Ballerinas perform the Waltz of the Flowers in Yellowstone Ballet's Nutcracker.
Yellowstone Ballet Company (YBC) is offering a free child ticket for every adult ticket purchase to their 28th annual production of The Nutcracker. Performances take place at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec.15, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, at Willson Auditorium in Bozeman.
Children are encouraged to come dressed as the Snow King or Queen, the Sugar Plum Fairy or any other Nutcracker character. Prizes will be awarded for best costume during the intermission of both performances, along with a free gift for every child in attendance.
Performing the starring role of the Nutcracker Prince is Yellowstone Ballet School alumnus and local favorite Parsifal Pittendorfer. He’s been known to stun audiences with his out-of-orbit leaps, exceptional acting and partnering skills. He was the winner of the Montana Dance Arts Association Blanche Judge Memorial Scholarship and was awarded full scholarships to train at San Francisco Ballet School, Ellison Ballet in New York, Orlando Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theatre. He danced professionally with State Street Ballet, Santa Barbara and Ben Stevenson’s Texas Ballet Theatre and is a national guest artist.
Annie Valle will dance the role of the Rat Queen. She danced on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, School of American Ballet in New York City, and with Suzanne Farrell at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She is the director of Martinsdale Ballet.
“The dynamic duo of Ms. Valle and Mr. Pittendorfer will add some exciting, magical moments to the production,” says YBC director Kathleen Rakela.
Kylie Corrigan, principal dancer of Idaho Ballet Theatre, will perform the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Corrigan has trained at Ballet West and the American Ballet Theatre School, and had training from Brandy Jensen. She was a finalist in the largest ballet competition in the world, Youth American Grand Prix.
The role of Clara – the girl who dreams that her Nutcracker is really a prince – will be danced by 13-year-old Emah Eckert. As an aspiring ballerina, Miss Eckert makes the two-and-a-half-hour trip from Tower Junction in Yellowstone National Park to Livingston and Bozeman six days a week for classes and rehearsals.
Erin Levy and Genevieve Trygstad-Burke, co-artistic directors of Raison D’être Dance Project (RDE), enhance the production with their troupe of dancers in the Snow scene and the Waltz of the Flowers. This new Bozeman dance company (founded in 2017) has created stirs in the Montana dance community with their bold choreography, inspirational themes and involvement with other artists and organizations.
YBC’s family friendly production of The Nutcracker has delighted thousands with 68 performances in Livingston, Great Falls, Lewistown, Bozeman, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Livingston. “All ages will enjoy the magical and colorful characters and enchanting story,” says Rakela.
Reserved tickets for YBC’s Nutcracker are available at Eckroth Music in Bozeman (corner of 7th and Mendenhall) or online at www.yellowstoneballet.info. Tickets are $25, $35, $45 and $55. Each adult ticket purchase qualifies for one free child ticket. A service fee of $2 will be added to tickets sold at the door.
For more information or group rates call 406-223-0430 or email [email protected].