Experience the beloved holiday tradition Join the MAB Family for |
|
Create yuletide memories with Mid-Atlantic Ballet's performance of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. This family classic has enjoyed enormous popularity since the mid-20th century and is now performed locally, thanks to the choreography of MAB Artistic Director Patrick Korstange. This Christmas get swept up in the dream of Tchaikovsky's most famous composition, from the magic of the Dancing Dolls to the grandeur of the Land of the Sweets. |
|
Venue
Mitchell Hall, University of Delaware • Intersection of South College & Amstel avenues (The Green), Newark, DE
Showtimes
Fri., Dec. 16 at 7 pm • Sat., Dec. 17 at 12:30 & 4 pm
About the Ballet
The Nutcracker was commissioned in 1891 by the director of the Imperial Theaters in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was to be a follow-up to the successful collaboration between choreographer Marius Petipa (1818-1910) and composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) on The Sleeping Beauty. Neither man seemed happy with the results of their new work, however. While Petipa undoubtedly oversaw the choreography for The Nutcracker, he either fell ill or washed his hands of the ballet, leaving much of the work to his assistant, Lev Ivanov. Upon finishing the score, Tchaikovsky wrote that his music was “infinitely poorer than The Sleeping Beauty.” The Nutcracker premiered in 1892 to tepid reviews and was infrequently performed until the mid-20th century when George Balanchine choreographed a new full-length version for the New York City Ballet. Since then it has become the most frequently performed classical ballet in the world. Mid-Atlantic Ballet has performed The Nutcracker annually since 2004.
Guest Artist
 |
Ryan James Stauffer (Father Stahlbaum/Sugar Plum Cavalier) is proud to be performing with the Mid-Atlantic Ballet . Mr. Stauffer attended the University of the Arts as a ballet major. Since graduating, he has danced on tour with Raven Symone and has danced under the direction of Roberta Mathis in the steps faculty show. His recent regional credits include, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the Producers, Hairspray at Walnut Street Theatre, and Tommy in Father of the Bride at Totem Pole Playhouse. |
|
Gary Vaughn (Snow King/Arabian) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Dance Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Recently, Gary has worked with the Miss Missouri and Miss West Virginia Scholarship programs as well as a guest choreographer for Santa Monica College’s 2010 dance performance season. Gary was on the MTV hit reality show Bromance, in early 2009. From 2006 to 2008 he worked with Ballet Rox in Boston. Gary was also a member of the United States Hip Hop Team and represented the US at the International Dance Organization (IDO) Hip Hop Days 2006 in Bremen, Germany as Team Captain. Having danced since the age of 3, Gary now uses his skills to combine his visual art talent with dance to create “art in motion”. Noted for his creativity, Gary uses his talents to inspire artist of every age and level. Living throughout the Midwest and East he was exposed to numerous teachers and styles and never “locked in” to one in particular. This is evident in his unique master classes and choreography enjoyed across the country. |
