

When the evening comes to an end, Clara falls asleep with her nutcracker by the family Christmas tree, and it is in her dreams, seemingly orchestrated by Drosselmeyer, that the magical excitement begins.

There follows a great battle between a Mouse King's minions and the now life-size nutcracker's soldiers. The gallant nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince who accompanies Clara on a journey through the enchanting Land of Snow to the Land of Sweets.

Along the way, the two are met and entertained by many enchanting characters.

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or 539-6856. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSMaraKnaub or on Twitter at @YSMaraKnaub.