CASTING INFORMATION - please see the post below for Audition date and times. Know that casting will be determined by the information below AND costume sizes and sign-ups/audition turn out. We'll be choosing some roles based on what is seen in group auditions. Also, work in classes is considered as well when selecting dancers. Each family participating will be responsible for a $20 fee to participate this year and will also be given comp. tickets (# TBD later) for each show.
ACT I - roles and breakdowns
The Party Scene is a big portion of ACT I. It includes:
* the guests arriving to the party (dancers and non-dancers as stage fillers)
*The Nutcracker March - Older Girls and Boys/Little Girls and Boys (see below)
*Dance of Friends - 4 Advanced Beginner or Intermediate ballet students and 4 Ballet 2/3 students
*Clara's solo - must be Ballet 3 or Int. ballet dancer - approx 10-12 years of age, must be animated and have good stage presence
*The Adult dance - we will need 5/6 "couples" of adult volunteers to learn simple dance
** I would add a Father Daughter Dance OR Grandparent dance if I had volunteers!
LITTLE GIRLS/BOYS - 16-20 students to play the parts of Little Girls and Little Boys in the Nutcracker March. We will be needing people that are strong leaders (have done it before or a bit older then others) as well as new faces that can learn quickly. General ages for the LITTLE parts are 5-8/9 years old. You do NOT have to be a student in a ballet class!
OLDWE GIRLS/BOYS - 6 Older Girls and 6 Older "Boys" to perform the March as well. These students are generally around 10 and up. The Older Girls should be ballet students. The Older Boys do NOT need to be ballet student - they can come from any of our In Motion classes. The choreography for the "boys" is based mainly on walking patterns.
DANCING TOYS - The Director will invite select students based on auditions of group pieces for the toys: 2 Dolls, 1 Puppet, 1 Toy Soldier
*Fritz - we'd be looking for a boy to play the part of Clara's brother - 9-12 years of age approx. (This person should be willing but won't necessarily would be in...the Nutcracker March dance) - please sign up with the Director
The next big scene in Act I is the Battle Scene. It includes:
* Clara
* The Nutcracker - need another volunteer to play this - boy around 9-12 years of age - "dances" with soldiers
*Mice - 6-9 students ages 5-7 (would allow an older 4 who can follow directions and has good spacial awareness) No ballet required
*Soldiers - must have the same amount of soldiers as Mice (for partnering section). Approx. 7-10 years old. Ballet is not a requirement
*Mouse King - approx 10-12 years of age - must be willing to be animated and dramatic! Make the most of that big death scene! :)
The next dance scene in Act I is the change into the Snowflakes scene. The Christmas Trees perform during this scene change.
*The Christmas Trees - 6 students (ballet is helpful but not a must necessarily) - 6-9 years old approx.
*Snowflakes - around 12 Beg. Ballet 3, Int, Adv. students (must have an even #)
*Snow Queen - POINTE/ADV. student!
ACT II Roles and Breakdowns
ACT I is a welcome to Clara and The Nutcracker to the Land of Sweets. Each dance occurs one after the next and the show ends with a big curtain call and send off for Nutcracker and Clara in their magical Sleigh.
*Spanish - 3 Int/Adv Ballet students
*Chinese - Beg. Ballet 3 students
*Marzipan - 9 Beg. Ballet 2 or 3 students
*Russian - approx. 5 dancers (ballet a plus but not a must)... COULD consider changing this to a younger or mixed group this year?? Must be able to do lots of jumps, must have good technique, clean lines, stamina, TURNS - looking for dancers level 3 and up GYMNASTS NEEDED!!
*Mother Ginger - 8 dancers - Beg. Ballet 2 and 3
* Arabian - 1 advanced student - we have 2 options for the direction of this: flexible, strong technique, bare foot OR POINTE
*Waltz of the Flowers - 8 Int/Adv. dancers
*??Lead Flower - 1 Adv. or POINTE dancer
