Ruth Page Civic Ballet's THE NUTCRACKER to Return This December

The Ruth Page Civic Ballet will present its annual production of The Nutcracker, with original choreography by Ruth Page, and co-directed by Victor Alexander and Dolores Lipinski Long.

This production is performed at Northeastern Illinois University, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago, Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 3 at 1 and 5 p.m.

Tickets for the performance are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors and children under the age of 12 years and $10 for NEIU students, faculty and staff, one ticket per I.D. card.

Also available is "Tea with Clara," a delightful tea party which patrons can enjoy with their favorite The Nutcracker characters from 3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3. Tickets for "Tea with Clara" include admission to the tea party and either the 1 or 5 p.m. performance, and are $85 for adults and $50 for children under the age of 12 years. Performance tickets and "Tea with Clara" tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at www.ruthpage.org.

Central to the Ruth Page Civic Ballet's performance schedule is its annual presentation of The Nutcracker, the popular recreation of the beloved holiday classic. Originally presented in the Arie Crown Theater from 1965 to 1997, the Ruth Page Civic Ballet's performance recreates Ruth Page's original full-length staging. Exquisite dancing, stunning costumes and magical settings in the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of the Sweets, these performances promise world-class entertainment and holiday joy for children of all ages.

Born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, and trained at the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) in Havana, Victor Alexander has had an extensive performing and choreographic career in the United States. He is the director of the Ruth Page School of Dance and was also included in Dance Magazine's prestigious "25 to Watch in 2013" list. Alexander is known for his riveting stage presence as he mixes formidable technique he gained in the rigorous training ground of Cuban dance schools with facility at theatrical interpretation.

Because of her lifetime connection to Ruth Page, Dolores Lipinski Long has been associated with the world's greatest dancers, choreographers, producers and designers. In addition to her role with the Ruth Page School of Dance as its associate director, she is also the co-director of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet. With her celebrated husband of 47 years, Larry Long, (1936-2009), Long co-founded the Ruth Page School of Dance.

An important component of the Ruth Page School of Dance is the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, its official training company for dancers 18-22 years of age and one of the Center's Artists In-Residence. Dancers are invited to take part in the Civic by it's artistic director, Victor Alexander, who will guide and mentor each aspiring young artist during the one to two year program. The mission of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet is to identify, nurture and mentor emerging dance artists from around the world through enhanced performance opportunities within an elite training company. Serving as a bridge between training and professional performance, company members will refine their ballet and contemporary techniques in an international environment of performers and educators before moving on to professional careers in dance. The Civic's dancers are joined in performances by notable guest artists and choreographers, expanding their sphere of professional work.

Offering the highest level of training to young dancers, professionals, and those who study dance for personal enrichment, the Ruth Page School of Dance was founded in 1971 by Ruth Page and Larry Long. Mr. Long, who went on to become the School's much loved Director until his death in 2009, along with his wife and Co-Director, Dolores Lipinski, helped set the standard of excellence in dance training that continues to this day. Mikhail Baryshnikov in an interview during his dancing career, noted that Mr. Long was one of the ten best ballet teachers in the nation. Through his legacy, hundreds and hundreds of young dancers have gone on to professional careers throughout the world in the field they love.

Led by Director Victor Alexander since 2013, and through an experienced and dedicated faculty of dance professionals and international partners, the Ruth Page School of Dance develops well-rounded dance artists through high-quality training. The School also embraces diverse cultures as a source of inspiration for creativity and human self-expression in dance, creating lifelong ambassadors for the art of dance. By providing the highest level of training and personal development to each student, the School's philosophy is all students will benefit from the discipline, creative thinking and emotional expressiveness that dance provides. With a strong commitment to international partners and collaborations, the Ruth Page School of Dance has developed a network of exceptional programs and exchanges with esteemed dance training centers in Spain, Italy and Cuba, among others. Significant among these is the relationship with Cuba's National School of Ballet (Escuela Nacional de Cuba - ENB), which was a pioneering program and cultural exchange in 2015 between the two schools.

An incubator of artistic energy and excellence and the center of Chicago's dance history, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of international dance icon Ruth Page to make dance accessible to everyone, ensuring that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence. Located at 1016 N. Dearborn Street, the Center serves the Chicago dance community by being an incubator, providing a home, office space, rehearsal space, performance opportunities, professional dance training and marketing support for the up-and-coming companies and artists of Chicago's vibrant dance scene. Founded by Chicago icon and internationally-renown performer and choreographer, Ruth Page, the Center reflects her vision of supporting dance excellence in Chicago. Emanating from the Illinois heartland, the visionary work of Ruth Page influenced the growth of theater design, opera-ballet and dance. She achieved worldwide recognition as a true pioneer of dance in America by creating at the forefront of social, political and artistic issues. As a prominent force in the Chicago arts community, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts continues that legacy through its initiatives and programs that nurture the art form of dance, and by being an arts incubator for emerging and established artists and organizations.

For more information about The Ruth Page Center for the Performing Arts and its programs, visit www.RuthPage.org.

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