48 Wilton Dancers Perform in Sunday's Nutcracker Ballet

A Wilton tradition comes to life again this Sunday: The Wilton Dance Studio will present its annual Nutcracker Ballet featuring more than 80 students and adults from seven area towns including 48 from Wilton.

This full-scale production includes Grace Cristini, a Wilton Cider Mill School fifth grader, dancing the role of Clara this year. Michele Assef, a Wilton High School senior, plays the Sugarplum Fairy. The ballet will be performed on Sunday, December 14 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton High School’s Clune Center for the Performing Arts.

This 17th year of the production is extra special to Brenda and Mark Froehlich, owners of the Wilton Dance Studio. Traditionally they share the Nutcracker stage with their son Brian Froehlich and his wife Sara. Now the family is pleased to welcome a third generation to the ballet, Brian and Sara’s 10-month-old daughter Sophie. Sophie will make her walk-on (or, in this case, carry-on) stage debut in the lavish opening party scene of the ballet. “We’re thrilled to have our beautiful grandchild be part of a holiday tradition that is so special to our family!” said Brenda Froehlich, a Wilton native and artistic director of the studio that has been in Wilton for 25 years.

It’s not just multiple family generations that make this performance special. Students also enjoy being part of a different “dance generation” each year. Mrs. Froehlich explains, “Our Nutcracker is designed to respect the ballet tradition while giving our dancers a chance to grow with it. Dancers love to find out what part they have in the show each year and it’s a way to mark their progress. The Nutcracker offers so many great roles, from our pre-schoolers who play adorable sheep to our high schoolers who learn challenging roles like the Snow Queen or Sugarplum Fairy. We’re proud of all our dancers’ commitment to create a memorable show.”

Grace Cristini says her role as Clara isn’t the only part about the ballet she loves: “The Nutcracker makes it feel like Christmas, and I love playing the part in a story that has been around for a long time. I also love the music and the costumes.”

Wilton Dance Studio’s Nutcracker is perfect for multi-generational audiences, too. The performance length is manageable for young children, and they are welcome. The ballet follows the traditional story of Clara and her Nutcracker prince from E.T.A. Hoffman’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, with music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Professional sets and elegant costumes complete the high-quality production.

The Wilton Dance Studio production of The Nutcracker will be on Sunday, December 14, 2014 at 1 and 4:30 p.m. at Wilton High School’s Clune Performing Arts Center. To buy tickets, call 203-544-9007 and leave a message or order at www.wiltondance.com, click on “Nutcracker Performances” download & print the ticket order form. Tickets are also available at the door on the day of the show.

Photo: Wilton Dancers in the 2014 Production

Photo credit: Donner Photographic

Front row (L to R): Sophia Flaim, Noa Gottlieb, Sara Reiter, Fiona Conway, Marina Lee

Second row (L to R): Charlotte Collins, Caitlin Allen, Grace Cristini (Clara), Kristin Torkelsen (Fritz), Samantha Acerra-Markey, Jackie Cahill

3rd row (L to R): Brenda Froehlich (Co-Director), Michele Assef (Sugar Plum Fairy), Victoria DiRocco, Hailey MacDonald (Nutcracker), Parker Mavis

Back row (L to R): Mark Froehlich (Co-Director), Brian Froehlich (Snow King & Sugar Plum Cavalier), Sara Froehlich, Lizzie MacDonald