The San Benito Dance Academy choreographers have been working with more than 140 dancers since October to perfect the movements that will fill the stage for its fourth annual performance of “The Nutcracker.”
This year’s performance brings a new venue for the new and returning dancers. The Dec. 17 and 18 shows will be held at the Steinbeck Institute of Arts and Culture (formerly Sherwood Hall) in Salinas. Though the venue is more expensive than the Gavilan College Theater, where “The Nutcracker” has been performed in the past, Kim Lavagnino said there are plenty of benefits that come with it.
“It is an amazing facility with a 64-foot-wide stage,” said Lavagnino, the owner of the San Benito Dance Academy and a producer/director/choreographer of the show. “It seats 1,500 people and it has dressing rooms that are excellent.”
She said the best part of the venue is that they have a semi-permanent floor that can be rolled out that is perfectly suited for ballet numbers. The wooden floor is especially useful for the guest dancers who will perform. The professional guest dancers this year include Amy Briones, Jeremy Kovitch and Alexsandra Meijer, of Ballet San Jose, and Lu Wang, of the Chinese Performing Arts of America.
“We have a few dancers who have gone there to check it out,” Lavagnino said, of her local cast. “The majority of them, no. They never do a rehearsal (on site) until the dress rehearsal.”
Lavagnino said that tech crew at the Steinbeck Institute of Arts and Culture requested the DVD of last year’s show so that they can set the lighting for the weekend performances.
The show this year features 140 dancers, from children as young as 2-and-1/2 to adults in their 50s. The participants come from San Benito, Salinas, Watsonville, and south Santa Clara County. The academy holds open auditions so anyone can try out for the show, even those without any dance experience. The choreographers create parts for everyone who wants to participate.
She said this year, they had several boys ages 4 to 5 so they created parts for them in a Russian dance.
“Last year we had three dancers on pointe,” Lavagnino said. “This year we have 13 so our dancers – the level of their ability has improved. We changed a lot of our choreography to reflect that new ability.”
The performers have been rehearsing since October on Friday evenings and Saturdays. Lavagnino said the rehearsals are arranged so that the kids come just for the hour that their dance is being rehearsed. The entire show isn’t rehearsed from start to finish until the dress rehearsals. Lavagnino said that since some of the kids are on stage for a short time and backstage for the rest of the time, the backstage crew of parents is important.
“They keep the kids safe and keep them busy,” Lavagnino said. “They have a positive experience (backstage) since they are not on stage for that long, especially the little ones.”
The show this year will have a lot of new costumes and Lavagnino said that they have ramped up marketing to let residents in San Benito and the Salinas area know about the show. They had floats in the Lights On Parade in Hollister and the Salinas holiday parade. Their Mother Ginger float took first place for best drill or dance group in Hollister.
“We want the show to be as good as it can be, but more than that we want to attract people to ballet,” Lavagnino said.
Lavagnino said that every year when the show is over, the dancers start thinking about the role they want the next year.
“They work hard all year long to get to that next level,” Lavagnino said.
San Benito Dance Academy presents ‘The Nutcracker’
Dec. 17 and 18, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Steinbeck Institute of Arts and Culture (formerly Sherwood Hall,) 940 North Main St., in Salinas
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children 4-11 and children under 3 may receive a lap pass. Family packs are available for $40 for two adult and two children admissions.
For more information or for tickets, call 801-8200 or visit www.sanbenitosanceacademy.com.
