Dance Academy Prepares for 'The Nutcracker'

The regional New England Dance Ensemble performing company is once again performing "The Nutcracker" this fall, with 100 local dancers currently rehearsing in Londonderry for the fall shows.

According to NEDE Director Barbara Mullen, auditions for 2012-2013 spots in the performing company took place on Sept. 16. The dancers are ages 5 through 18.

The members of the company who were selected have each been cast in "The Nutcracker" shows, which will take place on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 25 at 2 p.m., both at Windham High School.

Mullen's said that the NEDE program offers "enormous growth opportunities" for the region's performing arts students.

"Those attaining membership take part in rigorous dance training and choreography, and are exposed to a wide range of performing venues, classical and contemporary music and staging, and theatrical workshops," she said.

Taking the lead role of the Nutcracker Prince will once again be Windham resident Connor Bermingham.

Just before the show last year, we featured Bermingham on Patch.

Professionals from New York's American Ballet Theatre and Broadway are also rehearsing and performing with the kids.

Check out the entire cast for the shows below, and visit Londonderry Dance Academy on Facebook for videos, photos and other updates leading up to the show.

Clara - *Samantha Mauceri, *Melissa Mihajlica

Fritz - Andrea Cashin

Party Girls - Shae Reynolds, Emily Atkinson *Victoria Indelicato, *April Mauceri, *Molly Carlson, *Abby Cavers, *Audrey Severn, *Morgan Brutus, *Jillian Bowman, *Sophia Coakley

Party Boys - Carly Butler, Emma Donnelly, Isabelle Mearls, Arielle Nysten

Maids - Alexa Splagounias, Cara Chrissis

Harlequin Doll - Haley Follansbee

Soldier Doll - Laurel Armes

Baby Mice - Camille Broadhurst, Ariel Cuello, Isabella Chick, Mary Burns, Kiera Verani, Freedom James

Rats - Madeleine Lessard, Brook Soucy, Mary Sullivan, Olivia Brutus, Kayla Robbins, Stefanie Amargo, KeeAnne Preval, Gabrielle Leitgeb

Rat Queen - Nikki Jastrem

Nutcracker - Connor Bermingham

Soldier Captain - Marie Duffy

Bunny - Danielle Cournoyer

Soldiers - Nicole Stone, Arushi Baneriff, Stephanie Wan, Alexis Chrissanthis, Nina Andrews, Kristina Packowski, Amelia Hong, Dustin Cournoyer

Snow - Christine Masci, Taryn Siddique, Cara Chrissis, Catherine Miceli, Alexa Splagounias, Alexis Morgan, Katie Scoville, Laurel Armes, Sarah Anderson, Yoon Chin, Alison Cashin, Alana Haggerty

Snow Queen - Danielle Fitzgerald

Snow King - Sterling Baca

Angels - Meaghan  Peterson, Emma Steiger, Talen Letoile, Emily Benson. Brooklyn Peters, Molly Bresnahan, Andrea Cashin, Sophia Coakley

Lead Harpist - Brook Soucy

Harpists - Rachel Cook, Katie Sullivan, Catherine Hazard, Sara Scoville, Emma Mearls, Annabelle Zvgelsky, Madeleine Lessard, Gabrielle Leitgeb

Spanish - Taryn Siddique, Danielle Fitzgerald, Cara Chrissis, Alexis Morgan

Arabian - Colleen Ahern, Sterling Baca

Chinese - Maryannah Semaneck, Haley Follansbee, Stefanie Amargo, Alison Cashin

Chinese Ribbon - *Victoria Indelicato, *April Mauceri, *Molly Carlson, *Abby Cavers, *Audrey Severn, *Morgan Brutus, *Jillian Bowman, *Sophia Coakley *Samantha Mauceri,* Melissa Mihajlica

Russian - Mary Sullivan, Nikki Jastrem, Olivia Brutus, Kayla Robbins

Mirleton - Danielle Fitzgerald, Taryn Siddique, Cara Chrissis, Sarah Anderson, Yoon Chin

Mother Ginger - Robb Russ

Polichinelles - Ellie Cook, Emily Jastrem, Olivia Fee, Melissa Sun, Katrina Souter, Alyssa Beaulieu, Erin Strike, Gabrielle Gallant

Flowers - Alexa Splagounias, Catherine Miceli, Laurel Armes, Sarah Anderson, Katie Scoville, Cara Chrissis, Alana Haggerty, Gabrielle Leitgeb

Flower Attendants - Danielle Fitzgerald, Taryn Siddique

Dew Drop Fairy - Alexis Morgan

Sugar Plum - Yuriko Kajiya

Cavalier - Jared Matthews

Baby Dolls- *Jordan Steiger, *Megan Finley, *Samantha Cornellier, *Chloe Horgan, *Elizabeth James, *Cassidy Gallant, *Madeleine Randall, *Keira Strike, *Sophie Manchester, *Hanne Stuke, *Anna Lawrence, *Lillianna Cawthorn, Ivan Zvagelsky

Reindeers - Alexis Chrissanthis, Nina Andrews, Kristina Packowski, Amelia Hong, Stephanie Wan, Nicole Stone

Performers with an asterisk (*) will be performing in either the Saturday or Sunday show.

Tickets can be found here.