Annual ‘Nutcracker’ auditions Saturday
The Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company will hold auditions for the annual “The Nutcracker Ballet” on Saturday for dancers of all ages and abilities.
The Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company and the Hot Springs community have presented the Yuletide holiday classic for the past eight years, a news release said. This year’s performance dates will be Nov. 26-27 and Dec. 3-4.
The auditions will be held from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. for dancers 6-9 years old; from 10-11:30 a.m. for dancers 10-12 years old; and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for dancers 13 years old and older, with pointe shoes for females.
The cost to audition is $10. Rehearsals are held during the fall, on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with additional evening rehearsals required for some performers on weeknights based on size and challenges of particular roles.
The audition is open to both girls and boys 5 years old and older. Students should arrive 30 minutes prior to the audition time to have time to register. At the audition, students will do a ballet barre and learn a small excerpt of material and will be asked to dance. A parent or guardian must be present for students younger than 18 years of age to sign appropriate waiver forms.
Female students are required to wear designated attire: black or blue leotards, pink or flesh tone tights (no leggings or pantyhose), and pink ballet slippers. Female students are also required to have their hair groomed neatly in a bun.
Male students should wear tights, biking shorts or shorts, a fitted T-shirt or leotard, and black ballet slippers.
“The Nutcracker” is a “holiday classic that is perfect for the beginner yet also a marvelous experience for the well-trained ballet student. Be a part of this wonderful performance that will foster your love of dance and enable you to share the joy of ballet with others. This Christmas favorite will provide students with the wonderful opportunity to share the stage with Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theater’s talented guest professional dancers from around the country. Join us at the auditions to be a part of this magical production,” the release said.
“The first act of ‘Nutcracker’ involves several character acting roles an excellent way to develop an actor’s skills in self-presentation, movement and stage presents. The audition is open to the public and all schools,” it said.
“Under the artistic direction of artistic director and choreographer Edmond Cooper, those chosen will have a wonderful experience to learn the nuances of a ballet performer taken as seriously as any professional dance organization,” the release said.
The auditions are open to dancers from the entire community and every dance studio that is interested in a professional experience is welcome.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for everyone from the professionals to students trained in various styles of dancing,” it said.
Cooper, a Hot Springs native, is a former professional touring performer and choreographer. “His talent, energy, and vision breathe life in the dance company every day, on all levels. He has returned home, to Hot Springs, to be close to family and to dedicate himself fully in this Dance Theatre endeavor and the Arkansas audience is discovering how entertaining these performances are to experience,” the release said.