Excitement is Really Building for The Children’s Nutcracker & Launch of CBSA II Professional Division
Excitement is really building during this most wonderful time of the year. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio soars to new heights this year with The Children’s Nutcracker and the introduction of CBSA II Professional Division.
Taking in The Children’s Nutcracker has quickly become a cherished holiday tradition for arts-loving San Antonio families thanks to the whimsical sets, lavish costumes, and serious skills showcased during each performance. And while young dancers interpreting the beloved tale of Clara, the Nutcracker, and the Sugar Plum Fairy remain, the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio continues to broaden the ballet’s appeal with captivating Broadway style entertainment including singing, acting dialogue, a sweeping range of dance styles and new surprises like aerial acrobatics in its shortened 1.5 hour performance.
About CBSA II
This December, The Children’s Nutcracker leaps even higher than before thanks to participants from the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s new CBSA II Professional Division, which extends its mission to provide high-caliber professional performance experience to promising young adult dancers 18 and up who are transitioning to a professional career.
For a very special Saturday evening show, CBSA II professional artists will join the cast of singers, actors, gymnasts, and international guest artists to create an incredible holiday performance.
Cherished Holiday Traditions Spun Together
Holiday spirit fills the air from the moment guests enter the Lila Cockerell Theatre and discover a festive holiday market featuring an extensive selection of magical items like tutus and Sugarplum Fairy wands, Mouse King swords, ornaments and, of course, nutcrackers. Key cast members and Santa himself will be on hand for photos on a first come first served basis. And, because no holiday is complete without treats, there will be plenty of holiday fare including cocoa, cookies, candy and other savory bites to delight.
Magical Moments with International Superstars
The Children’s Ballet and its founder, Prima Ballerina Vanessa Bessler, are renowned for creating top-notch opportunities for young San Antonians passionate about dance. To that end, this year CBSA hosts international principal guest artist Aliaksandra Krukava and CBSA II principal Nurlan Kinerbayev, both experts in ballet’s acclaimed Vaganova method made famous by the likes of Anna Pavlova, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev. These international ballet superstars have toured Europe and America, performing in the best theaters along the way. Krukava and Kinerbayev will assist behind the scenes staging all productions of The Children’s Nutcracker, and will dance the famed roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker during the evening performances. CBSA alumna Lucy Hassman, back in town after training with the Bolshoi Ballet and English National Ballet, will dance the part of the Sugar Plum fairy during Saturday’s matinee performance before whirling into the role of Snow Queen during the Saturday evening CBSA II professional performance.
Bessler, a Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Teacher for the past eight consecutive years, is already renowned for discovering and cultivating young, local talent who often go on to train in some of the world’s best professional ballet companies and academies. With CBSA II, she has created a missing step in San Antonio’s dance scene, allowing elite dancers to join CBSA II Trainee program and continue building toward the goal of joining professional dance companies after finishing high school. The trainee program will officially premiere during Saturday evening’s performance.
Holiday Fun for Everyone
As ever, the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio strives to include young performers of all abilities and ages, adapting and modifying The Children’s Nutcracker to allow special needs dancers to take to the stage, and assigning principal roles to performers as young as eight years old. Bessler makes every CBSA performance available to children across the city by offering complimentary performances to more than 3000 Title 1 and special needs children. As Bessler often says: “The arts are for everyone.”
WHAT:
The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents The Children’s Nutcracker
WHEN:
Friday, Dec 8, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Dec 9, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 9, 7:00 p.m. (CBSA II Performance)
Note: Holiday Market and Photos with Santa and cast opens one hour prior to showtime.
WHERE:
The Lila Cockrell Theatre
200 E. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
Visit Ticketmaster for ticketing information.
WHY:
Admission proceeds and holiday market profits directly benefit CBSA’s mission to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds. Donations from the event will benefit dance scholarships for special needs and underserved youth, as well as the transportation and organization of several hundred Title 1 school students to attend each performance. Funds also go to the production costs of theatre, costumes, lights, and special effects that allow these dancers to perform in professional-caliber productions at San Antonio’s top theatres as part of their professional level training.
About the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio
The award-winning Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is an authentic, professional-level ballet company that produces professionally staged productions showcasing San Antonio’s most talented children. Dancers are selected by invitation or audition. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is a nonprofit organization 501(c)3. For more information, visit childrensballetofsanantonio.org or call 210-462-7660.
Mission: The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) seeks to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds.
