Local Area Ballerinas Visit Smilow Cancer Center

Fresh off last weekend’s celebration of its 30th Anniversary performance of The Nutcracker, the New England Academy of Dance kicked off its Lecture Demonstration Series last Thursday at the Smilow Cancer Center at Yale New Haven Hospital. As part of its outreach program, this year generously sponsored by Bankwell, members of its pre-professional dance company perform excerpts from The Nutcracker to audiences who are unable to travel to the theater. In addition to its first-time invitation to perform at Smilow, NEAD ballerinas will be dancing later this month at the New Canaan Inn and Waveny Care Center in New Canaan, as well as Brighton Gardens in Stamford.

The Nutcracker, a classical two-act ballet based on the story by E.T.A Hoffmann, follows the enchanting journey of young Clara, who receives a Nutcracker as a gift on Christmas Eve. In her vivid, come-to-life dreams, her Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince, who leads her on a magical journey through an enchanted forest to his Palace of Sweets where she meets the exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy and the people of the Land of Sweets. NEAD volunteers transported a host of dazzling costumes up to New Haven so that eleven company members could perform selections from the show for Smilow staff and patients. Celia Rogers and Kate Nusslein reprised their starring roles as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara, respectively. New Canaan’s Sophie Graham once again joined NEAD Director Ted Thomas in the dance of the Arabian prince and princess. The lively Spanish dance was performed by Morgan Walling and Liz Bochicchio of New Canaan, and Taylor Davis of Darien. Finally, five ballerinas shined as sweet Marzipan, including Colleen Brereton and Emily Stute of Darien, Hailey Daniel and Grace Stearns of New Canaan, and Severn Davies of Wilton.

Artistic Director Ginna Ortiz said, “Our Lecture Demonstration Series is one of the most rewarding parts of our annual schedule. Sharing our love of dance and bringing the joy of The Nutcracker Ballet is our way of giving back to our community and we are blessed to be able to do so each year.”