Casper Dance Students Performing Nutcracker Ballet for the Third Year

Seventy-five Casper dance students have been rehearsing for their performance of The Nutcracker since September 15th. Local dancers auditioned for parts ranging from party children to Clara and the Nutcracker himself, in early September and have spent their Fridays and Saturdays since then in preparation for the upcoming shows on December 16th. Depending on their roles, dancers have spent anywhere from 2 to 6 hours each week in rehearsal.

There will be two Nutcracker performances on Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Kelly Walsh High School -- at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM.

“The rehearsal process teaches the dancers to be prepared, to focus on the task at hand, and to work with others. It is challenging, both physically and mentally. These dancers put a lot of energy into this production both in and out of the studio, and seeing their hard work on stage at the end is the most rewarding part of this job,” says Rebecca Hebert, the Rising Star instructor who oversees the production of the Nutcracker each year.

This year, Molly Rumble and Jonatan Lujan, professional dancers from New York City, will join the students on stage. Rumble, who is dancing the lead role of the Sugarplum Fairy, performed principal roles with both Butler Ballet and City Ballet of San Diego before moving to NY. Lujan is joining the production as the Sugarplum Fairy’s Cavalier. He began his training in Argentina under Julio Bocca and danced as a soloist with Ballet Zurich and the Slovak National Theatre.

This is the third year of this Casper-based production, a new tradition that the directors intend to be a staple of the holiday season for years to come. The Nutcracker premiered in the US in 1944, and since then has become a holiday ritual across the states. The Casper production allows The Nutcracker to become a tradition for both the dancers performing in it and for the community of Casper to attend with their families each year to celebrate the holiday season.

Ticket information here.