Auditions held for dancers for Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ Seeking youth and professional dancers

Dancers ages 6 years old through professional level are invited to audition for the Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet’s 2012 production of the Nutcracker. Auditions will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013 at Von Heidecke Ballet Studios, 1239 S. Naper Blvd., Naperville. 

Auditions will take place according to the following
schedule: 

• 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: dancers ages 6 - 10

• 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: dancers age 11 - professional
level 

Dancers must arrive 30 minutes prior to their age group’s
start time to register. Audition forms are available on our website at
www.chicagofestivalballet.com.  

The Von Heidecke Chicago Festival
Ballet will present “The Nutcracker,” choreographed by Kenneth von Heidecke
locally at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet. Younger children will be selected
for roles near their homes. The more advanced dancers will have the opportunity
to go on tour this season to perform at the Ritz Theater in Tiffin, Ohio. Only
the most talented Chicago area children will be selected for the professional
tour.  Younger children with less
experience are still offered the chance to appear in the performance at the
historic Rialto Square Theater in Joliet. 

This is the prestigious school that
President Obama's daughters appeared in this production of the Nutcracker, downtown
at the Harris Theater in 2007 when President Obama was still a Senator of
Illinois.  Gold medalist U.S. Olympic
figure skater Evan Lysecek  went to this
school, along with numerous other students who went on to professional
careers.  

“Very few ballet schools, if any, tour out-of-state, but
it’s such a wonderful experience for the students,” Von Heidecke said. When
Chicago Festival Ballet toured Nutcracker to the Jackie Gleason Theater of the
Performing Arts in Miami Beach, Florida, the company received a thunderous
standing ovation, and Miami’s mayor came on stage and presented Mr. von
Heidecke with the “Key to the City.” 

“The Nutcracker” performance dates are as follows: 

• 2 p.m. Sunday, December 1, at the Rialto Square Theatre,

15 E. Van Buren St., Joliet, Illinois 

• 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 21, at the Ritz Theater in Tiffin, Ohio 

Kenneth von Heidecke, the protege of legendary Prima
Ballerina Assoluta, Maria Tallchief, is internationally renowned for his work
with major opera and ballet companies around the world. Frequently seen on TV
including segments on ABC, WGN, NBC, CBS and PBS, Von Heidecke is the founder
and artistic director of the Chicago Festival Ballet, now in its 21st year.
This year Mr. von Heidecke choreographed Aida for the Dallas Opera and
another Aida and Samson and Delilah for the San Diego Opera. 

About Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet 

Director, Kenneth von Heidecke is founder and chief choreographer of the Chicago Festival
Ballet and School. He is also a renowned choreographer for opera and ballet
companies around the world having choreographed over 60 operas and 80 ballets.
Von Heidecke began his career as a dancer, working his way through the ranks of
many prominent companies such as La Scala in Milan, Rome Opera, San Francisco
Ballet, Ballet Met and Chicago City Ballet. Most significantly, he was
hand-chosen by legendary Prima Ballerina Assoluta Maria Tallchief to appear in
the 1975 world premiere of George Balanchine's “Orfeo ed Euridice,” a
ground-breaking moment in his career. Over the years, Tallchief continued to
coach von Heidecke in the Balanchine repertoire and today refers to him as her
protégé. 

His choreography has been presented at the Lyric Opera of
Chicago, Alaska Dance Theatre, Scotland's Edinburgh Festival, Washington DC's
Kennedy Center, Los Angeles Music Center, New York City's Lincoln Center,
Dallas Opera, San Francisco Opera, San Diego Opera, Ballet Nacional de Panama,
Germany's Badisches Staatstheater and countless others. In 1989, he opened the
doors to his school of ballet in Naperville, Ill., later expanding to include
locations in Joliet and Chicago. In 1990, he founded his company, Chicago
Festival Ballet, which performs a repertoire of classical, romantic and
neoclassical works in venues around the United States. The company also began
producing an annual touring “Nutcracker,” which is now a staple in the Chicago
area and a much-requested production in cities across the country. In 1996, von
Heidecke had the unique opportunity to serve as Ballet Master to the U.S.
Olympic Gymnastics Team. Former Students of Kenneth von Heidecke include
American Figure Skater, Evan Lycecek: 2010 Figure Skating Champion Gold
Medalist and 2009 World Figure Skating Champion, Dancer, Joanna Wozniak: Joined
Joffrey Ballet as an apprentice in 2001, became a full company member in 2003
and became a principal dancer in 2009. In addition to her many roles with the
Joffrey, Ms. Wozniak can be seen as a dancer with in the feature film Save
the Last Dance. Former Royal Ballet Dancer, Christina Salerno: danced with
the San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Switzerland and in now
Executive Director of the Salt Creek Ballet.Dancer, Victoria Born: principal
role in the film Center Stage, dancer for American Ballet Theatre and
Ballerina in the Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera. Mr. von
Heidecke’s works have been on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” news program, WTTW’s
“Arts Across Illinois” entertainment special, PBS’ “Making of an Opera” and a
PBS documentary on Maria Tallchief’s life. In 2008, he was inducted into the
Fox Valley Hall of Fame. He has appeared on ABC, WGN, NBC, etc. and currently,
film maker, Stuart Meyer is filming a documentary on his life and career. 

Artistic Advisor, Maria Tallchief is universally known as America’s first great Prima
Ballerina. She is among six women in the history of ballet to have received the
title “Prima Ballerina Assoluta.” Miss Tallchief is listed in the encyclopedia
and is the topic of many books. She was the recipient of the Kennedy Center
Award for the Arts in 1998 and recipient of the Presidential Award in 1952 and
1999. She was the highest paid dancer of the world during her career. She is
recognized by the world as the greatest interpretess of Stravinsky’s ballet,
The Firebird. She has been on the cover of many magazines including Times,
Life, Newsweek and many more. Once married to the legendary choreographer,
Balanchine, she was Prima Ballerina of the New York City Ballet and performed
all over the world. Many times, she was featured on the Ed Sullivan Show, the
Bell Telephone Hour, etc. A 2 hour documentary of her life and legendary career
is currently being filmed for PBS. 

Audition pre-registration is encouraged but not required. For
more information, call (630) 527-1052 or visit our website at
www.chicagofestivalballet for an audition form.