Ballet Etudes to Present THE NUTCRACKER in Huntington Beach

Bring the entire family to celebrate the beauty and pageantry of the holidays when Ballet Etudes presents its annual production of the beloved ballet, "The Nutcracker," for five performances on Dec. 2 & 3, and Dec. 9 & 10, at Huntington Beach High School Auditorium.

Ballet Etudes has also added a new scene to Act I: Drosselmeyer's Toy Shop, where Herr Drosselmeyer is preparing his magic dolls to bring to The Christmas Party.

Set to the timeless music of Peter Tchaikovsky, "The Nutcracker" tells the story of Clara, a shy young girl who receives the gift of a nutcracker soldier from her mysterious godfather. During the night, magical events unfold: the Christmas tree grows taller, toy soldiers and little mice become larger, and Clara's nutcracker comes to life. He battles the ferocious Rat King, and just when it seems all is lost, Clara distracts the Rat King and saves her beloved nutcracker.

Her act of bravery transforms the nutcracker into a handsome Prince who takes Clara on a magical journey to the Kingdom of Sweets, where they meet the Court of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Sugar Plum Fairy rewards them with a celebration of dances and the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier dance a beautiful pas de deux. Clara is invited to join in the dancing and by the end, Clara's shyness has vanished. She awakens from her dream and finds herself by her Christmas tree with her beloved nutcracker.

This enchanting, child-friendly, 90-minute traditional production is choreographed and directed by Ballet Etudes' Artistic Co-Directors Megan Pulfer and Sasha Robertson, who were both cast members of Ballet Etudes' first Nutcracker performance. The current cast includes 137 children from Huntington Beach and surrounding cities.

Educational pre-show presentations are held before the 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. performances, 30 minutes prior to curtain. After each performance, the cast comes out to the lobby and poses for photos with audience members.

Advanced tickets before November 24 are $15-$30. After November 24, tickets online and at the door are Orchestra $35, Balcony $25. Group discounts are available for girl scouts, boy scouts, church organizations, seniors, and home-school groups.

Performances are: Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2 & 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets for the full-length production, call (855) 222-2849 or visit BalletEtudes.com. Huntington Beach High School Auditorium is located at 1905 Main St, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.

Ballet Etudes is Huntington Academy of Dance's resident non-profit youth ballet company. Their mission is to expose a new generation of children, both performers and audience members to the beauty, grace, and athleticism of ballet; and to offer this experience at affordable prices. Ballet Etudes performs a full length Nutcracker as well as two original children's ballets per year. Past productions include: Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Jungle Book, Cinderella, and many others.

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