A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration – Program Notes

Arizona Philharmonic
Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet

With Special Guests Unblanche, Voci Sorella, Una Voce Women’s Choir, and Lessons by Lexe

Saturday & Sunday
December 17 & 18, 2022 @ 3:00 pm
Yavapai College Performing Arts Center

Presented by the James Family Trust

Printable PDF

Click here to download the Program Notes as a printable PDF file.

Special Thanks to Sponsors, The James Family Trust

Christmas Memories, Gifts, and Donations

Before heading home take time to visit the AZ Phil, Yavapai Youth Choir, and MFAB booths in the lobby; purchase ballet shoes, an autograph from the ballet dancers, nutcracker ornament gifts and snap a photograph with the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince. We are always looking for your support, sign up as a volunteer and become our next donor.

Arizona Philharmonic and Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet are proud and excited to present to you our first collaboration, A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration.

This afternoon’s performance begins with the voices of young girls: Voci Sorella from Yavapai Youth Choirs. They will be joined in the second half by the Una Voce Women’s Choir. The remainder of this program is taken up by two ballets danced by guests of the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet and members of Lessons by Lexe dance studio. The first is a tribute to the ballet Le Patineurs (The Skaters), a lighthearted and lively ice skating party, danced to music by Giacomo Meyerbeer. We close with selections from the most beloved of all ballets, The Nutcracker, with its colorful and expressive score by Tchaikovsky.

This production has been a long time in planning and execution. Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet is an international organization, drawing students and dancers from across the world. Arizona Philharmonic is a regional professional orchestra, drawing musicians from across the southwest. Voci Sorella, Una Voce, and Lessons by Lexe are local, drawing youth and adults from within our community. Each group contributes their magic to create the beautiful experience unfolding here, in Prescott.

Arizona Philharmonic wishes to offer a special thank you to Ken Ludden, Artistic Director of Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet. Long before the Academy’s fall reopening in its new home in Prescott, he imagined what you are about to see and hear. We are grateful for his vision and honored to help realize it.

Henry Flurry, Laura and Ron James

ARIZONA PHILHARMONIC

Executive Director – Henry Flurry

PROGRAM

ACT I

Noel Nouvelet (arr. Michael McGlynn) with Voci Sorella

Pat-a-Pan (arr. Kirke Mechem) with Voci Sorella

Il est né le divin enfant (arr. John Rutter) with Voci Sorella

Skaters Holiday (by Giacomo Meyerbeer)

An homage to Sir Frederick Ashton, to the music of Les Patineurs
with dancers Cassidy Blake, Chloe Fitchette, Kaishi Fugita, Lungani Gwala, Alix Henning, Mataji Prevolnik

INTERMISSION

ACT II

O Come All Ye Faithful (arr. Dan Forrest) with Una Voce

Ding Dong Merrily on High (arr. Kirke Mechem) with Voci Sorella

Silent Night (arr. Dan Forrest) with Voci Sorella

“The Nutcracker Suite” (by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

Overture
Narration by Ken Ludden
Snow Scene
Tricia Albertson and Eric Trope
Spanish
Anbi Ono
Arabian
Mao Hayashi
Chinese
Kanade Yamamura
Reed Flutes “Danse des mirlitons”
Ako Omiya

Trepak (traditional Ukrainian dance) “Danse des Bouffons”
Lungani Gwala
Mother Ginger “La mere Gigogne et les polichinelles”
Kanami Yaginuma
Waltz of the Flowers “Grand Ballabile”
Kio Sagae
Grand Pas de Deux
“Adage” – Tricia Albertson and Eric Trope
“Male Variation” – Eric Trope
“Sugar Plum Fairy Variation” – Tricia Albertson
“Coda” – Tricia Albertson and Eric Trope
Finale
Full Ensemble

Click Tabs Below to View

Program Notes

Program notes by J. Michael Allsen

Noël nouvelet (arr. Michael McGlynn) with Voci Sorella

We open with a set of three selections sung by Voci Sorella. The French carol Noël nouvelet dates from the 15th century. The word noël—now used in French as a term for Christmas itself—has been used as a joyful acclamation in French poetry since the 13th century.

n the 15th century the noël became a particularly popular French genre of poetry associated with the Nativity, with hundreds of noëls assembled in large collections. A few of these, including Noël nouvelet, have survived with their original melodies. Michael McGlynn’s delicate 2008 a capella arrangement preserves the medieval mystery of this lovely carol.

Pat-a-Pan (arr. Kirke Mechem) with Voci Sorella

Kansas-born Kirke Mechem (b. 1925) is a prolific composer of music in all genres, from operas—including his acclaimed Tartuffe—to orchestral and chamber works. He is best known, however, for his well-crafted and often witty choral music—Mechem has been lauded as the “dean of American choral composers.”

In 1964, he was serving as composer-in-residence at the San Francisco College for Women, now part of San Francisco State University. His Seven Joys of Christmas was written that year for the College’s Chamber Singers. It was his intent to set carols that might not be particularly popular, but which could be utilized to express the many shades of joy in this season. He also chose traditional holiday music that gave this work an international flavor. The fourth movement, titled The Joy of Children is a sweet version of Patapan. This carol, published in about 1700 by the Burgundian lawyer and multitalented writer Bernard de la Monnoye (1641-1728), is a wonderful picture of children making a joyful noise on Christmas day.

Il est né le divin enfant (arr. John Rutter) with Voci Sorella

Englishman John Rutter (b. 1945) is celebrated as both a choral conductor and as a composer of choral works, from small anthems to settings of the Gloria, Magnificat, and Requiem. Rutter has explained that Christmas music has “always occupied a special place in my affections, ever since I sang in my first Christmas Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols as a nervous ten-year-old boy soprano. For me, and I suspect for most of the other members of the Highgate Junior School Choir, it was the high point of our singing year, diligently rehearsed and eagerly anticipated for weeks beforehand. Later, my voice changed and I turned from singing to composition, but I never forgot those early Highgate carol services…”

Il est né, le divin enfant is an anonymous French carol first printed in the 1860s, but which is probably much older. Many French carols were set to folk melodies or popular songs, and in this case, a joyous poem to the baby Jesus is sung to an old hunting song from Normandy. Rutter’s 1969 setting, written for a chorus of children’s voices, maintains the pastoral style and childlike joy of the original carol.

Skaters Holiday (by Giacomo Meyerbeer)

The first half concludes with a ballet, Les Patineurs, which uses music by Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864). Meyerbeer was phenomenally successful in his time, but was a particularly important figure in the history of French opera, a field he dominated completely in the middle of the 19th century. In particular, he established the form of French “grand opera”—enormous works, often four hours or more in length, and extending over five acts. One invariable expectation of French opera composers at the time was that operas must include an extended ballet scene, whether or not it made any sense in the plot! Ballets typically occurred in the third act, partly as a concession to fashionable Parisians of the day, who never arrived before the end of the second act…and who would have been incensed if they missed the ballet. These scenes sometimes served as pure comic relief. Meyerbeer’s grand opera Le Prophète (1848), for example, had an unrelentingly serious plot set against the background of Dutch religious upheaval in the early 16th century. It is based upon the life of the Anabaptist leader John of Leiden. John was able to establish a religious state in the city of Münster, proclaiming himself “King of New Jerusalem,” before his eventual downfall and death by torture. Its Act III ballet, however, features a group of bumptious Dutch peasants enjoying a skating party on a frozen river. This ballet also featured a new invention that was all the rage in Paris at the time: roller skates!

In 1936, British composer Constant Lambert, who was music director of the Vic-Wells Ballet in London, assembled an eight-movement score that incorporated all of Meyerbeer’s skating music from Le Prophète, adaptations of a few additional numbers from that opera and a waltz from Meyerbeer’s 1853 comic opera L’Étoile du Nord. (The version of Lambert’s score heard here was reorchestrated for a smaller orchestra in 2020 by Tadeusz Biernacki, music director of the Winnipeg Royal Ballet.) Choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton created the ballet for the Vic-Wells Ballet: no roller skates this time, but many of the ballet’s moves are translated into ballet from traditional moves used in skating. The ballet premiered on February 16, 1937, and proved to be a lasting success, remaining in the repertoire ballet companies around the world down to the present day.

The plot of Les Patineurs centers around a skating party with a constantly-changing cast of characters in colorful costumes: lighthearted music and dance with frequent flashes of humor. Presented here, is a homage to Sir Fredrick Ashton’s choreography. The opening movement (Entree and Pas Seul) opens with a waltz, a duo for the low strings and piccolo, as the background for a dance by MFAB students. The sequence ends with a more sprightly galop. The Variation, opening with brass fanfare, backs a duo of young men, who are obviously on the ice to show off! The Pas de Deux, however, is pure romance: a long lyrical melody on horn, and later oboe, supported by the harp. This accompanies pairs of graceful dancers. The Ensemble is a series of waltzes for the company, backed by the dancers from the opening. Next two women take the stage in a lively polonaise (Pas de trois). Pas de patineuses features a pair of dignified young men, skating effortlessly together until they both end up slipping. They quickly recover their poise in hopes that no one was watching. The Ensemble that follows features acrobatic leaps by the men and daring spins by the women. Les Patineurs ends with an extended Galop finale, an exuberant showcase for the entire company.

O Come All Ye Faithful (arr. Dan Forrest) with Una Voce

Following intermission, Una Voce Women’s Chorus takes the stage. The origin of the familiar O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fidelis) was long a mystery. It was known from at least the middle of the 18th century in both its original Latin and was in English translations. The hymn was attributed to medieval poets, various Portuguese and English writers—and even Handel—but the true author was not discovered until the 1940s: an 18th-century English Catholic named John Francis Wade (1711-1786).

Wade fled religious persecution in England and spent most of his career in Flanders and France, selling Catholic service books. His Latin hymn Adeste fidelis was written sometime in the early 1740s. There have been many English translations, but the familiar words heard here were written by Francis Oakley in 1906 for The English Hymnal. The version heard here was published by South Carolina-based composer and arranger Dan Forrest in 2015. Forrest’s arrangement moves from a quiet, expectant opening to a truly “joyful and triumphant” final verse.

Ding Dong Merrily on High (arr. Kirke Mechem) with Voci Sorella

When hymn-writer George Ratcliffe Woodward wrote the words to Ding Dong! Merrily on High in 1924, he reached back to a much earlier time the melody. It was originally a tune included in a 16th-century dance manual, Thionot Arbeau’s Orchesographie (1588) intended to be played with a circle-dance called the bransle. Here Voci Sorella present another movement drawn from Kirke Mechem’s Seven Joys of Christmas: The Joy of Bells: a joyful, tintinnabular setting of this exuberant song.

Silent Night (arr. Dan Forrest) with Voci Sorella

No Christmas program would be complete without Silent Night. This most popular of all Christmas songs was written in 1818 by the organist Franz Gruber (1787-1863) and Rev. Josef Mohr for a Christmas Eve service at the tiny church they served in village of Oberndorf, Austria.

This gentle piece, part of the long tradition of lullabies to the baby Jesus, came to the attention of two touring German singing families, the Rainer Family, and the Strasser Sisters—who popularized the song across Germany. Silent Night was eventually published in over 150 languages, and remains one of the most beloved Christmas hymns.

Together, the girls of Voci Sorella and women of Una Voce sing Silent Night in a 2020 arrangement by Dan Forrest, accompanied by piano and strings. After an atmospheric introduction, the treble voices lay out the song in an unhurried, almost dreamy way, reaching a subdued peak before a hushed ending.

“The Nutcracker Suite” (by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

The three great ballet scores of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) include some of the finest ballet music ever written: Swan Lake (1876), The Sleeping Beauty (1889), and The Nutcracker (1892). Nutcracker is of course the best-known of his ballets. Composed for a performance in St. Petersburg during the Christmas season of 1892, it remains a staple of the ballet repertoire, and his suite of movements from the ballet is one of the most popular concert works in the orchestral repertoire. Tchaikovsky, however, was convinced at the time that he had written a flop. He didn’t particularly like the E.T.A. Hoffmann story that was selected as the basis for the ballet, and fought with the original choreographer, Marcus Petipa, about every detail of phrasing. Thankfully, his musical instincts prevailed, and he created a score full of wonderfully evocative music.

This ever-popular ballet begins with the Miniature Overture, the perfect opening: delicate and ultralight music from the upper strings and woodwinds to set the stage for this fairytale story, told through the eyes of a young girl, Clara. The full ballet opens on Christmas Eve at the home of Clara’s godfather Drosselmeyer, a toymaker (and—of course!—a magician). Clara receives the Nutcracker as a Christmas gift from her godfather. Later, in a dream, she sees an invasion of mice in Drosselmeyer’s parlor. Toy soldiers, lead by the brave Nutcracker, valiantly march to defend the parlor. The battle ends when Clara throws her shoe at the Mouse King, distracting him and allowing the Nutcracker to defeat him.

This past fall, Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet formally reopened its doors to students from across the world, after relocating to Prescott from Peekskill, New York. For this first collaboration between Arizona Philharmonic and Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet, we are presenting the solo and pas de deux highlights of Nutcracker, featuring invited international ballet guests.

The sections of the ballet presented here begin with the magical Snow Scene pas de deux that ends Act I. In Act II, the Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes the audience to the Land of Sweets, to be entertained by a series of “characteristic dances,” some of them representing sweets and refreshments from around the world. (Tchaikovsky clearly used this section as an opportunity to bring in a fascinating variety of musical influences.) The Spanish Dance: Chocolate is set in a lively Spanish rhythm, and is led by a jaunty trumpet solo. The Arabian Dance: Coffee is languid and exotic, with slow, sinuous lines from the violins and solo woodwinds played above a pulsing background from the low strings. The Chinese Dance: Tea features a lovely pseudo-oriental melody for flute and piccolo. The Dance of the Reed-Pipes is a dainty flute duet. This is followed by a lively Ukrainian Dance (Trepak), a wild Ukrainian folk dance showcasing spectacular male jumps and technique. Following is the Bon Bon, a fun and light-hearted solo. The grand Waltz of the Flowers comes at the end of the banquet’s entertainment. After an enchanting harp cadenza sets a magical mood, horns introduce the first of a series of lilting waltz themes, alternately delicate and forceful.

The dramatic climax of Act II comes when the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier, join for the Grand pas de deux. This is Tchaikovsky at his Romantic best: music that rises gradually to an enormous emotional peak. The brief Variation of the Cavalier is a forceful tarantella, and the famous Variation of the Sugar Plum Fairy features the delicate sound of the celeste. The Coda Generale is a series of waltzes danced as a farewell by the entire company.

Performers

Alexander Walker (Conductor)

Alexander Walker (Conductor) a recipient of the Elgar Medal from the UK, he has conducted the BBC Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, the New Queens Hall Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, both in the recording studio and the concert hall.

He regularly conducts the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Musica Viva, Symphony Orchestra New Russia, the George Enescu Philharmonic, Bucharest and the Russian Philharmonic. Other recent collaborations have included concerts with Prague Philharmonia, the Belgrade Philharmonic and North Hungarian Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, as Music Director of “Ne: Roi” (a new full-length ballet in honor of Dame Margot Fonteyn’s 100^th Birthday), Mr. Walker conducted and supervised recording by Musica Viva of portions of the original score by David Pyke, presented to the public at the Edinburgh Festival, and in premiere performances in Australia. Mr Waler has worked at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, conducting performances of The Nutcracker, as well as touring with the Royal Ballet to the USA, Russia and the far East. He has been Music Director for Ballet productions for the Finnish and Norwegian National Operas. Mr Walker is a professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire and teaches conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he also conducts the Junior Sinfonia.

Arizona Philharmonic Orchestra Members

Flute

Jeannette Hirasawa Moore, Principal

Joy Fitzpatrick

Oboe

Laura Arganbright, Principal

Mary Simon

Clarinet

Scott Richardson, Principal

Cris Inguanti

Bassoon

Chip King, Principal

French Horn

Karen Teplik, Principal

Isabella Kolasinski

Trumpet

Stephen Martin, Principal

Joel Uliassi

Trombone

Richard Bass, Principal

Noah Eder

Timpani

Maria Flurry, Principal

Percussion

Eddie Solomon, Principal

Maria Flurry

Celeste & Piano

Andrew O’Brien

Harp

Emma Quinn

Violin I

Katherine McLin, Concertmaster

Bonnie Teplik, Associate Concertmaster

Jisu Choi

Spencer Ekenes

Tom Ginsberg

Mimi Papp

Sarah Schreffler

Violin II

Michael DiBarry, Principal

Kristin Garson, Associate Principal

Beth Chiarenza

Hannah Gripp

Katie Meyers

Danny Yang

Viola

Katherine Shields, Principal

Nicole Allen

Taylor Sapanara

Jacquelyn Schwandt

Emma Strub

Cello

Ruthie Wilde, Principal

Barbara Metz

Claudia Vanderschraaf

Contrabass

Nathaniel de la Cruz, Principal

Steve Anderson

Tzu-I Yang

Arlene Bodensteiner Hardy (Artistic Director YYC and Una Voce)

Arlene Bodensteiner Hardy (Artistic Director YYC and Una Voce) has 30 years of experience in teaching music at the elementary and collegiate level and is currently the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Yavapai Youth Choirs, as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of Una Voce Women’s Choir. A lyric coloratura soprano, Arlene earned a Master of Education degree in Vocal Music, with an emphasis in performance, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocal Music Education from North Dakota State University. Along with teaching at Yavapai College, Arlene maintains a busy private voice studio. She continues to perform various genres of music as a soloist and was a 1995 District Winner and Regional Finalist for the Upper Midwest Region of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

Voci Sorella

Yavapai Youth Choir’s (YYC) Voci Sorella choir is a premiere experience in choral music for women ages 12-18. This auditioned, touring ensemble is for dedicated and talented singers ready to work at an advanced musical level.

Born from years of dreams and ideas and the love of making music with young singers, the YYC organization stepped onto the stage in the fall of 2015. Co-founders Arlene Hardy and Amy Van Winkle began YYC with the mission to provide and enhance excellence in choral music artistry and education throughout Yavapai County. This mission is still at the heart of everything we do at YYC.

Voci Sorella Members: Emily Aranda, Miriam Bryner, Tabitha Bryner, Mattie Christensen, Sarah Crowley, Ariel Cunningham, Destiny DeForge, Charly Dunn, Ullasa Easthouse, Naomi Gittins, Elena Gonzales, Sienna Judy, Acacia Krupke, Vianna Maestri, Nyah McCoy, Myra Oblad, Chloe Paxton, Elise Paxton, Kaylee Pederson, Annie Peterson, Norah Steverson, Emily West.

Una Voce

Prescott’s newest premiere women’s choir, Una Voce, began in mid-2022 under the Artistic Direction of Arlene Hardy. The mission is to sing to bring joy in music to all who hear us. Una Voce is excited to be performing with the Arizona Philharmonic as a part of their inaugural season.

Una Voce Members: Robin Berry, Amanda Bombardieri, Tabitha Bryner, Maria Butterfass, Jean Canoose, Amie Cunningham, Ariel Cunningham, Katie Deppe, Janelle Devin, Tik Gambogi, Naomi Gittins, April Gross, Georgeanne Hanna, Lee Howard, Jenny Kaisin, Emily Lawhead, Robyn MacKenzie, Melanie McCally, Pat McCarver, Jill McMahon, Debbie Opitz, Meghan Paquette, Tamra Pinson, Angi Reed, Sarah Reed, Leslie Sparkman, Gina Steverson, Maria Thomas, DeAnna Withey, Maren Yamamoto.

PRINCIPAL DANCERS

Tricia Albertson (Sugar Plum Fairy) began her ballet training at The Studio School of Classical Ballet with Vicki Bergland and Rebecca Bartlow. She also attended summer programs at San Francisco Ballet School and the School of American Ballet (SAB) in New York City, starting in 1995. Celebrating her 26th season with Miami City Ballet, Albertson has had the privilege to dance most of the corps, soloist and principal roles. In the off-season she has enjoyed performing in international galas as well as a guest artist with the Maryland Regional Ballet performing full-length ballets including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. Tricia has been a repetiteur for Justin Peck’s Heatscape and a guest teacher at Toledo Ballet, Cary Ballet Conservatory and Joffrey Ballet School. She was thrilled to be a part of the “Rainer and Friends Gala” in 2021 and also in 2022.

Eric Trope (Prince) finished his eighth season with the Miami City Ballet in April of 2021. He previously danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet for four seasons and guested with BalletX and Ballet Tucson. Eric has danced a vast amount of repertoire including works by Balanchine, Robbins, Forsythe, Ratmansky, Taylor, Kylian, Peck, Tharp and Brooks. He has toured extensively including the NY State Theater in Lincoln Center, the Music Center in LA, and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Eric is a choreographer; his work has been presented at the New York Choreographic Institute, Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, the Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival, Miami City Ballet Company and School, Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami, and the Mainly Mozart Festival. Finally, Eric is a cofounder of Buddy System, a nonprofit focused on food insecurity, started in response to the Miami community’s immense need during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Lungani Gwala, is an African tribal warrior dancer (indlamu), hip hop, contemporary dancer, a video engineer and Director of MFAB’s Pan-African Program. Born in Durban, South Africa he has brought together artists and young people since he was a teenager. In 2014 he created an international tour called Dance 2 Beijing in which he formed dance groups from among disenfranchised youth, teaching them dancing, guiding them to more productive lifestyles, and then presenting African arts to an international audience of more than 80 countries. He participated as a professional choreographer on Dancing For the Stars 2022 in Prescott, and is also training ITC (International Teachers Certificates) at MFAB.

The Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet

The Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet is an Arizona 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that teaches world class ballet training along with in-depth education in music, drama, visual art and technical arts, set forth by Dame Margot Fonteyn. Now, in Prescott, Arizona, today’s talented young students will have the opportunity to receive training at an institution where dancers may become artistic leaders of their generations.

Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet Student Dancers: Chloe Fitchette, Kaishi Fugita, Mataji Prevolnik

MARGOT FONTEYN ACADEMY OF BALLET

Artistic Director – Ken Ludden
Dean of Artists – Sveinbjörg Alexanders
Executive Director – Tara Tate
Associate Artistic Director – Rainer Krenstetter

Cooper Tate (Nutcracker)

Cooper Tate (Nutcracker) started dancing at Five Star Dance Academy where he first discovered his love of ballet. He has been training with Queensland Ballet Academy since 2017 and has performed in the Queensland Ballet Company productions of The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella. Cooper was selected by the Australian Ballet School to participate in their Interstate Training Program (2019 and 2020). In 2018 Cooper performed the young Prince Uno in the ballet “Ne: Roi”, choreographed by Mr Ludden and traveled to compete in an international youth Concors in Riga, Latvia (2018 and 2019), winning silver and gold medals. Cooper is a guest performer in the 2022 season of The Nutcracker and is the recipient of a lifetime scholarship at MFAB. He will be relocating to Prescott in 2023 to begin his full time training with MFAB.

Unblanche Dancers

Mao Hayashi (Arabian) began her training at the age of six. She has attended several summer schools overseas, including the Universal Ballet in Korea and the English National Ballet School in London. Ms Hayashi has received many awards including first place at NBA Sendai Competition and third place at Flap Ballet Competition and Fleur Competition in Japan. She has danced Florine from The Sleeping Beauty, Pas de Toris and Etoile from Paquita, and Satanella from Carnival of Venice.

Ako Omiya (French) started ballet at age of five in Yamagata, Japan. She has received a scholarship from Miami City Ballet School’s 2022 Summer Intensive and has attended Dutch National Ballet Academy’s Summer Intensive in 2021 and 2022. She has won several competitions including NBA competition in Sendai, Japan Dance Competition and All Nipon Date Competition. Ms Omiya’s repertoire includes Giselle from Giselle, Dulcinea from Don Quixote and Sylvia from Sylvia.

Kanami Yaginuma (Candy Bon Bon) began her ballet training at the age of three. She attended Kansas City Ballet Summer Intensive in 2022, and has received many prizes from competitions in Japan, such as NBA competition in Sendai and Tohoku Ballet competition. Her repertoire includes Princess Florine from The Sleeping Beauty, Diana from Diana and Acteon, and Satanella from Carnival of Venice.

Anbi Ono (Spanish) began her training at Sawako Ogura Ballet Studio in Japan at age of three. She continues her training at K-Ballet School under Tetsuya Kumakawa’s direction, and also has attended the summer school of Elmhurst in the United Kingdom. Ms Ono has received many awards from competitions in Japan such as JDC Japan Dance Competition, Yokohama Ballet Competition, and Fleur Ballet Competition. Her repertoire includes Kitri from Don Quixote, Swanilda from Coppelia, and Clara from The Nutcracker.

Kanade Yamamura (Chinese) began her training at Nobuko Suzuki Ballet Studio in Japan at the age of three, and her repertoire includes Princess Florine from The Sleeping Beauty, Peasant from The Swan Lake, and Swanilda from Coppelia.

Kio Sagae (Dew Drop) started her training at five years old and is currently studying at Migaku Ballet, Japan. She has won awards from several competitions such as NBA Ballet Competition, Date Classic Ballet Competition, and V-Competition in Japan. Ms Sagae’s repertoire includes Peasant pas de deux from Giselle, Princess Florine and Aurora from The Sleeping Beauty, Shades Variation from La Bayadere, and Esmeralda from La Esmeralda.

Unblanche is an innovative 21st Century company that provides full support services to ballet students. Addressing the many needs of the classical ballet emerging artist in pre-professional training programs, particularly focused on making international schools, events and workshops available. The six young artists from Japan appearing on tonight’s program are representing Unblanche, and their appearance is an Unblanched-sponsored program. Unblanche is led by CEO, Hana Kosaki, with Rainer Krenstetter as Artistic Director.

Lessons by Lexe

Alexes (Lexe) Niekamp began dancing at the age of four, and enjoys being involved in theater and community. She is the owner of local businesses; Lessons by Lexe: Dance Studio and Quest Character Parties. She is also in her third year as the NAZ WRANGLERS IFL pro team dance team coach. She started a dance studio at the age of 19, and her goal is to ensure that as youth develop they have access to the world of arts, and helps provide this through her scholarship program. She has a BS in Applied Human Behavior and certificates in Community Development & Sustainability, Dance Medicine, Entrepreneurship, and Service Industry Management.

Cassidy Blake has been studying dance for 14 years with experience in all styles, with ballet being one of her favorites. Ms Blake currently instructs classes at Lessons by Lexe: Dance Studio, and has been a part of the dance team for the NAZ Wranglers this past year and is looking forward to next season. She is thankful for this opportunity to dance with the Margot Fonteyn Ballet Academy’s production of the Nutcracker Christmas Celebration. Ms Blake lives in Prescott, is a licensed cosmetologist and currently works at a salon in town.

Alix Henning is a junior in high school who has been dancing for eight years and competed for three years. The Nutcracker a Christmas Celebration will be Ms Henning’s first performance after recovering from a hip injury. It’s been a long hard journey, but she is so excited to be back to what she loves.

Lessons by Lexe Student Performers (Les Patineur corps de ballet): Matilda Andre, Shelby Blake, Stella Banchero, Kamy Carreras, Ella Diedrick, Amelia Feld, Charlotte Greenwood, Madison Hurt, Christian Lujan, Zoe Sanetra, Leigha Smith, Adalynn Vandehey, Jocie Vinton, Jackson Wells.

Lesson by Lexe Teachers: Lexe Niekamp, Cassidy Blake, Ainsley Willison

Stagecraft