San Benito Dance Academy’s ‘The Nutcracker’ shows Dec. 19 and
20
San Benito dancers involved in this year’s production of
”
The Nutcracker
”
likely will have visions of sugar plum fairies, gingerbread
cookies angles and more as they continue rehearsals for their
performances on Dec. 19 and 20.
For the second year running, San Benito Dance Academy will put
on four shows at the Gavilan College Theater in Gilroy of the
holiday tale that tells of Clara’s magical journey with the
Nutcracker Prince on Christmas Eve. San Benito Dance Academy
owner/director Kim Lavagnino said this year will showcase a cast of
140 dancers, ranging in age from 3 years up to 20-somethings. At
least 45 of the dancers are under the age of 6.
San Benito Dance Academy’s ‘The Nutcracker’ shows Dec. 19 and 20
San Benito dancers involved in this year’s production of “The Nutcracker” likely will have visions of sugar plum fairies, gingerbread cookies angles and more as they continue rehearsals for their performances on Dec. 19 and 20.
For the second year running, San Benito Dance Academy will put on four shows at the Gavilan College Theater in Gilroy of the holiday tale that tells of Clara’s magical journey with the Nutcracker Prince on Christmas Eve. San Benito Dance Academy owner/director Kim Lavagnino said this year will showcase a cast of 140 dancers, ranging in age from 3 years up to 20-somethings. At least 45 of the dancers are under the age of 6.
“We have two casts of the little ones because they can’t do two performances a day,” Lavagnino said. “That gives them a night’s rest.”
Parent volunteers, called wranglers, work backstage with the children to get them into costume and to the side of the stage for their dances.
“We have petites, what we call our babies, and they must have a parent with them,” she said. “We never know what they are going to do. They might get to the side of the stage and they might refuse [to go out.]”
Lavagnino said six choreographers, including her, were involved in putting together the dances for all ages. The youngest dancers have an older child who is their leader on stage who they can follow for the choreography so they don’t have to memorize it all. But Lavagnino said some of the dancers as young as 4 or 5 can remember their choreography.
Lavagnino held an open audition for the show, meaning that dancers from other cities or dance studios were eligible to try out for it. She said there are dancers from Hollister, San Juan, Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Salinas in the show, as well as from other studios.
“It’s always been a dream to do this and we just decided to take the bull by the horns,” she said, of putting on the holiday classic for the first time last year. “Last year was a huge endeavor. We didn’t have any choreography, no set pieces, no costumes. We probably have at least 500 costumes.”
Last year’s production was a learning experience, Lavagnino said, who has been running San Benito Dance Academy for five years.
“We learned so many things we hoped to improve upon,” she said.
One of the things that will be different this year is a scene at the beginning of the show involving a Christmas tree.
“Last year we had a Christmas tree problem,” she said.
She purchased a Christmas tree prop from a performing arts program in Salinas, which has not been conducting “The Nutcracker” in recent years. They had a father who was involved years ago who created a Christmas tree prop with hydraulics so that it grows from 9 feet tall up to 20 feet tall.
In addition to the local dancers, members of Ballet San Jose will be performing as the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier.
“I called them and asked. I figured what could they say but no?” Lavagnino said.
Maria Jacobs and Ramon Moreno will dance the roles Dec. 19 and Mirai Noda and Maykel Solas will dance the roles Dec. 20.
The dancers are rehearsing Friday evenings and Saturdays leading up to their opening night. Some of the performers previewed the show Dec. 7 at the Hollister Rotary Club lunch meeting at Ridgemark.
The angels were dressed in white gowns with golden wings, while the gingerbread cookies were dressed in brown with rosy red cheeks. The Russian dancers wore white peasant blouses with colorful head pieces, while the Snow Queen dressed in all white with a tutu. Victoria Howe, who has been dancing for eight years, has the role of the Snow Queen. Other children have just been dancing since the audition process started in July.
“The excitement comes from the kids,” Lavagnino said. “They are so eager to be on stage and do their part. Their excitement is the most inspiring.”
San Benito Dance Academy’s
‘The Nutcracker’
Performances will be Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Guest performers from Ballet San Jose include Maria Jacobs and Ramon Moreno on Dec. 19 and Mirai Noda and Maykel Solas on Dec. 20. There are two casts for children under 6, who will perform one show each day.
The show will be held at the Gavilan College Theater, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., in Gilroy.
Tickets are $20 and free lap passes are available for children under three who will sit on a parent’s lap for the entire performance.
Tickets are available at Postal Graphics in Hollister, or by calling 425-1063 or visiting www.sanbenitodanceacademy.com.
