Colorado Conservatory of Dance presents The Nutcracker

Colorado Conservatory of Dance presents The Nutcracker with international guest stars Adiarys Almeida and Joseph Gatti All children are invited onstage after the show to learn a dance from the ballet and meet the characters! Denver – December 10, 11, 17, & 18, Colorado Conservatory of Dance (CCD) presents a full-length production of the family-favorite ballet The Nutcracker. CCD boasts gorgeous sets and costumes, stunning choreography, professional guest artists from around the world, and ample FREE parking. CCD’s family friendly performance of The Nutcracker is Denver’s only production that invites all children from the audience onstage after the show to learn choreography from the holiday classic. Audience members also have the opportunity to meet the Nutcracker Prince, Clara, and many other characters from the ballet for autographs and photos to complete the magical experience. CCD’s 2016 production of The Nutcracker runs December 10, 11, 17, and 18. This year, CCD will welcome international guest stars Adiarys Almeida and Joseph Gatti to dance the leading roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. CCD believes dance should be an enriching and fulfilling experience that is accessible to all. To help fulfill this commitment, each year CCD gives nearly $90,000 in need and merit based scholarships to students. This 24th anniversary season, 12 scholarship students will participate in The Nutcracker, many of them dancing major roles. 14-year-old CCD scholarship student Alexa Gonzalez has received tuition assistance since she was three years old, and this year she will perform the coveted role of Clara. Gonzalez says, “Dancing the role of Clara has been a dream of mine since I was very young. Without CCD’s tuition assistance program, my dream wouldn’t have come true.” She hopes to go to college for dance and continue on to dance professionally. CCD’s students are extremely dedicated and rehearse The Nutcracker choreography for almost 150 hours before taking it to the stage. The result is a well-crafted, beautifully-executed production which audiences thoroughly enjoy. One audience member said of the production, “Incredible dancers – very high level of professionalism,” while another audience member said, “I never clapped so hard or so much. Really impressive performance!” IN ADDITION: CCD will host a special sensory-friendly performance on Friday, December 16th at 6:30pm. This will allow families who have a “guest of honor” who has a hard time sitting through a conventional performance to feel comfortable having a family experience at the ballet. House lights will be turned up to make the environment not-so-scary, and participants will feel free to react to the story on the stage in any way they need!