Community Corner
Marina Del Rey Residents Dance in 50th Nutcracker Anniversary
The Sold-Out Performance is available online for the Holiday Season!
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Westside Ballet of Santa Monica presented its 50th-anniversary celebration of "The Nutcracker” Southern California's longest-running rendition, Thanksgiving weekend and ran through last weekend, for eight sold-out public performances at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
FREE COMMUNITY VIEWING LINKS: As all eight public performances of Westside Ballet’s 50th Nutcracker were sold out to the public for over three weeks, the nonprofit performance company’s producers announced they will offer a free Vimeo and YouTube link for the community to watch the performance on their home entertainment systems for a limited time during the 2023 Holiday Season.
Three illustrious Westside Ballet alumni—special guest stars Tiler Peck, Lucia Connolly, and Lyrica Woodruff—each took center stage as the enchanting Sugar Plum Fairy. These extraordinary artists returned to their roots, making these performances truly memorable.
Five Marina del Rey residents were among the over 107 student and pre-professional dancers who performed. Westside Ballet’s “Nutcracker” retains the most memorable traditional characters and iconic moments—including a tree that grows, a firing cannon, Angels gliding on clouds, and falling snow over a stunning corps de ballet. Set to the majestic score of Tchaikovsky led by The Santa Monica College Symphony Orchestra, this year's milestone production amazed audiences with newly enhanced set designs and 225 costumes.
Marina del Rey Koko Miyamoto (15), a sophomore at Geffen Academy, performed in the roles of lead candy, flowers, snow, lead chinese, and side mirliton. When not rehearsing, the dancer says she also enjoys golf, baking, and advanced algebra! "This is my first year doing the Nutcracker with Westside Ballet,” said Koko before the show. “I’m looking forward to dancing in snow and flowers, because I always loved watching both dances, because it was so beautiful. It feels really magical to do them on stage for the first time, and I am really excited!"
Nadia Hofer (14) is a sophomore with honors at Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences. Besides taking ballet technique classes for over 20 hours a week as an advanced Level VI (6) level of ballet study, Nadia enjoys tap dancing, jazz, horseback riding, swimming, reading, hanging with friends, commercials, and her favorite subjects in school are math and art. She has danced at Westside Ballet since she was eight years old. For the 50th Nutcracker, she was cast in the roles of Center Chinese, the Arabian pas de deux, Side Spanish, Side Mirliton, Flower, and as a Snowflake.
Luna Soleil Alatorre (12) is a seventh grader at Crossroads School and has danced at Westside Ballet since she was 5 years old. Luna says it is her first year dancing 'en pointe' in the lively Russian dance, after three years of performing the younger student dancer roles such as Red Soldier, Party Boy, Mouse, Polichinelle, and Angel.
“Dance is most important to me,” says Luna. “Not just Ballet, but I am also part of the Dance Company at Crossroads. It’s a fun way to express myself, and I have formed great relationships through dance." Luna says she also enjoys drama, art, fashion, and loves her dog and two cats! She is hoping to dance in college while pursuing studies to become a veterinarian.
Luna's family is heavily involved in the 50th Nutcracker production. Her mother, Liesbeth Kok, is costume director of Westside Ballet, an expert seamstress, and costume designer. She says, "Since I joined Westside Ballet, I've been looking forward to the 50th Nutcracker anniversary, particularly adding whimsy to the Peppermint Candy costumes and updating the mice heads with breathable mesh and more animated facial expressions. As well as the charming new Crystal Bells with matching crowns. It’s so enchanting to see the final result on our beautiful home theater in Santa Monica!”
Mackenzie Olesky (9), a fourth grader at Coeur d’Alene School, said she was excited as well for her first Nutcracker performance with Westside as a Red Soldier. She says it feels very nice because she likes to try something new. Mackenzie danced at Los Angeles Ballet Academy previously, beginning at age 4. Mackenzie is great at drawing, running, performing, and says she likes school and excels in ELS.
Another Marina resident, Cypress Classen-Main (8), also attends Crossroads School and is in third grade. This is her first Nutcracker performance as a Blue Soldier.
“My family began watching the Nutcracker when I was only four years old and Santa gave us the tickets,” says Cypress. “Each year, we put on our best clothes and go to see the Nutcracker ballet. I am excited to be on the stage this year and bring the magic of the story of the ballet to life for all the families in the audience. I will begin my own tradition of being in the Nutcracker, experiencing the Nutcracker from the other side as a ballerina!”
A Los Angeles holiday tradition for all ages since 1973, Westside Ballet’s version of the classic preserves the spirit of choreographer George Balanchine as carried on by Westside’s co-founder Yvonne Mounsey, who pioneered the role of Center Spanish while a New York City Ballet principal dancer.
The new costumes and scenery upgrades to the Westside Ballet legacy production is made possible in part from grants from grants from the City of Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, and the State of California—with past grants from the Rotary Club and a LA County COVID-19 Arts Relief Fund—and from sponsorships from local Santa Monica individuals, businesses, and organizations such as Santa Monica College Public Policy Institute, The Huntley Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Lyft Scooters, Urth Caffe, Morley Builders, LA Philanthropic Committee for the Arts, and more.
