Ballethnic's "Urban Nutcracker" Returns to Its Morehouse Roots

Ballethnic Dance Company will present its celebrated “Urban Nutcracker” December 8-10 and, in so doing, make an historic return to the Martin Luther King (MLK) International Chapel at Morehouse College. Now an Atlanta tradition, this colorful and imaginative adaptation of the classic European “Nutcracker” was first staged at the King Chapel in 1991.

“We’re excited about returning to Morehouse to again mount Urban Nutcracker, “said Ballethnic Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director Waverly T. Lucas II. “It was at Morehouse where we first presented our ethnic twist on this 19^th century European ballet, which we set on Atlanta’s ‘Sweet Auburn’ of the 1940’s.”

The MLK Chapel provided the larger stage needed to produce the “Nutcracker,” such that, we could engage African- American youth and children in performing the popular Christmas ballet, Mr. Lucas said. “Up to that point, local Black youngsters who were interested in dancing the children’s roles had limited opportunities to join Atlanta’s other established ballet companies.”

In Mr. Lucas’ original choreography of Urban Nutcracker, he used excerpts from the ballet’s Act II. By 1993, he also had choreographed Act I to create the full- length ballet. Traditionally, Ballethnic’s production has been performed the weekend before Thanksgiving – making it the first ‘Nutcracker’ ballet of Atlanta’s holiday season. However, this year the ballet will be staged in mid-December.

Nena Y. Gilreath, Ballethnic’s Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director, explains the change from the long-term November date, saying “We were given a special opportunity by the Morehouse leadership to bring Urban Nutcracker back to the King Chapel and we wanted to take advantage of that.” Staging this year’s performance on the campus returns the Company to its roots and underscores its importance to this community, she explained.

“We’re also heartened to return to Ballethnic’s first major production venue, after coming through both periods of growth and set back,” Ms. Gilreath noted. “Our theme for the 2017-18 season -- From Grit to Grace – celebrates where we are now. The fact that we’ve been able to overcome substantial challenge and build a viable professional dance company for Greater Atlanta is significant.”

In keeping with Ballethnic’s return to its roots at Morehouse, this year’s Urban Nutcracker cast will feature a number of outstanding graduates from the Ballethnic Academy of Dance who moved onto successful careers. This talented group includes: Karla Tyson, who recently moved back to Atlanta from Long Beach, CA after performing two seasons as a ‘Laker Girl’; Chadrick Jones, who has performed as a guest dancer throughout metro Atlanta and the nation; A. Laila Howard, author of the recently published book, The Fairy Tell Within, who will be completing her fifth season with Ballethnic; and Terrell Venn, who grew up at Ballethnic from age three, and is now completing his dance apprenticeship and assisting with the Ballethnic Danseur Development Project for young males.

Also, as alumni of the world-class Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), Ms. Gilreath and Mr. Lucas are excited that DTH star performer Alicia Mae Holloway and her dance partner, Italian-born Saverio Pescucci, will join this year’s Urban Nutcracker cast.

Ballethnic's popular holiday production features a multicultural cast of aspiring and professional dancers, including students from the Ballethnic Youth Ensemble and senior citizens from the H.J.C. Bowden Multi-Purpose Center in East Point.

Urban Nutcracker is Waverly T. Lucas’ adaptation of Tchaikovsky's ballet. Set in Atlanta's historic Sweet Auburn community of the ‘40’s -- the production offers a soulful celebration with whimsical characters such as Reggae Ragdolls, the sultry Arabian dance, the spins and leaps of the Black Russians, Mother Spice and her tumbling Spice Drops, the bubbly Coca-Cola Pas de Six, and the elegant Brown Sugar and her Chocolatier.

For Tickets, visit Ballethnic.org