Return to:

Mount Baker Ballet Community Outreach

"The Nutcracker  performance was superb, the ballet dancers were excellent. It was an enjoyable experience for all...A very heartfelt thank you is extended to Nancy Whyte and her ballet dancers." Assumption School, Bellingham, WA regarding the Mt. Baker Ballet concert version of the Nutcracker performed at Assumption School for students and faculty there.

The Mount Baker Ballet has a tradition of Community Outreach, bringing dance into local schools and other unique venues here in Whatcom County, reaching out, educating and enriching lives with the art of dance.    Each year in addition to their large, complete production of the traditional holiday Nutcracker at the Mount Baker Theatre, Mt. Baker Ballet (MBB) offers a  smaller, 1 hour length "Concert Version" of the Nutcracker. Locations over the many  years MBB has offered these special performances have varied dramatically from schools to festivals to studio performances for the community. The Community Outreach program has also included fall dance performances of "Peter and the Wolf", choreographed by MBB Artistic Director Nancy Whyte. In 2006 and 2007 these informal shows took place at the Nancy Whyte School of Ballet studio in downtown Bellingham and were free to the public, as a special gift to the community. For information regarding scheduling of MBB Community Outreach, please call 360-734-9141.      The Nutcracker Ballet has been a favorite of young children here in North America for generations, and is frequently cited as peoples introduction to live dance performance. This is certainly true in Bellingham, WA and her surrounding communities. Many children will be fortunate to see the complete Nutcracker Ballet performed by The Mt. Baker Ballet this December 15, 2007 at the historic Mount Baker Theatre in downtown Bellingham. The production follows the tradition of the original Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa ballet at Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia (in 1892) by having young children cast in the lead roles of Clara, the Prince and the Rat King. The other principal parts in the production are danced by company members of the Mount Baker Ballet.      But when the last bows are taken, the curtains closes and the last strains of Tchaikovskys world famous music are complete, the Mount Baker Ballet company members know they are not yet bidding a fond farewell to performing the Nutcracker for the year. That is because the Mount Baker Ballet often  takes their smaller "Concert Version" of the production out into the community for select performances at schools and other unique venues.      Many of the children mesmerized by this most interesting day at school won't remember that they are watching the original Petipa-Ivanov choreography as staged by Illaria Obidenna Ladre. They will remember that one morning they saw the Sugar Plum Fairy, the brave Nutcracker Prince with his sword and remember how a little girl named Clara saved him from the Rat King. They'll remember that dance is fun and entertaining....and just maybe they will recognize the Tchaikovsky music being piped into stores everywhere this holiday season.      Dance educator Nancy Whyte, Artistic Director of the regional company Mt. Baker Ballet, has been dedicated in bringing dance onto the stage, into the classroom and outdoors at regional festivals. The Nutcracker Ballet, memorable to young and old, has been one of The Mt. Baker Ballet's most popular repertoire works.

The Sugar Plum Fairy receives the Nutcracker Prince and young Clara during this scene from the Mt. Baker Ballet Nutcracker. The magic of the Nutcracker still delights audiences out in the community, without the large stage, curtains and lighting familiar to audiences of the more lavish and complete Mt. Baker Ballet production at the Mt. Baker Theatre.  (This Mt. Baker Ballet archive photo of their Concert Version was taken at a holiday festival at the Alaskan Ferry Terminal in Fairhaven, WA.)

When the Mount Baker Ballet performs out in the community, the Bellingham ballet company brings their own portable floor with them. Here Clara watches the Dew Drop Fairy leaping 'off-stage' in a Concert Version Nutcracker performance for students held at Birchwood Elementary School's gym.

TOP OF THIS PAGE

Return to:

The Mount Baker Ballet Nancy Whyte, Artistic Director 1412 Cornwall Avenue, (PO Box 2393) Bellingham, Washington USA  98227 360-734-9141

www.nancywhyteballet.com

This website and all of it's pages are copyright 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 by the Nancy Whyte School of Ballet. Last Update: 12-20-07