Valerie Lowder as Clara
Delaney Peet doing the splits
Rohana Weaver as The Mouse Queen
HYDE PARK SCHOOL OF DANCE COMBINES
HIP HOP, BALLET, AND MODERN DANCE
IN THE NUTCRACKER DEC. 13–15 AT MANDEL HALL
Hyde Park School of Dance (HPSD) brings together fans of ballet, modern, and hip hop with its annual presentation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker,
with more than 175 dancers—primarily children ages 7 to 18. The cast
includes weekly students and members of the school’s pre-professional
Studio Company and features high school seniors who have grown up at the
school, all supported by hundreds of volunteers. Performances are
December 13–15 at Mandel Hall on the University of Chicago campus, 1131
E. 57th Street, Chicago.
Staged by HPSD’s founding Artistic Director August Tye, longtime ballet
mistress for Lyric Opera of Chicago, the 90-minute narrated production
follows Clara, Fritz, and the mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer from the
family holiday party and a midnight battle between the Nutcracker’s toy
soldiers and the Mouse Queen’s squeaky troops through the Land of Snow
to the Kingdom of Sweets.
Unlike
other versions of this holiday classic, HPSD includes a breakdance
battle to showcase the range of dance genres the school offers while
sending a message of peace—instead of battling with swords, mice and
soldiers tap into the power of hip hop to work out their differences
through creative self-expression.
Prior to each performance, the Pre-Ballet Holiday Show showcases some of the school’s younger ballet students in performance. Dancers ages 4 to 7 from HPSD’s Pre-Ballet classes will warm up the stage in what is for many of them their first-ever performance. The production also features surprise cameos by local VIPs in the larger-than-life role of Mother Ginger. Previous guest performers have included Hyde Park Herald Editor Daschell Phillips, Montgomery Place board chair Mike McGarry, former Kenwood Academy High School Principal Dr. Gregory Jones, 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston, former State Representative Kimberly DuBuclet, and Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell.
On
Friday, December 13, HPSD performs a sold-out abridged version for
hundreds of school children, many seeing their first ballet, and senior
center residents. The performance is made possible by Hyde Park School
of Dance’s Community Engagement program, which also serves the public by
offering quality dance instruction in schools, community centers, and
park district programs citywide.
Adding a special element to the performance experience, HPSD’s Holiday
Bazaar, taking place on site during select performances, offers audience
members the opportunity to meet characters from The Nutcracker,
finish up their holiday shopping with a wide variety of local vendors,
and indulge in hot chocolate and other festive treats. The Holiday
Bazaar takes place Saturday, December 14 from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday,
December 15 from noon to 5 p.m.
The Nutcracker takes place Friday, December 13 at 7 p.m.;
Saturday, December 14 at 1 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, December 15 at 2 p.m. at Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th Street, in Chicago. Tickets, which go on sale November 1, are $15 for adults and seniors (65+) on December 13 only; for other performances, tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors (65+), $10 for children ages 6-18 and for students with school ID, and free for children 5 and younger. Special $40 reserved section tickets are also available for audience members of all ages. Tickets and more information are available at 773-493-8498 or hydeparkdance.org/tickets .
Hyde Park School of Dance
Founded in 1993 as the Hyde Park School of Ballet, Hyde Park School of
Dance is a 501(c)3 non-profit providing opportunities for students of
all ages and abilities to study, perform, and create classical and
contemporary dance at the highest levels of discipline and artistry
within a community dedicated to the welcoming inclusion of dancers of
all races, religions, body types, genders, sexual orientations, and
family income backgrounds. Led by Founding Artistic Director August Tye,
Hyde Park School of Dance is committed to offering children the chance
to experience the empowering rewards of self-discipline, hard work, and
collaboration in a diverse and supportive environment, cultivating a
love of dance and a strength of body, mind, and character that will
benefit students throughout their lives.
Photos by Marc Monaghan
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