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Connecticut Concert Ballet's Nutcracker Involves Manchester Family On Stage and Off
Eight families of Connecticut Concert Ballet have parents and children who are dancers and perform on stage together
The story of the Nutcracker is about a family and there are other family related roles. Connecticut Concert Ballet’s performance has Party Parents, Mother Ginger and a magical Uncle, among many other parts. A total of 35 dancers in the cast are from Manchester.
One real-life local family spends more time with the show than most, both in the spotlight, and backstage. Father Carlos Jusem and daughter Dakota Jusem-LaPorte will be performing, so that involves a lot of rehearsal time. Behind the scenes, mom Laurel LaPorte-Grimes will be holding things together as manager of many tasks. Laurel has made her multiple lists and will be checking them more than twice while tracking volunteers, the cast, the costumes and many, many other things.
This enchanting traditional version has everything a Nutcracker connoisseur looks for, a giant Christmas tree that grows, twirling snowflakes, waltzing flowers, and a vision of a Sugar Plum Fairy. It also has 230 dancers from CCB and four very special guest artists Azamat Asangul Uulu, Darren McIntyre, Katie Moorhead and Rebecca DeNies.
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Three more shows are this weekend.
Bailey Auditorium at Manchester High School
134 Middle Turnpike East
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Saturday, December 19th at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 20th at 2:00 p.m.
Advance Ticket Prices: Preferred Front & Center Seats $35; General Admission: Adult $25, Child/Student/Senior $15. Tickets are available online at www.connecticutnutcracker.com or in person at Dance Village, 171 Spencer St, Manchester and Hairdresser on Fire, 176 Broad St, Windsor. Tickets $38, $28, $18 at the door. Call 860-418-7294 for show information.
Connecticut Concert Ballet is a semi-professional 501(c)(3) classical ballet school and performing arts organization with studios in Manchester on the Glastonbury line and in Windsor at the Loomis Chaffee School; for info please visit www.ctconcertballet.org, call 860-643-4796 or visit us at www.facebook.com/connecticutconcertballet. CCB is a multi-year winner of the “Best of Hartford” for Dance Lessons.
For more information on the Nutcracker please visit www.connecticutnutcracker.com or call 860-418-7294. Proceeds from the show fund our not-for-profit school year round, keeping the tuition and total cost for its students the lowest in the area. CCB’s Nutcracker was 2015 runner up for “Best of Hartford” Local Annual Event.
