A Homegrown ‘Nutcracker’

By Janet Rems

November is the traditional start of “Nutcracker” season. For many Northern Virginians, their annual helping of Sugar Plum Fairy, Mouse King and dancing sweets is served up by the Classical Ballet Theatre, composed of students from Herndon’s Classical Ballet Academy.

For 15 years, the Theatre has performed Tchaikovsky’s ballet at Ernst Community Cultural Center Theatre on the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College. This year’s shows are Nov. 28, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 29, at 2 p.m.

The performance, which began as a series of excerpts, bloomed into a full production its seventh year with a company trained in the Russian “Vaganova tradition.” This year, Northern Virginia ballerinas Lauren Gallisa and Caroline Dougherty, both 14, will dance the roles of Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Visit www.cbtnva.org.

(November 2009)