We offer suggestions for arts lovers to discover (and re-discover) established and emerging artists, musicians and performers in and around Delaware. Although we particularly like to celebrate smaller arts organizations and individuals, we cover nearly anything that strikes us or that we feel you should know about. Periodically, we welcome guest bloggers and artists to join us.
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Wilmington Ballet Hosts Masterclass with NYC Ballet Soloist
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Not Your Grandmother’s Nutcracker: Wilmington Ballet Announces Virtual Nutcracker Experience
Information in this post comes from a press release from The Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance.
While COVID-19 and socially distant restrictions have shut down the majority of arts organizations around the world, the Wilmington Ballet have been pirouetting full force into the new – a new philosophy, new staff, and a new way to bring the holiday tradition of The Nutcracker to families across Delaware for the 53th year.
From December 7-12, sugarplums will dazzle, mice and
soldiers will battle, and snowflakes will swirl as the Wilmington Ballet
presents their completely virtual Nutcracker Experience. This five-night,
online event will feature a mix of pre-recorded and live videos. The ballet
will be performed in venues across the Greater Wilmington area, including The
Delaware Art Museum and The Playhouse on Rodney Square.
Viewers can expect to be blown away by this year’s guest
stars:
• Akua
Parker - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Academy of the Dance alumna
• Georgina
Pazcoguin - New York City Ballet Soloist
• Lateef
Williams – Royal Ballet of Flanders, Wilm Ballet Alumni
• Amanda
Smith - Dance Theater of Harlem
• Anthony
Santos – Dance Theater of Harlem
• The Voloshky
Ukranian Dance Ensemble
“We really had to test our creativity this year and expand
the performance to fit the current times we find ourselves in,” said Benjamin
Cannon, Wilmington Ballet’s new Executive and Artistic Director. “It was
important to us to keep this tradition alive for our community. Now more than
ever, a sense of ‘normal’ and familiarity is so needed, and our hope is that by
presenting The Nutcracker in a new and innovative way, we can help families
hang on to a holiday tradition they may have otherwise had to forego.”
This year’s ballet will be presented virtually on new
virtual events platform Markee – created locally in Downtown Wilmington. Since
quietly launching in June 2020, Markee has hosted more than 100 events,
including the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner, EasterSeals
Delaware and Maryland’s Easter Shore Annual Caregiver Conference, and an event
for The Future Party.
Other local organizations involved in this year’s production
include:
• DelawareArt Museum
• Pieces of a Dream Academy of Dance
• McAlleer-Paulson School of Irish Dance
• Stage Lights Dance Academy
• The Playhouse
on Rodney Square
“Including and becoming more a part of our local community
was imperative to us,” said Christopher Davis, the ballet’s Associate Artistic
Director. “We were floored when we were introduced to Markee and could not sign
up fast enough when we learned it was built just a mile from our studio! The
Delaware Art Museum has been an incredible partner, and we fully intend to
include as many community organizations as possible in our programming going
forward.”
Cannon and Davis, both with impressive backgrounds featuring
Broadway and professional dance companies, are hoping to use this year’s
performance as an introduction to the new Wilmington Ballet and Academy of the
Dance. The long-term plans for the dance company include adding more diverse
class options, community programming, extensive building updates, and an
exciting rebranding project with local branding agency BrandSwan.
The Tuttleman Foundation Presents: The Nutcracker Experience
• Monday, Dec. 7 – Wednesday, Dec 9: 7pm
• Thursday, Dec. 10: 8:30pm (Special presentation in
conjunction with Delaware Art Museum)
• Friday, Dec. 11: 7pm
• Saturday, Dec. 12: 2pm (Special matinee with guest stars
from the historic Playhouse on Rodney Square)
Tickets ($75 per single household) are on sale now at https://events.wilmingtonballet.org/the-nutcracker-experience.
(The Wilmington Ballet asks that viewers continue to follow
the Delaware State of Emergency guidelines that have been put in place. They
have priced tickets per household to encourage social distancing. Once
purchased, ticket links are unique and cannot be shared.)
About The Wilmington Ballet at the Academy of the Dance
Founded in 1956, as the Academy of the Dance, Wilmington
Ballet has the longest-standing tradition of excellence in dance training in
the region. Wilmington Ballet’s professional faculty is dedicated to providing
exceptional ballet training to students of all ages. Wilmington Ballet students
have advanced to the world’s top companies, including American Ballet Theatre,
New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Martha Graham
Company, Royal Ballet Flanders, Boston Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, as well
as Broadway and more. Since 1967, the annual performance of The Nutcracker at
the Playhouse on Rodney Square has provided our students the opportunity to
perform with world-class professional artists and live orchestra. Wilmington
Ballet is conveniently located in the Trolley Square neighborhood at 1709
Gilpin Avenue. The Wilmington Ballet is supported, in part, by a grant from the
Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for
the Arts. More Information:
www.wilmingtonballet.org.