Shirley McDouall School of Dance performing ‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet

The Shirley McDouall School of Dance under Melissa Tate will be performing Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker this weekend, 28/29 November, with two hour performances, including a 15 minute interval, starting at 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Melissa says, “Most of the dancers are aged from three through to 18 but there are also some adults aged from 20 through to 60. While they won’t all be on stage together, the whole junior school will be performing the ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ together.”

The performance will be a showcase of traditional ballet and it will be a chance to see a full production in Whanganui.

Melissa had the lead role of Clara in a previous production of The Nutcracker the role now being performed by her niece Makenzie, who is also planning a career in ballet.

Such a production is incredibly demanding and Melissa is supported by an experienced team. Senior teacher at the School, Olivia Reuters, will help with the choreography. Olivia is another ex-student of Shirley McDouall and went on to train in contemporary dance. Olivia was also involved in Melissa’s last production.

Melissa is grateful to Shirley and feels this production involving herself, Olivia and niece Makenzie, honours the influence Shirley has had on them all and on ballet in general in Whanganui.

Other lead roles are as follows:
• The Nutcracker – Connor Jenkins
• Drosslemeyer (magician) – Kate Wilkinson-Smith
• Fritz (Clara’s brother ) – Peter Doney
• Sugar Plum Fairy – Amy Bennetts
• Snowqueen – Elena O'Leary
• Spanish Dancer – Rebecca Allardice
• Marzipan Shepardess's - Katie Bryers and Rosemary Wildin
• The Rat King - Laura Mackintosh

The art work is being done by Greg Lewis and costumes are either being made by parents and grandparents, being ordered or available from pervious shows. Practices started in the second week of the last school holidays and expect the dancers to peak this weekend.

In case you don’t know the story behind the ballet it goes as follows (thanks to Melissa):

A Christmas party is being held and Drosslemeyer gives Fritz some toy soldiers and Clara, the nutcracker. Fritz steals the nutcracker and breaks it but, fortunately, Drosslemeyer is able to fix it.

Clara and Fritz retire to bed but later Clara returns to the Christmas tree to look at the Nutcracker..... She falls asleep. The rest of the story is her dream where Drosselmeyer casts a spell over her; he grows the Christmas tree and turns the Nutcracker into a Soldier. They have many adventures from a battle with the Rat King, Rats and soldiers and to the Land of Sweets where they see dances in other lands including the Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Fairy and the Land of Snow.

And at the end everyone lives happily ever after.

The Nutcracker is being performed at the Royal Whanganui Opera House on November 28/29 at 3pm. Tickets available from the Opera House

River City Press 26/11/20