en pointe choreography.
Blain (left) and George Loheac (right) rehearse a tender moment between Clara and the Nutcracker.
With the COVID-19 pandemic intensifying, the 2020 holiday season is unlike any other in modern history. Many gatherings with family and friends won’t take place, and performing arts venues across the country remain shuttered. After over nine months, pandemic fatigue is palpable.
Still, people are finding ways to connect and celebrate, including the students of Interlochen Arts Academy. On Dec. 12 and 15, respectively, Academy students will sustain and reinvigorate two popular Interlochen holiday traditions,
The Nutcracker and Sounds of the Season.
Although these familiar events will look a little different this year, tenacity, resilience, and gratitude energize them like never before.
Russian Pryaniki: Ginger All the Way!
A Russian pryanik recipe for a Western home kitchen. Jennifer Eremeeva / MT
Ready or not, here come the holidays! Hanukkah has begun, bringing with it a most welcome celebration of light, faith, and hope (and latkes), and Western Christmas, New Year and Orthodox Christmas are not far behind. This year the celebrations have a more muted quality; it’s hard to go wassailing all over the town with social distancing and masking mandates in place. But there are holiday non-negotiables that no pandemic can vanquish, and for me, these are holiday cookies, candles, and music.
On the Town: OKC Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ thoroughly enjoyable By: Lillie-Beth Brinkman The Journal Record December 11, 2020
Lillie-Beth Brinkman
The dancers were beautifully graceful, the sets, backdrops and costumes were beautiful and eye-catching, and I totally enjoyed seeing the Oklahoma City Ballet’s 2020 production of “The Nutcracker” recently.
The show opened over the weekend at the Civic Center Music Hall and continues through Dec. 20.
In addition to the enjoyable performance, what made me happy was seeing an event live, in the theater, even though it was a shortened performance (no intermission) and with socially distanced seating and masks, including on the ballet dancers. I cannot say enough about our amazing local groups that are doing their best to find ways to entertain and delight us in this extremely challenging year, and the OKC Ballet does a remarkable job of this, too. Congratulations to the entire group for pulling this off, including
12:00 AM
Les Miserables: School Edition - In nineteenth century France, Jean Valjean is released from years of unjust imprisonment, but finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment. He breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption as he is relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways. Finally, during the Paris student uprising of 1832, Javert must confront his ideals after Valjean spares his life and saves that of the student revolutionary who has captured the heart of Valjean s adopted daughter. Done in concert style. click here
Dance Alive National Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ returns to the Phillips Center
Performances will feature limited seating and masks will be worn December 11, 2020 | 12:11pm EST
Dance Alive National Ballet will bring sugar plum fairies back to Gainesville with its socially distanced production of “The Nutcracker.”
The company’s 54th annual performance of Tchaikovsky’s two-act ballet will feature limited seating, and masks will be required for performers and audience members inside the venue, said Judy Skinner, the company’s resident choreographer. The Phillips Center for the Performing Arts holds 1,700 people but will only fill 400 seats to allow for social distancing. There will be no intermission during the show.