Cullman Ballet Theatre School performs holiday classic ‘The Nutcracker’

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(Sara Gladney for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman Ballet Theatre School presented its first full production of “The Nutcracker,” where all performances quickly sold out. There were two different casts that gave performances. Cast A performed on Dec. 3 and 11, while Cast B performed on Dec. 4 and the 10. Cullman Ballet Theatre Schools Artistic Director Elaine Willingham spoke about the reason she had not done The Nutcracker before, saying, “I’ve been busy doing ‘Swan Lake,’ ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Coppelia,’ ‘Raymonda,’ ‘La Sylphide,’ ‘La Bayadere,’ all the other story ballets, and most of these children that I taught all these years were not familiar with. Everybody knows the Nutcracker story even if you don’t like ballet, but now that I have my own theatre, this is our new tradition, and we are the only ones in Cullman that are doing the full story of the Nutcracker.” The choreography was designed after the original story and restaged by Elaine Willingham and Anna Lanier.

Cast B performed at the Friday, Dec. 10 show. The performers were:

The Party

Clara: Teagan Ashby

Fritz: Warren Clark

Parents: Jason and Kelly Clark

Drosselmeyer: Caroline Jackson

Party girls: Olivia Daniel, Violet Lanier, Chloe Wilhite

Party boys: Caroline Dowdy, Joscelyn Lewis, Evelyn Riggs

Party parents: Chloe carter, Madeline Rigs, Nick Hensley, Kelsey Hensley, Olivia Williams, Kell Wilson

Maids: Anna Lanier, Clara Lanier 

Harlequin Doll: Emma Dodd

Moor Doll: Cynthia Oden

The Dream

Nutcracker prince: Levi Stricklin 

Mouse King: Liam Lanier

Soldiers: Alexandria Jones, Olivia Lloyd, Isabella Robinson, Rylee Weems

Mice: Anna James O’jard, Ellery Clair Harris, Emmerson Hensley, Aurellia Powell

Icicles: Olivia Daniel, Caroline Dowdy, Joscelyn Lewis, Mollie Moon

Snowflakes: Lennon Ashby, Gracie Collins, Emma Dodd, Emma Hart, Esther Lanier, Allison Smith, Sophia Zalusky

Act II

Land of the Sweets

Angels: Alexandria Jones, Olivia Lloyd, Aurellia Powell, Evelyn Riggs, Isabella Robinson

Sugar Plum Fairy: Lennon Ashby

Spanish: Allison Smith, Sophia Zalusky 

Arabian: choreographed and performed by Chloe Carter

Chinese: Davis Hackbarth, Mollie moon, Chloe Wilhite, Gracie Collins

Russian: Andrea Austin, Natalie Clark

Mother Ginger: Anna Lanier

Clowns: Olivia Daniels, Caroline Dowdy, Ellery Clair Harris, Emmerson Hensley, Joscelyn Lewis, Anna James O’jard, Evelyn Riggs, Rylee Weems, 

Dew Drop Fairy: Lennon Ashby

Flowers: Andrea Austin, Gracie Collins, Emma Dodd, Davis Hackbarth, Natalie Clark, Noley Morring, Lacey Russell, Allison Smith, Emma Hart 

The CBT was established by Elaine Willingham in 1973. Due to its continued growth, the school is now in its third location. CBT is a classical and contemporary dance school with classes in: Ballet, Pointe, Variations from story ballet repertory, Jazz, Tap and Adult beginner ballet. All are invited to visit the Ballet Theatre School and observe classes anytime.

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