Richardson — The sounds of strings, woodwinds, and horns warming up in the orchestra pit of the Eisemann Center in Richardson, with faintly recognizable holiday Tchaikovsky notes drifting through the house, can mean only one thing. Collin County Ballet Theatre is back with their annual production of The Nutcracker, led by artistic directors Kirt and Linda Hathaway. The Plano Symphony Orchestra, with guest conductor Geoffrey Robson, returns for CCBT’s Richardson run of the holiday classic and gives a remarkably pleasing performance throughout the entire ballet.

The ballet begins with a party. Mayor Silberhaus (Ethan Brittain) and Frau Silberhaus (Lauren Gonzales) are throwing their annual Christmas shindig and none could be happier than their two children, Clara and Fritz (Lauren Utley and Benson Rollins, respectively). Presents, food, and drink bring the festivities to a high point, but they pale in comparison to the wonders of Drosselmeyer (Kirt Hathaway). Magic tricks, dolls that come to life, and dancing bears (a CCBT exclusive) thrill the children, but the greatest gift is the nutcracker doll presented to Clara.

The magic continues after the party, as mice and soldiers battle it out under the Christmas tree, headed up by the King Rat (Gonzales) and the Nutcracker Prince (Noah Klarck).  Clara helps her hero defeat the enemy, then they travel through a wintery wonderland and the Lemonade Sea to the Kingdom of the Sweets, where dancers of the court entertain them.

The spacious stage of the Hill Performance Hall allows for a fairly clear party scene, and several performers demonstrate excellent commitment to their roles, including a few of the parents. The young Rollins displays great acting skills and an explosive movement quality, both of which will only grow stronger as he refines his craft. Utley charms as Clara.

For the battle scene, Gonzales’ ostentatious Rat King performance garners deserved chuckles, while the excitement only grows with Klarck’s solid execution as the Prince. The snow ensemble fares decently with their choreography. Natalie Kischuk and Shea Johnson as the Snow Queen and King maneuver through some demanding partnering, with mostly splendid results, save a few bobbles.

A large ensemble for the Lemonade Sea provides a pleasing aesthetic for Act II’s opening, with Sophie Ludwig delivering an admirable and graceful Lemonade Sea Queen performance. A lively Spanish duet opens the divertissements, followed by the Arabian. In this sumptuous duet, Mackenzie Fey and newcomer Floyd McLean, Jr. demonstrate fluid partnering and dynamic technical skills, while maintaining the spellbinding control inherent to the segment.

An exciting Chinese tea trio presents satisfying precision, which continues with the Mirliton quartet. Albert Drake’s impeccable and explosive Russian Trepak variation summons well-deserved thunderous applause, then Micki Saba leads a flock of youngsters as Mother Ginger. Ansley Howard and Noah Klarck partner for a stunning Dew Drop couple in “Waltz of the Flowers”, and flower fairies Lauren Jones and Sophie Ludwig demonstrate impressive precision as demi-soloists.

To close out the overall stellar performance, Cuban ballet stars Adiarys Almeida and Taras Domitro present one of the season’s best grand pas de deuxs, as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Almeida’s never-ending pirouettes, dazzling smile, and spicy precision make her a sought-after guest artist around the world. Domitro demonstrates no less magnificence with his glowing performance quality, incredible switch tour jetés, and effortless allegro.

Richardson — Ballet broadened its horizons in Collin County Ballet Theatre’s Ballet Fete 2018: Dance Celebration. Packed with classical ballet, jazz, and even modern and contemporary works, this show embodied the idea of versatility. With guest companies DBDT: Encore! and Texas Ballet Theater School Professional Division, Ballet Fete presented a diverse program full of promising young dancers.

Choreographed/staged by Kirt Hathaway, Classical Divertissement launched the performance into the enchanting world of classical ballet. Gentle smiles, glittered pink tutus, and uplifted gazes detailed the large group of ballerinas onstage. Arranged in perfectly symmetrical lines and semi-circles, the dancers flowed effortlessly from one formation to the next. Balletic turns, balances, and jumps appeared between the constant transitions on and offstage. Despite the pleasant tone and cheerful faces, the work became monotonous with the repetitious score by Adolph Adam and the predictable pattern of the movement phrases.

As the first guest company, Texas Ballet Theater School Professional Division brought their popular work Wavelength. Absent of the shimmering green lighting and glittered make-up from previous performances, the piece managed to maintain the magic through the confidence and dedication of the dancers. In this particular performance, the dancers delivered a more mature portrayal of the work—lingering in tricky holds, slicing their arms sharply, and keeping elasticity in their curved spines and upper bodies.

More modern in genre, Tethered, choreographed by Sarah Matzke, employed whirling windmill arms and circular themes. Paired with the ambient score “Celeste” by Pete Kuzma, the brown costumes and bent knees gave the piece an earthy feel. Dancers traveled back and forth along a diagonal pathway from the corner, mirroring the line through their stretched, reaching arms. But the most striking moment occurred as the lights dimmed to end while the group peeled their flexed feet off the floor, curling their knees up to their chest in excruciating slowness.

CCBT’s Micki Saba created the final piece of the first half: Between Light and Dark Beethoven’s brooding music instantly conjured a somber atmosphere. Three while flags hung vertically from the ceiling as a large group of dancers in red leggings and nude tops floated across the stage. With their arms in right angles parallel to the ground and their feet slowly shuffling together, a sense of rigidity and stress coated the space. From there, angular extensions, parallel formations, and linear arm positions continued the theme of clarity and tension. Captivating spatial arrangements and inquisitive partner work added another level of visual intrigue.

Texas Ballet Theater School Professional Division returned with Awakenings—a comical examination of technology and ballet—choreographed by Jiyan Dai. A semi-circle of chairs framed the stage as dancers in black tutus and black pointe shoes swayed in their seats—cell phones in hand. Immersed in their virtual worlds, the ballerinas bumped in to one another, forgot phrases, and even landed on the verge of a fight as one dancer’s phone hit the floor. While the concept was clever and entertaining, keeping the phones in the hands of the movers led to unintentional moments of tense, strained upper bodies.

The only duet of the night, Thought you were… featured an emotional glimpse of a tumultuous relationship. As both performer and co-choreographer, Lauren Gonzales partnered with Ricardo Burgess for a series of pushes, pulls, and tender brushes. At one point Burgess lifted Gonzales into the air while she hovered her legs in a slow, running motion. The lift served as a common thread throughout the piece, creating a wave-like flow.

Jolting the stage with Phoenix, DBDT: Encore! members burst from the wings with high kicks, sassy walks, and jazzy turns. Their spines undulated like snakes while keeping their extensions linear and high to the ceiling—creating multiple points of contrast in one body. This turbulent movement calmed in the second section as the dancers relaxed their focus and followed a circular momentum. Due to a technical difficulty, the music stopped halfway through—leaving the dancers to finish the section in silence. However, the company’s professionalism showed while they continued the piece with the same fervor and energy as the first half. Luckily, the sound recovered in time for the climatic ending—leaving both dancers and viewers beathless.

Set to a handful of Gershwin tunes, American Jubilee highlighted CCBT’s dancers in patriotic colors and peppy movements. Again, the large number of ballerinas onstage worked well with the ever-changing formations. Skipping from straight lines to circles, to a giant ‘X,’ the group kicked, swirled, and jumped into colorful spatial shapes. A high energy, patriotic ending to the evening.

Richardson — Collin County Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker arrives earlier than in previous years. Usually they’re one of the last ones to perform, but last weekend at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, artistic directors Kirt and Linda Hathaway presented their holiday rendition with live accompaniment by the Plano Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leslie Dunner.

The ballet takes us back to 19th century Germany where guests eagerly arrive at the Silberhaus home for a magnificent Christmas party. Gifts and merriment abound, but the most delightful present is a nutcracker, bestowed unto Clara Silberhaus (Emma Grace Bourgeois) by her uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer (Kirt Hathaway). After the guests have departed and everyone falls asleep, Clara wakes to find rats scurrying about, doing the bidding of the King Rat (Lauren Gonzales). Fortunately, her nutcracker doll comes to life (Noah Klarck) and with her help, defeats the enemy. A fantastic journey through the Land of Snow and the Lemonade Sea culminates with a visit to the Kingdom of Sweets where guests from around the world entertain her.

A couple of things stick out about this performance. First is the slight shortage of young men for the party scene. Madeleine Milner dances the part of Clara’s brother Fritz, with pretty good results, and Lauren Tanghongs delivers a strong Soldier Doll variation. Secondly, segments of the ballet that are usually outstanding fall flat this time, while other parts that have delivered consistent timing or performance issues in the past prove some of the best moments. Perhaps it’s due to the date change, but many areas don’t seem as well-rehearsed as usual.

The energy of the party scene never really takes off. Part of it lies with the orchestra, as the timing drags and remains inconsistent. Technically, the dancing moments turn out well, but the performance quality of all involved doesn’t reach the heights it has before. Bourgeois maneuvers through lovely arabesques, but she needs more emotion in reaction to the party antics. One bright moment arrives with the dancing bears, one of the best things about CCBT’s production, as no one else in the Metroplex has large brown furry animals in tutus prancing about. “Oh, this is different,” exclaims a nearby patron in surprise.

The excitement rises in the battle scene, albeit with a messy ensemble, mostly due to a phenomenal Klarck. Gonzales hilariously flings about with bravado as the King Rat.

Usually the pinnacle of the snow scene is the King and Queen. Individually, Mark Nichols (guest artist from Arizona) and Kaley Jensen deliver strong technical work, but their partnering proves quite disappointing, especially since CCBT has the pair dancing throughout more of the snow scene than do other companies. The snow ensemble, in their shimmering iridescent dresses, dance quite well, better than usual.

Act II shines in comparison. The Lemonade Sea maidens with their Queen (Lauren Burr) display the usual charming scene, then comes some standout divertissements. Sophie Ludwig and Anna Torten Rabinowitz spice up the Spanish variation, while Brittany Chambers and Devrae Jefferson (guest artist from DBDT: Encore!) maneuver through at meticulously sumptuous Arabian duet, with a precise ensemble of Arabian princesses in the background.

The Merliton variation features a tightly woven quartet of ladies (Katelyn Benhardt, MacKenzie Fey, Aurelia Han, and Ansley Howard) with beaming smiles. A few bobbles spring up, but they prove their technical chops with segment of pique turns into fouettes. Micki Saba as Mother Ginger leads the mass chaos of cute little bakers before the best divertissement, “The Waltz of the Flowers.”

Han and Klarck as the Dew Drop and Cavalier, respectively, excite in the best moment of the entire ballet. The pair work wonderfully with deliberate, attentive partnering but equally impress with their solos.

Guest artists Bianca Bulle of Los Angeles Ballet Company and Carlos Quenedit from the San Francisco Ballet exhibit a pleasant pas de deux as the Sugar Plum Fair and Cavalier. Both deliver astounding pirouettes, and Bulle pristinely floats across the stage. They don’t appear as regal as one would expect, and although it’s technically superb, it lacks the extra dazzle befitting the roles.

While the performance quality overall differed greatly than in year’s past, CCBT still delivers a reputable Nutcracker, and audience members left happy and satisfied.

Richardson — With more than 15 professional and pre-professional The Nutcracker productions running from Thanksgiving to Christmas each year, ballet company directors in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have to continuously find new ways to up their production value if they want to stand out from the rest of the Nut pack. For some ballet companies this means tweaking choreography, storylines and stage setup while for others it means adding live music and big names from local and national dance companies to draw in the crowds, which is exactly what Collin County Ballet Theatre (CCBT) does with its Nutcracker production. While the promise of live music and notable guest performers is what initially got me to the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts last Tuesday evening, it was the budding technical range and intuitive musicality displayed by the Senior Company (Brittany Chambers, Emily Dunaway, Aurelia Han, Lauren Huynh, Abigail Linnabary, Marissa Storey and Carissa Weaver) as well as Junior Company Member Alisa Ishikawa’s luminous performance as Clara that puts CCBT’s Nutcracker production in a class of its own.

For those unfamiliar with the 19th century holiday ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, here is a quick synopsis: The story begins at the Silberhaus’ annual Christmas party where family and friends have gathered to eat, drink, dance and exchange gifts. Herr Drosselmeyer arrives late and entertains the children with magic tricks before handing out toys to everyone, including a nutcracker doll for young Clara. After Clara falls asleep she dreams of her nutcracker doll coming to live and battling an army of mice led by the Rat King. Once the Rat King is defeated the Nutcracker Prince escorts Clara through the Land of Snow and across the Lemonade Sea to the Kingdom of the Sweets where couples from different nations are waiting to dance for her, including the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

Most Nutcracker productions have the cast enter the stage during the musical introduction at the beginning, but CCBT Director’s Kirt and Linda Hathaway cleverly chose to leave the stage blank and just let the audience soak in the crisp, pervasive sounds of the Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) led by Hector Guzman. Nothing beats live music at a dance performance. It adds new depth and excitement to a dancer’s performance, which we clearly saw in the Merlitons and The Waltz of the Flowers variations as well as the Grand Pas de Deux with the Cuban Prima Ballerina Adiarys Almeida (Melian Izotov Dec. 22) and World Ballet Competition Gold Medalist Taras Domitro (Shea Johnson Dec. 22).

The Hathaway’s kept the movement in the party scene simple with repetitive combinations that included waltz steps, pas de chats, glissades, piques and detournes, which the adults and children cleanly executed while also changing directions and group formations. Timing was off here and there and movement appeared fuzzy at times, but the performers continued to garner strength and confidence as the scene progressed. Alisa Ishikawa (Clara) was a guiding light for the younger dancers on stage. She confidently led the children across the stage in a number of skipping and running passes. She also exuded youthful vigor and technical brilliance in her solo moments which showcased her supple pointe work and graceful arms. Additionally, Ishikawa had some endearing moments with Kirt Hathaway (Drosselmeyer) who charmed audiences with his gleeful expressions and dynamic gesturing.

Once Clara is asleep chaos ensued in the form of tiny dancers dressed up as mice. They scurried around the stage as dancers dressed in red and white solider uniforms tried to coral them with their militant arm movements and clipped marching steps. The battle scene was where CCBT’s Resident Company began to shine. Jamie Thompson (former member of Dallas Black Dance Theatre) was a ball of controlled energy with his multiple jumps and grand battements, and Lauren Gonzales (CCBT instructor and choreographer) was the most agile Rat King I have seen all season with her head whacking leg extensions and multiple fouette turns.

The momentum in the battle scene carried over into the snow scene thanks to the striking violins offset by a brass counter melody that the dancing snowflakes then paralleled with their springy yet sometimes heavy footwork and fluttery arm movements. CCBT Resident Company Member Ashton Leonard’s rigid spine kept her from filling out some of the poignant musical notes in the Snow Pas de Deux, but she countered that with beautiful control during the adagio sections and a fearless approach to the numerous lifts. Guest Artist Shea Johnson continues to work on his technical control and onstage chemistry, which was evident in his tight landings and the confident way he led Leonard through the intricate partnering skills.

The second act contained even more exuberant dance sequences, standout instrumentals by PSO and exquisite performances from individual CCBT company members and guest performers. The dim lighting at the start of the Lemonade Sea section prohibited us from seeing the pretty green hues of the Sea Maidens and Sea Sprites costuming as well as most of Carissa Weaver’s Sea Queen choreography, but the lights did brighten up as we were welcomed into the Kingdom of the Sweets by a dozen cute cherubs.

The variations in the second half were hit or miss. While Brittany Chambers, Marissa Storey and Adrian Aguirre (CCBT Resident Company) had the tendency to rush at times, the trio did handle the playful shifts from staccato to sequential movement in the Spanish dance with polished ease. A stumble earlier in the act threw Emily Dunaway off her game in the Arabian duo, but kudos to her for maintaining the slow, hypnotic feel of the music with her unhurried back arches and leg extensions aided by Michael Stone (CCBT Resident Company). Katelyn Benhardt and Sophie Ludwig were not always in unison during the Chinese variation, but they attacked the nuances in the fast-paced number with exacting pointe work and endless energy.

Aurelia Han, Lauren Huynh and Abigail Linnabary did not miss a beat or, in this case, a ballonne (a step in which the dancer springs into the air extending one leg to the front, side or back) in the Merlitons variation, while Reid Frye (CCBT Resident Company) wowed viewers with his acrobatic skills as the Trepak. Linnabary, Huynh and Weaver also embodied the ethereal qualities of the lead fairies in the Waltz of the Flowers with their flickering foot work, graceful arm positions and subtle musicality.

The highlight of the evening was the Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy (Adiarys Almeida) and her Cavalier (Taras Domitro). Almedia was the epitome of a prima ballerina with her technical fortitude, amazing body control and musical maturity. It appeared as if her body was the source of the music as she twirled, leaped and fluttered across the stage. Domitro also entranced the audience with his tender handling of Almedia during the various dips and balances in the partnering sections as well as his explosive leaps and quadruple pirouettes.

Richardson — When Collin County Ballet Theater’s Nutcracker hits the stage, you know the season is coming to an end, and if the tinkling sounds of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” refuse to get out of your head, this might be a welcomed finish to the season. Luckily, CCBT’s rendition of the holiday ballet performed at the Charles W. Eisemann Center in Richardson is a good one to close out the year. Kirt and Linda Hathaway direct the company of budding and seasoned dancers, bringing internationally renowned guest artists to complete the bill. Audiences are treated to live music by the Plano Symphony Orchestra, directed by Hector Guzman with guest direction by Leslie B. Dunner.

The directors stick with a fairly typical Nut story. Clara Silberhaus (Sophie Ludwig) enjoys her family’s Christmas party, complete with magical moments and a very special Nutcracker doll that comes to life during her dream that night to defend her from the King Rat (Christian Williams). A journey through the Land of Snow and the Lemonade Sea (a CCBT exclusive) bring Clara and the Nutcracker Prince (Jackson Fort) to the Kingdom of Sweets, where ambassadors from various lands entertain them.

CCBT employs a smaller children’s cast for the party scene than other companies, so the pace doesn’t feel as frenetic, and the narrative comes across clearer. The young girls boast a well-rehearsed sequence during the “Nutcracker March,” and Tyler Storey hams it up as Clara’s brother Fritz. His is more of an acting role than dancing, but he stays in character even when he’s not the focus. Ludwig is technicality proficient as Clara, but is shy and lacks jubilant emotion. Another CCBT favorite is the comedic dancing bears entertaining the party guests.

Rising star Kade Cummings graduates to the role of Mayor Silberhaus for Act I, and while he’s an articulate physical actor, his youthful looks and demeanor feel awkward in the role. As Herr Drosselmeyer, Kirt Hathaway is one of the best in the DFW Nut scene, with his meticulous musicality and playful acting. The stage fills up during the battle scene, with a hoard of mice and loads of cadets. Jackson Fort proves his increasing skill, as he bounds across the stage as the Nutcracker Prince.

An immaculate snow pas de deux with Iuliia Ilina and Shea Johnson is faster-paced than most, with lots of lifts and great jumps from Johnson. The snow ensemble is pretty decent, but the dancers could utilize a more consistent performance quality.

Act II prides itself on some glorious points, but there’s an overall lack of passion throughout many of the divertissements, as compared to what the company is capable of. The dancers display a clean technical execution, but many of them lack assertion, and a sense of hesitancy among the pre-professional dancers brings the energy down a bit.

Fortunately, the bright moments overpower some of the more dull ones, and many fantastic feats of last year repeat. Stone and Ilina reprise their sultry Arabian duet, and the Mirlitons (Isabella Furrillo, Lauren huynh, Tiffany Lee, Abigail Linnabary) deliver a meticulously clean variation with laudable turns. Albert Drake proves once again that he has the best coffee grinders in the Metroplex.

Fort and Cummings dance different roles from last year, but still shine. The former pulls an impressive double-duty in Act II, since he appears as the Prince and in the Spanish segment. Cummings maneuvers through gravity-defying sissones and beats with ease as the Dew Drop Cavalier in Waltz of the Flowers and ably partners Dew Drop Fairy Lee. Maite Rodriguez and Carissa Weaver as demi-soloists perform quite admirably as well.

Cuban native and freelancer Adiarys Almeida is in high demand as a guest artist around the country, and CCBT is fortunate enough to snag her again this year. Her amazingly fast pirouettes will rock your world, and if that’s not enough, wait until she gets to triple fouette turns for the coda of the grand pas de deux. Hungarian-born Andras Ronai joins her this year with charm and capably partners her incredible technical feats, with some remarkable moments of his own.

Even with the diminished performance quality among many of the dancers, this is still one of the better choreographed Nuts. Throw in some stunning guest artists and a live orchestra, and it’s an evening well worth the wait.

Richardson — ‘Tis the season to be nutty, but all good things must come to an end. Collin County Ballet Theatre delivers the season’s last The Nutcracker with the help of the Plano Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hector Guzman. Artistic directors Kirt and Linda Hathaway founded the company in 2001 and stage the only Nut with live music in north Dallas, one of two in North Texas.

The action of the party scene takes a little while to get started and the set is somewhat sparse compared to other productions, but the staging and execution make up for it. Clara Silberhaus (Abigail Linnabary) and her family entertain several families for their annual Christmas party. Michael Stone shows of his acting chops as Mayor Silberhaus, and it’s a welcome to change to see him so animated. Clara’s friends perform a delightfully precise ensemble with clean pirouettes, and Linnabery exhibits gorgeous arabesques and lovely musicality.

Her uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer (Kirt Hathaway), unexpectedly crashes the party with fantastic presents and surprises for the children, including dancing bears and life-size dolls. Kade Cummings, a mere sophomore at Booker T., surprises with his sharp technical skills as the Soldier Doll. Always mischievous, Fritz Silberhaus (Jackson Fort) engages in a multitude of rambunctious antics, including breaking Clara’s new Nutcracker doll. The party ends with a sleepy Clara cherishing her new present.

A plethora of mice invade the home after midnight, but an army of soldiers counters them. Children of all ages participate in this crowded scene, and it gives the audience plenty of “aww” moments as the tiniest ones enter and exit the stage. The final battle between the Nutcracker Prince (Cummings) and the King Rat (Fort) displays great exuberance, as a proper fight scene should. Fort acts out a hilariously melodramatic death scene as he’s defeated.

The Prince leads Clara through the Land of Snow, where the Snow King (Stone) and Queen (Iuliia Ilina) flow through an exquisite duet. Ilina’s role is not finished after their variation, however, as with most Nutcrackers. In an interesting twist, she continues her solos throughout the rest of the snow scene, when normally the snow corps takes over. Clad in shimmering silver and white, the snow ensemble produces some lovely designs, with a standout quartet.

Another tweak to Clara’s journey to the Kingdom of Sweets takes her through the Lemonade Sea. Many Nut productions make choreographic choices that simply serve to add dancers into the ballet, and this is definitely one of them. The section, however, creates an enchanting picture and allows more dancers to show off their abilities, including a fantastic Madisyn Mullett as the Lemonade Sea Queen.

Once in the Kingdom of Sweets, Clara and her Prince relive the battle and are rewarded for bravery by the Sugar Plum Fairy (Adiarys Almeida) with a series of entertaining dances by the inhabitants of the Kingdom.

A vivacious and athletic Spanish variation opens the divertissements, but it’s the Arabian that takes the breath away. Ilina proves that she’s suited for any part, as she transitions seamlessly from the pristine lightness of the Snow Queen to the silkiness of the Arabian lady. Stone is in his element as her partner, and together they create a flawless duet.

Jackson shines in the Chinese segment, and the Mirliton quartet produces excellent fouettes and an overall meticulous and charming dance. Albert Drake bounces around the stage as the Russian Trepak and delivers the best coffee grinders I’ve seen all season. In another “aww” moment, Mother Ginger (Micki Saba) and her gaggle of bakers and gingerbreads dash about the stage with antics from the youngest dancers that will make any heart melt.

The “Waltz of the Flowers” presents wonderful visuals with a multitude of colors and a superb Dewdrop fairy (Sarah Smith). Some timing issues crop up, but lovely leaps and turns form a splendid section.

In the pinnacle of the performance, Almeida and Joseph Gatti as her cavalier surpass all expectations. The two of them produce a dramatic and luxurious adagio, and the audience bursts into applause well before the final pose hits. Gatti defys gravity in his solo, and Almeida has all the right moves in all the right places. She suspends, plays with the audience, and flutters effortlessly across the stage, all with a magical smile on her face. Stunningly fast pirouettes and double and triple fouettes blow everyone away and, combined with her other qualities, make her one of the best Sugar Plums I’ve ever seen. Words honestly don’t do this couple justice, so I hope CCBT brings them back next year so that you, too, can bask in the awesomeness.

A myriad of elements contribute to the excellency of this show, but probably the most obvious one to seasoned dance audiences is the use of live music. Although the PSO utilizes a reduced orchestration, it still provides an underlying vibrancy to the production and brings warmth to an already cheerful and wondrous show.