The Nutcracker Suite, presented by the West Windsor Plainsboro Dance Company, is a blend of traditional and contemporary music and diverse choreography with more than 150 dancers performing not only ballet and pointe, but also jazz, hip hop, street jazz, and tap. This year’s performances take place at Grover Middle School on Saturday, December 4, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 5, at 1 p.m. Tickets are $9.
The updated and fully-narrated version of the timeless classic features Molly Karlin, a junior at High School North, in the lead role of Clara. Benji Sills, a sophomore at North, portrays the Prince. Soloists, also High School North students, include Marguerite Girandola as the Ballerina Doll and Katherine LiPuma as the Snow Queen. Choreography is by Amy DeCesare, Roni Wilityer, and Victoria Chodrow.
West Windsor dancers include Sydney Abitanto, Jessica Agran, Kayla Athey, Gabrielle Bailey, Juliana Bell, Alexa Bornstein, Madison Briffa, Taylor Britt, Olivia Carrabba, Madelyn Castillo, Kathleen Chen, Kelly Chen, Vivien Chen, Lucy Cinoa, Callia Cordasco, Amy DeCesare, Faith Falkowitz, Mia Ferri, Anne-Charlotte Frotte, Carina Garcia, Lauren Gracias, Becky Harris, Kiran Hauser, Shirley Hecht, Gemma Hutton, Hope Jaworowski, Anahita Joshi, Eve Kavalov, Lula Kavalov, Courtney Kobus, Jamie Kobus, and Kelsey Kobus.
Also, Emma Leland, Julia Leland, Jessica Lewinson, Charlotte Lichenstein, Jennifer Litzinger, Kimberly Litzinger, Danielle Lluberes, Olivia Lluberes, Ale xa Lombardi, Karlie Lombardi, Elizabeth March, Tanya Matthew, Nicole McCarthy, Casey McElroy, Kelly McElroy, William McElroy, Alyssa Miller, Aditi Nayak, Elisabeth O’Connell, Caitlyn Olenchalk, Hope Pandolpho, Sophie Pirrera, Victoria Retterholt, Julia Revock, Christine Rexroad, Rebecca Rost, Grace Sawyers, Rebecca Schwartz, Abigail Tattle, Kelsey Tattle, Sydney Tattle, Femia Tonelli, Rea Tonelli, Veronica Tonelli, Regina Trevino, Rachel Trokenheim, Anika Vincent, Alex Vogel, Meghan Vogt, Peter Wilityer, and Roni Wilityer.
Plainsboro dancers include Taylor Alphonso, Katherine Antos, Caroline Bromberg, Emily Brown, Nadia Burston, Elise Burton, Kathryna Caparino, Isabella Capuano, Juliana Isnardi, Rosetta Isnardi, Katie Kane, Molly Karlin, Grace Kolker, Julia Kolker, Amanda Kowalski, Carly Kowalski, Alexandra Partila, Jessica Polin, Alexandria Sine, Natasha Singer, Melissa Siskind, Iris Tseng, and Tatiana Tymofyeyeva.
The company will be holding auditions on Saturday, December 18, for its spring show, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Call studio for times at 609-799-9677.
The DanceVision Youth Ensemble, based in Plainsboro, celebrates its fourth year of dancing the Nutcracker on Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12, at Montgomery High School in Skillman. Choreography is by Susan Jaffee of American Ballet Theater. Tickets are $25.
DanceVision is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to enrich the community with quality dance experiences such as performances, school residencies, and dance festivals. The Nutcracker is performed by the DanceVision Youth Ensemble, the performing arm of DanceVision. Risa Kaplowitz, the artistic director of DanceVision, is a West Windsor resident.
Dancers from West Windsor and Plainsboro include Linda Mannheim, Marie Alonzo Snyder, Josiah Foster, Esther Sun, Danielle Shoemaker, Dan Sandford, Risa Kaplowitz, Madison Lai, Max Azaro, Grace Sandford, Serena Wang, Alessa Meni, Leopold Foster, Raisa Roberto, Scarlet Hanks, and Iris Foster.
— Lynn Miller
The Nutcracker, Dance Vision, Montgomery High School, 1016 Route 601, Skillman. Saturday, December 11, 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 12 at 2 p.m. $25. 609-520-1020. www.dancevisionnj.org.
The Nutcracker Suite, West Windsor Plainsboro Dance Company, Grover Middle School, West Windsor. Saturday, December 4, 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 5, at 1 p.m. $9. 609-799-9677. www.thedancecorner.org.
