Ballet Etudes brings innovative flair to a festive holiday classic
Now in its 27th season, “The Nutcracker,” presented by Ballet Etudes, has returned to the Huntington Beach High School Auditorium for the first two weekends in December.
Around 350 people celebrating the yearly holiday tradition, among them several first timers, attended the matinee of “The Nutcracker” on Sunday.
Huntington Beach residents Natalie Gordon and her mom, Lisa Gordon, have been coming to the show ever since Sugar Plum Grace was a mouse, which has now been 13 years.
“I grew up baby-sitting Grace Wendl and her sisters,” said Gordon. “It is always so fun coming to their performances, seeing them grow into beautiful dancers every year.”
“Lauren did an amazing job as an Arabian lead dancer and wowed the audience with her flexibility and performance,” said Gordon. “ Grace, the other dancer I was there to see, was the Sugar Plum Fairy, and she stole the show! This was a wonderful ballet — my mom and I enjoyed very much.”
Gordon’s praise extended to every element of the performance, which brought the music to life from the sparkling costumes to the flawless dancing, she said. “This may have been my favorite performance yet.”
Located in Huntington Beach, Ballet Etudes is a nonprofit youth ballet company dedicated to nurturing dancers’ character development and artistic growth through immersive, exceptional performance experiences. Its mission is to engage and enrich the community by introducing the power of ballet.
Ballet Etudes’ ”The Nutcracker” is a professional presentation in every way. The props and costumes used are all professional, as are dancers Edward Johnson as Herr Drosselmeyer and Evan Strand as the Cavalier to the Sugarplum Fairy. It is, however, the Ballet Etudes company dancers that set it apart by creating a bit more homegrown-hometown appreciation.
“All of the company dancers have grown up in the ballet company,” said the company’s promotional chair, Christine Wendl. “Some began at 5 or 6 years old and have grown and developed as we go along.”
Ballet Etudes director Kimberly McEachern expressed that the company was honored to be a part of such special holiday memories for so many families who have made “The Nutcracker” a beloved annual tradition.
“Our beautiful graduating high school seniors will be gracing our stages for their final ‘Nutcracker’ with us, and we couldn’t be prouder” said McEachern.
The performances include Grace Wendl as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Makayla Arakaki as the Snow Queen, Julie Kurimoto as the Dew Drop Fairy and Sarah Beyer as the Mirliton duchess, McEachern said.
Senior company member Arakaki said that since the first time she saw “The Nutcracker,” she dreamed about having the opportunity to one day perform in such a great spectacle. “It’s an awesome feeling to dance in front of big crowds, and I feel right at home doing it,” said Arakaki. “Although I’ve had various roles in ‘The Nutcracker’ in my 11 years of dance, the snow scene has been my absolute favorite. There’s something nostalgic about that scene, and I’m blessed that I get to take on the role of Snow Queen in this year’s performance.”
“The Nutcracker” has delighted generations with its enchanting story line, iconic choreography and timeless Tchaikovsky score. The tale follows young Clara on a remarkable journey through a whimsical landscape filled with dancing snowflakes, waltzing flowers and an epic battle between the Nutcracker Prince and the Rat King. The ballet transports audiences to a magical world where toys come to life, dreams take flight, and the power of imagination knows no bounds.
This Sunday’s performances take place Dec. 10 at 2 and 7 p.m. at Huntington Beach High School, 1905 Main St. in Huntington Beach. For tickets and information, visit balletetudes.com.
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