The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, under the artistic direction of Jennifer Beasley, will present their annual production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker as professional guest artists will join a cast of over 100 local dancers for the company’s 26th annual presentation of the classic holiday ballet.
The timeless story of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince has delighted audiences of all ages for more than 100 years. MMB’s version of the grand ballet takes Clara and the audience from the festive party scene of toys, soldier dolls, and puppets, through the magical Land of Snow and finally to the Kingdom of Sweets. From the wondrous beauty of the Sugarplum Fairy, to the excitement of the mice and soldier battle scene, to the comical Mother Ginger and her Polichinelles, there is something to entertain everyone.
Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, a non-profit ballet company based in Madison and a member of the prestigious Southeastern Regional Ballet Association, presents its annual production of The Nutcracker with participation from over 100 dancers from the metro Jackson area. Dancers are selected through an audition process from Mississippi Metropolitan Dance Academy students. The Mississippi Metropolitan Dance Academy is the official school of the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet.
Guest artists Adiarys Almeida and Taras Domitro will dance the roles of The Sugarplum Fairy and Her Cavalier. Both dancers are former members of The National Ballet of Cuba who have since gone on to dance as principal dancers with prestigious ballet companies including San Francisco Ballet, The Boston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Orlando Ballet. Almeida was a finalist in the 2006 USA International Ballet Competition. She and Domitro currently perform together at international ballet galas and as guest artists with companies the world over.
The role of Clara will be danced by 12-year-old MMB dancer and MMDA student Hart Maley, who is in the seventh grade at Jackson Prep. Maley is a resident of Madison and has studied at MMDA since she was 8 years old. Abby McCaughan, a soloist with MMB, will perform the role of the Snow Queen. McCaughan is a junior at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and has trained at MMDA since she was three years old. Taylor Binkley, also a soloist with MMB, will perform the role of the Dewdrop Fairy. Binkley is a senior at Northwest Rankin High School and has also trained at MMDA since the age of three.
Both McCaughan and Binkley will dance with guest artist Anthony Schweighardt, a former principal dancer with Ballet Tucson and member of Charlotte Ballet II.
The Nutcracker is the perfect way to ring in the holiday season and to introduce children to the power and beauty of classical dance. “At the heart of Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet's mission is our quest to share the magic of dance with the greater community, and to encourage a love of the arts in the hearts and minds of our audience members,” says Beasley. “We are proud to provide this production to the members of our community, many of whom tell us it just wouldn’t be the holidays without The Nutcracker!”
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, December 8, with matinee performances at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9. The “Nutcracker Sweet” Tea Parties will follow the matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. The tea party includes a whimsical candy buffet, a savory menu from The Gathering at Livingston Mercantile, delicious desserts, festive decorations, and the opportunity to meet the characters from the ballet.
Tea Party seating is reserved at tables of 10. Tickets for the Tea Party must be purchased in advance, and are sold separately from performance tickets. Performance tickets are available for $20 or $22. Tickets for the Tea Party are $25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.msmetroballet.com or by calling 601-853-4508.
The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet has been under the artistic direction of Jennifer Beasley since 1997. Beasley danced professionally with Louisville Ballet and for five years with Ballet Mississippi, including the final year of the professional company’s existence when led by dance legend Fernando Bujones. Since taking the helm at MMB in 1997, the company has more than tripled in size and, in addition to The Nutcracker, annually presents full-length spring production. Past ballets that have been presented include Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote. MMB is additionally led by Executive Director Crystal Skelton, a former professional dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet, who will appear in the Party Scene of The Nutcracker along with MMB faculty member Erik Kegler, also a former professional dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet, who will perform the roles of Herr Drosselmeyer and Mother Ginger.
Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet is generously sponsored in the 2018-2019 season by The Mississippi Arts Commission, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, Ergon, BankPlus, Harper, Rains, Knight & Co, The Gathering at Livingston Mercantile, Merrill Lynch, Eventful, and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi.
