Yellowstone Ballet Presents World Premiere
The Nutcracker vs. The Grinch
Yellowstone Ballet Company (YBC) celebrates its 25th season with the world premiere of The Nutcracker vs. The Grinch at 4pm on both Saturday, December 19th and Sunday, December 20th at the Willson Auditorium in Bozeman. The 8th world premiere presented by YBC’s Artistic Director Kathleen Rakela, The Nutcracker vs. The Grinch creatively intertwines the timeless tale of Clara and her enchanted Nutcracker Prince with delightful moments from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
An award-winning choreographer and YBC’s Artistic Director for 25 years, Kathleen Rakela has presented 62 performances of The Nutcracker in Livingston, Great Falls, Lewistown, Bozeman and Mammoth Hot Springs. She has staged the classic ballets Swan Lake, Giselle, La Fille Mal Gardée, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella, as well as seven world premiere productions: Girls of the Golden West (1998,) Romeo & Juliet of the Rockies (1999), Hiawathah (2005), Hansel & Gretel with a Twist (2008), Pinocchio (2010), Elves & the Shoemaker (2013) and The Little Mermaid (2015).
Arkadiy Orohovsky will perform as that mischievous interloper, the Grinch. Originally from the Ukraine, Mr. Orohovsky trained at the Kiev State Choreographic School and danced with the Kiev National Opera and Ballet as a soloist before emigrating to the United Stated to dance with the Houston Ballet. He is the recipient of a Bronze medal from the Serge Lifar International Ballet competition.
Performing the role of the Nutcracker Prince is Thomas Snee of London Festival Ballet. Thomas trained at The Royal Ballet School, where he won the Ursula Moreton Choreographic competition in 2007. Upon graduating in 2008, Thomas danced with The National Ballet of Canada before returning to the UK in 2011 to join English National Ballet.
Sayako Tomiyoshi, of Japan, will dance as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Miss Tomiyoshi trained at Reiko Yamamoto Ballet School in Tokyo before moving to London to train at English National Ballet School going on to join English National Ballet in 2008. Sayako has performed extensively with English National Ballet and Ballet Ireland,
Celebrating her thirteenth birthday on opening night, YBC’s Emelyse Rogers will dance the cherished role of Clara/Cindy Lou Who, the girl who saves the Nutcracker Prince and, in this case, pulls on the heartstrings of the loathsome Grinch making his heart grow three sizes. Miss Rogers was one of 1,200 students chosen from an international pool of dancers to train at the American Ballet Theatre summer intensive last July.
Joining the professional guest artists and YBC performers are dancers from Main Street Dance Theatre – with new choreography by Erin Swietnicki for Waltz of the Flowers and by Dana Sorg for Angels. Additional talented local dancers include break-dancer Mylan Zepeda, performing with Hunter Lynch in the Russian dance; Sterling Moss performing with Adelle Welch in the Spanish dance; and Fiona Lee, YBC alumnus now training at School of American Ballet, official school of New York City Ballet, performing as the Shepherdess in the Sunday show.
During the intermission of both performances, there will be a Cindy Lou Who costume contest! Prizes for best costume will be presented at each show. After each performance, the Nutcracker Prince, the Grinch, his “dog” Max, and Cindy Lou Who will be available for picture taking with your child.
Reserved tickets for YBC’s The Nutcracker vs. The Grinch are available at Eckroth Music in Bozeman (corner of 7th and Mendenhall) or online at www.yellowstoneballet.org. Student/Child $18. Adult $21-$45. A service fee of $2 will be added to tickets sold at the door.
YBC’s magical production of The Nutcracker vs. The Grinch is generously sponsored by Spectec Thunderbird International Corporation, Reier Broadcasting and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
For more information or group rates call 223-4664 or email yellowstoneballet@gmail.com.
