"The Children's Nutcracker"

It is the most wonderful time of the year! Sugarplums dancing in your heads, sweet dreams of Candyland, beautiful costumes, and the sounds of Tchaikovsky in the annual production of “The Children’s Nutcracker”. The production is presented by The Academy Performing Ensemble, Inc. which is a non-profit dance ensemble made up of dancers from the Academy of Ballet, Inc. located on Spalding Drive in Peachtree Corners/Norcross, Ga.

The holiday ballet is approximately one hour and 15 minutes in length and is perfect for younger audiences and adults alike. There are child friendly characters including candy cane soldiers, the crayon dueling Mother Mouse, along with Drosselmeyer, his magic doll, and a very comedic Mother Ginger with polichinelles who jump out from under his skirt. The audience will also enjoy a free autographing session following the performance. It gives little ones an opportunity to get up close and personal with the dancers.

Cathleen Cronin-Dunlap, has been the director and owner of Academy of Ballet for 25 years. She started “The Children’s Nutcracker” as an in house studio performance in 2005 and it has continued to be successful and bigger each year. It is the only Nutcracker from the Peachtree Corners/Norcross area and includes dancers from the community from ages 3-19 years old and parents acting as Mother Ginger and Drosselmeyer. Ms Cathy says, “ It is a great and affordable way to introduce audiences to classical ballet and music. For the dancers, it gives them an opportunity to have corps and lead roles in the Nutcracker and this advances them as performers. This is yet another way that I can share my love of dance and the season with all involved."

“The Children’s Nutcracker” is truly a wonderful experience for the dancers and the audiences-you don’t want to miss this wonderful celebration of dance, music, costumes, and children doing what they love. Tickets: Academy of Ballet/St. Pius X Catholic High School/ www.tututix.com/academyballet or call 435-222-2849