West Islip Students Share Stage with NYC Ballet Stars

WEST ISLIP STUDENTS PERFORM WITH NEW YORK CITY BALLET STARS IN LONG ISLAND’S LARGEST PRODUCTION OF “THE NUTCRACKER”

Special Guests Include Daniel Ulbricht and Indiana Woodward of New York City Ballet

Children’s Cast Includes Young Dancers from West Islip Schools

New York Dance Theatre Performances December 18 and 19 at Hofstra University’s John Cranford Adams Playhouse

West Islip students Katie Fox and Samantha Bellacossa will share the stage with New York City Ballet stars Indiana Woodward and Daniel Ulbricht in New York Dance Theatre’s 39th season of “The Nutcracker” at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY on Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19 with performances at noon and 5 p.m. The girls perform multiple roles in the iconic holiday story ballet including a soldier in the Battle Scene, a mouse in the Battle Scene, an angel, and confections in the Land of Sweets.

NYDT’s production is the largest Nutcracker on Long Island and the only one performed in the tradition of New York City Ballet’s Lincoln Center version. Through the years, founder and longtime Centerport resident Frank Ohman created original dances and scenes for the ballet that set his production apart from others on Long Island. As a former student and soloist under George Balanchine Ohman was one of a select few authorized to use the original pas de deux choreography of his mentor, which continues to distinguish this production.

Special guest artists, New York City Ballet principal dancers Indiana Woodward and Daniel Ulbricht, will perform as the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier. Mr. Ulbricht serves as an artistic advisor for the Ohman School of Ballet, a division of New York Dance Theatre, and has been a recurring master class instructor at the school including on Zoom throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the elegant Christmas Party Scene, the drama of the magical growing Christmas Tree, the Battle of the Toy Soldiers and Giant Mice, the live Snow Storm, and the brilliant dancing in the Land of the Sweets, “The Nutcracker” appeals to all ages. In all, a cast of 80 children, pre-professional and professional dancers will bring this classic story ballet to life on the stage of the John Cranford Adams Playhouse. The children’s roles are performed by students of the Frank Ohman School of Ballet in Commack.

Tickets for this full production ballet are $42.00 and $32.00 (seniors and children 12 and under) plus $3 fee, available at www.ohmanballet.org or 631.462.0964. Details about Covid-19 protocols for audience members are outlined on the website and are subject to change according to local government guidelines.

About the Frank Ohman School of Ballet

The Frank Ohman School of Ballet was founded in 1979 by Frank Ohman, former soloist at New York City Ballet (NYCB). Located in Commack, the school serves as a training ground for promising young dancers and offers aspiring students the opportunity to learn classical ballet in the tradition of George Balanchine. The school is a non-competition, non-recital school, focusing on proper classical ballet technique. A division of the New York Dance Theatre, Inc., the Ohman School has become an integral part of the company and is one of the very few not-for-profit ballet schools in the region. It offers three studios with state-of-the art flooring to Balanchine specifications and a highly qualified teaching staff trained by founding artistic director Frank Ohman (1939-2019). Artistic advisors for the school include New York City Ballet principal Daniel Ulbricht and New York City Ballet principal Ask la Cour, who served as Artistic Director of the school before his recent retirement.