The Nutcracker returns just in time for Christmas

PRESS RELEASE
LIVE AT THE HIPPO POOL EVENTS
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The Nutcracker Tradition continues in Guelph! Ballet Jörgen dances back to the River Run Centre on Thursday, December 19 and Friday, December 20, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. with the season favorite, The NutcrackerWe are pleased to once again offer local dance students the opportunity to perform with the professional dancers of Ballet Jörgen.

Last year, 18 students from dance schools in Guelph and the surrounding area were selected by Ballet Jörgen to join the company's professional cast for performances in Guelph. Performance experience such as this is a valuable addition to a dance/performing arts student's education. Nutcracker Auditions are scheduled for Saturday, September 7, 2024. Interested young dancers between the ages of 8 and 17 are asked to register online at Ballet Jörgen's website. In the weeks leading up to the performance, selected students will rehearse regularly at the Royal City School of Ballet and Theatre Jazz Inc in downtown Guelph.

This production of The Nutcracker Premiere with enthusiastic reviews. “…this is more than a new adaptation, it is a complete reinterpretation. And it succeeds brilliantly. … From the seeds of a timeless classical ballet grows a timeless Canadian ballet, as homemade as maple syrup and back fat.” (Robert Reid, Kitchener-Waterloo record). This wonderful reworking of the timeless classic, choreographed by Bengt Jörgen to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's beloved score, was created in collaboration with the world-renowned McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Ballet Jörgen's The Nutcracker serves as the backdrop for 20th-century Canadian landscape painter Franklin Carmichael's Church and Houses at Bisset (1931), Tom Thomson's Snow in the Woods (1916) and LL FitzGerald's Trees and Wildflowers (1922). Audiences embark on a grand journey through our northern lands filled with snowflakes, wood lilies and forest creatures. Roles such as beaver, frog, dragonfly, squirrel and bear cub are filled by young dancers selected at auditions on September 7.

Founded in 1987, Ballet Jörgen is a classical ballet company with a mission to make ballet accessible and relevant to 21st century audiences. Ballet Jörgen strives to make dance accessible to all and to inspire participation in and appreciation of the arts through personal connections and experiences. Ballet Jörgen tells Canadian stories and creates dance works that are informed by our Canadian identity. It is Canada's most performed professional ballet company – a true national treasure.

All seats are reserved for the River Run performances. Adult tickets are $60/$55, senior tickets are $56/$51 and student tickets are $43/$38. The first seat reservation price is $85. Prices include tax. Tickets are on sale now at the River Run Center box office at 519-763-3000 or 1-877-520-2408 or online. This effort is presented by Live at the Hippo Pool Events. Sponsorship support is provided by GuelphToday enables these performances and the involvement of local dance students.

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