‘The Nutcracker’ at Bardavon this weekend
Giant fighting mice, sugar plum fairies and huge toy soldiers will be dancing this weekend on the stage of the Bardavon, 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie, as part of the New Paltz Ballet Theatre production of “The Nutcracker.”
The classic ballet about a little girl and her special Christmas gift will be performed Saturday, Dec. 8, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m.
“The Nutcracker” is a ballet in two acts based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” with music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. The dreamlike journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets is created in part by the colorful costumes and scenery of designer Ray Delle Robbins of Houston Ballet and Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars. Staging and choreography are by New Paltz Ballet Theatre’s artistic directors Peter Naumann and Lisa Naumann. The Naumanns both danced with the New York City Ballet for many years and have performed in major works by choreographers George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and Peter Martins.
The production features two dancers from the New York City Ballet, Daniel Ulbricht and Erica Pereira. Pereira was born in Northport, N.Y. She began studying ballet at the age of 8 and enrolled at Ballet Academy East at age 10. In 2005, Pereira began studying at the School of American Ballet, the New York City Ballet’s official school. She attended summer programs at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Pereira became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet in December 2006. While an apprentice, she danced the role of Juliet in Peter Martins’ “Romeo + Juliet” during the 2007 spring season. She joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet that May. In December 2009, she was promoted to soloist.
Ulbricht was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and began his dance training at age 11 at the Judith Lee Johnson Studio of Dance, studying with Lenny Holmes. He also studied at Les Jeunes Danseurs with Javier Dubraq and attended the Chautauqua Summer Dance Program, training with Jean Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride.
In 1999, Ulbricht was invited to continue his training at the School of American Ballet during its winter program. As a School of American Ballet student, Ulbricht performed with the New York City Ballet as a jester in Peter Martins’ “The Sleeping Beauty.” In December 2000, he became an apprentice and, in November 2001, joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet. In January 2005, Ulbricht was promoted to the rank of soloist, and then to principal dancer in May 2007.
Tickets are $32 for adults, $29 for students and $27 for Bardavon members. Tickets are available at the Bardavon box office or by calling (845) 473-2072. They are also available at the Ulster Performing Arts Center box office, 601 Broadway, Kingston, or by calling (845) 339-6088. In addition, they are available by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by visiting ticketmaster.com. Bardavon member benefits are not availale through Ticketmaster.