PARK CITY, UT – The Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy, as part of the fourth largest ballet academy in the country, returns to the Eccles Center in Park City with The Nutcracker Suite on Dec. 7. The shortened, family-friendly performance has long been a holiday tradition for the area.
“Ballet lovers always dream about the first time they bring their families to The Nutcracker and the Peggy Bergman Park City Campus’ The Nutcracker Suite is an amazing introduction for their families,” said retired Ballet West First Soloist Allison DeBona, now the Ballet West Academy Peggy Bergmann Park City Campus Principal.
“It has all of the elements from Willam Christensen’s Ballet West version, also known as America’s First Nutcracker, but in a condensed format, so families aren’t intimidated coming to a full-length ballet.”
The performance will feature students from the Ballet West Academy Park City Campus, along with special guest performers Ballet West II Dancer Adrian Fite as the Cavalier in both shows and local actor Ben Lowell as Drosselmeyer. As a fun side note, four parents of Park City Campus students will be dancing in the roles of party parents.
“As a ballerina who has an aspiration to become professional, there is nothing like your first experience in The Nutcracker, especially in the most famous roles, like Clara or the Sugar Plum Fairy,” said DeBona. “To be able to coach these dancers through some of the most difficult choreography there is to dance is just overwhelming and inspiring. Come and support these dancers who have worked so hard for the past few months.”
Visit the Ballet West website to read more.