THUNDER BAY — The newly formed Northern Ballet Performance Company put on its first Community Nutcracker over the weekend.
Northern Ballet Performance Company brought a variety of dancers, young and old, across the city and region together to create a community performance that will impress all.
“We started with auditions back in June. Over the summer, I personally started choreographing some soloist numbers to minimize the workload. We've been doing full on rehearsals since September and it's been a lot of work. But it's also been so much fun,” said Laura McRury, artistic director.
The Thunder Bay Community Nutcracker opened up on Friday.
“We did a school show to a sold-out audience, which was amazing and it was wonderful hearing the reaction of the children in the audience.”
Emma Hamilton is the director at North Shore Dance Company in Schreiber. When faced with the opportunity for her dancers to be in the production, she had no hesitation.
“I try and get any opportunity for my dancers. I've always wanted to be in the nutcracker, so this was a no brainer to get my students involved in this.
“This has really opened their eyes about what a dance life really is. We're kind of sheltered in what we see for dances and we're the only studio in our area.
“Them getting to see all these different dancers coming together as a community is really cool and just them getting to see this whole thing come together has been really special for them,” Hamilton said.
Newswatch talked to some of the performers, who all had thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
Six-year-old Torrence O’Connor said this was her first time in a production like this. Her role was the Midnight Mouse and Caroller. As opposed to some other performers favourite part, Torrence enjoyed rehearsing the most.
Maggie Wilberforce, who played the Snow Queen, said it has been a few years since she has been on stage like this.
“It's been great to be back in pointe shoes after seven years.
“It’s been amazing to see everyone, age five and up, in their different roles and seeing people mentor each other.”
Wilberforce said it felt great to be back on stage.
“It felt a little bit like riding a bike. But it was really awesome to feel the energy from the crowd,” she added.
Alexandra Knudsen, who was the Sugar Plum Fairy, said the entire production is about two hours long.
“My favourite part would be seeing everybody's reactions. Young and old people came up to us and said how spectacular the performance was.
“It's nice to see the community reaction to something like this happening.”
Knudsen has been dancing the majority of her life and said she’s been in a few other productions, but never with this big of a role.
Keegan O’Connor, who was a soldier, said the best part was physically going on stage and performing.
“At the dress rehearsal, it made me nervous because in part of our soldier dance, it got messed up a little bit, but I don't think the audience noticed.”
Keegan is nine now, and has been dancing since the age of two.
To learn more about Northern Ballet Performance Company, visit the website.
