Lockport's Shelby Vennekotter to play lead "Nutcracker" role

Shelby Vennekotter’s dreams for the holiday season have come to fruition as the talented dancer from Lockport, Illinois, has been selected to perform the lead role in the quintessential holiday production of “The Nutcracker,” presented by the Plainfield Dance Academy and Wheatland Dance Theater. The 17-year old will lead a cast of more than 80 dancers, both students and professionals, in “The Nutcracker” production at 3 p.m., Sunday, December 10, 2017, in the Auditorium of Plainfield South High School, 7800 Caton Farm Rd., Plainfield, Illinois.

Tickets for this family favorite are $25 for children and seniors, $30 for adults and can be ordered online at www.tututix.com. Tickets can be purchased the day of the performance and are $35. For information on group sales call 435-222-2TIX.

This is the second leading role Vennekotter has performed this year, having previously enchanted audiences as Cinderella in the ballet of the same name this spring. She also received international experience this fall by performing in Zurich, Switzerland, as part of a trio choreographed by Eurika Rorto.

Vennekotter has honed her vast dance skills at Plainfield Dance Academy since 2014. Her studies, which focus on ballet, contemporary and character dance, have made her consider a career as a professional dancer.

In her short career, Shelby has attracted attention from many high profile schools of dance including the Denver School of the Arts, the Cincinnati School of Creative and Performing Arts, the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida; the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington, D.C.; and the Zurich Opera Ballet School in Switzerland. Additionally, she was awarded first place in the 2017 Carrie Rose Winski Scholarship Competition, a national competition open to any male or female dancer in the United States between the ages of 13 and 18.

“The Nutcracker” is the most popular ballet in the world and has enthralled and entertained children and adults alike throughout the years, becoming a holiday tradition for families the world over. This full-scale production is set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and presented in its original form, “The Nutcracker” is a full ballet presented in two acts. This production features professional backdrops, stunning lighting and special effects, colorful costumes, and is choreographed by PDA executive director and artistic director Altin Naska and Olena Nalyvaiko, former dancer with the Moscow Ballet.

The music, costumes, story, and delightful characters will bring out the child in everyone as they embark on a magical adventure with Clara, Drosselmeyer, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Nutcracker Prince.