‘A wonderful story’
Arizona Classical Ballet stages “The Nutcracker Suite on Main Street”
For the fourth year, Arizona Classical Ballet will join in a long-standing ballet tradition tonight and Saturday as it stages “Nutcracker Suite on Main Street.” “It’s a fun story,” said Erika Bowen, Arizona Classical Ballet artistic director. “It’s a holiday tradition. It’s probably one of the most popular ballet (productions) that there is in the United States. It’s the one program that you know families will come to every year.” According to Bowen, the production includes 50 to 60 dancers ranging in age from 3 to over 60. “We have a very wide age range and a very wide range in advancement,” she said. “I have, of course, the 3-year-olds who are beginning all the way through to some kids who are wanting to pursue dance as a professional career.” Many dancers, she notes, were part of the Arizona Classical Ballet’s first production of the “Nutcracker Suite on Main Street” and are now moving up the ranks in their abilities and roles.
“The wonderful thing is it’s a massive tradition where people are dancing this all around the world,” Bowen said. “What’s fun is that the kids can start out as “Glammies” — that’s our youngest group — and go all the way through to being the Snow Queen or the Arabian Princess.
“It’s just a wonderful story about a little girl at Christmas who receives a nutcracker as her gift and he magically turns into a prince and takes her to this fantastic kingdom,” she added. “At the end you are wondering if it was real or it was a dream.”
Tonight’s performance of “The Nutcracker Suite on Main Street” takes place at 7 p.m. in the Historic Yuma Theatre, 254 S. Main St., while Saturday performances in the theater are scheduled for 1 and 5:30 p.m.
Bowen said the venue is truly fitting for the production, as it dates back to over 100 years ago.
“I love that theater,” she stated. “It’s so beautiful and it just has a wonderful feel. It’s going to be decked out in Christmas decorations.”
Tickets cost $15 each and can be purchased at yumashowtickets.com or at the Yuma Art Center. Bowen said tickets can also be purchased at the door. For more information, call (928) 373-5202.