Christmas Nutcracker
This weekend the Oxford Ballet School, with help from the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, is presenting “The Nutcracker,” a Christmas classic.
“The Nutcracker” is a famous Christmas performance created by Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Companies such as the Russian Ballet and the New York City Ballet have internationally performed it. Now, the Oxford Ballet School will take the stage.
“‘The Nutcracker’ is a traditional ballet story that is about a little family having a Christmas party,” said Genevieve Fortner, founder and artist director of the Oxford Ballet School. “They have a little girl named Clara. Clara’s great-uncle Drosselmeyer brings her the Nutcracker doll as a gift.”
In German folklore, it was common to give nutcrackers as Christmas gifts to bring about good luck and protection. This has been said to be part of “The Nutcracker” history, according to information from the California Ballet Company.
“The whole story is that she falls asleep after the party and dreams about adventures in the Land of the Sweets where the Nutcracker is a prince,” Fortner said. “It’s just a magical, very colorful fun ballet with something for everyone to enjoy.”
The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council is also playing an important role in this magical production to fuel Oxford’s holiday spirit.
“The Arts Council is able to help artistic groups in the Oxford community to carry out more of their work. We are helping here by providing the Powerhouse, which is our biggest tool to help us provide support to art programs,” said Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. “We’re helping out the Oxford Ballet School in several ways, administratively and technically, so that they can do what they do, which is dance.”
The Arts Council is working to help every member of the Oxford Community find something special during the holiday season.
“The Nutcracker is a part of our Winter Arts Festival and Holiday Program, which runs for two weeks,” Andrews said. “We are trying to include something for everyone. There will be the Nutcracker Ballet, an event where we’ll be selling local art, and a play.”
The ballet students performing in “The Nutcracker Ballet” range in ages from three to 70, according to Fortner.
“All of the performers are so excited,” Fortner said. “The other day while we were rehearsing, one of the little girl dancers, who’s about seven, kept telling me, ‘I am so excited!’ We hope that the audience will be able to see their excitement and the beauty of this ballet.”
The community effort put forth to create this production of “The Nutcracker” also seems to be driven by excitement.
“The Oxford Ballet School has students of all ages, and this is a community production,” Andrews said. “Getting to see friends and neighbors perform is a big part of what makes this so unique and enjoyable.”
Reiterating the importance of public involvement, Fortner extends an invitation to all volunteers, including those of us at The University of Mississippi.
“We have so many amazing opportunities for college students to be involved whether that means dancing or helping with the backstage crew,” Fortner said. “So the experience that they could gain from this is incredible, as is the chance to be involved with the community.”
“The Nutcracker” will take place on Saturday and Sunday with two separate performances on Saturday at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.
Tickets be purchased online now through the link on the Oxford Ballet School website and will be available at the door before performances. All ages are welcome to take part in the Christmas tradition.
