Children's Auditions for LI's Largest Nutcracker Ballet June 3

New York Dance Theatre Open Auditions for Long Island's Largest Production of The Nutcracker

Sunday, June 3 at 1 pm at the Ohman School of Ballet in Commack

Auditions for children's roles in New York Dance Theatre's 2018 production of "The Nutcracker" will be held on Sunday, June 3 at 1 pm at the Frank Ohman School of Ballet located at 60 Calvert Avenue in Commack.
The New York Dance Theatre, under the direction of former New York City Ballet soloist Frank Ohman, will present its 37th season of "The Nutcracker" at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY in December. It is the only one on Long Island performed in the tradition of New York City Ballet's Lincoln Center version. With the elegant Christmas Party Scene, the drama of the magical growing Christmas Tree, the Battle of the Toy Soldiers and Giant Mice, the live Snow Storm, and the brilliant dancing in the Land of the Sweets, "The Nutcracker" appeals to all ages. Guest artists have included dancers from New York City Ballet and the Dance Theater of Harlem.

Children ages 6 through 15 may audition. There will be a second audition for advanced dancers on pointe on Sunday, June 10 from 1-3:30 pm at the same location. There is a $20 audition fee and proper ballet attire is required for all ages. The advanced dancer audition includes a full ballet technique class followed by an audition on pointe. Contact Argere Loizides at (631) 462-6266 or office@ohmanballet.com for important information before the audition.

About Frank Ohman
Frank Ohman is an internationally known dance professional. His critically acclaimed ballet career began with the San Francisco Ballet in 1959 and in 1962 he joined the New York City Ballet where he was a soloist for twenty-two years. During his distinguished performing career, Mr. Ohman appeared in leading and soloist roles in ballets of George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Frederic Ashton, Antony Tudor, David Lichine, John Taras, and Jacques d'Amboise. He partnered many of the world's leading ballerinas including Maria Tallchief, Marjorie Tallchief, Melissa Hayden, Suzanne Farrell, Allegra Kent, Patricia McBride, Gelsey Kirkland, Cynthia Gregory, Carol Sumner, Kay Mazzo, and Suki Schorer. He has appeared with the New York City Ballet at the New York State Theater, Kennedy Center, Marinsky Theater, Bolshoi Theater, the White House, and Jacob's Pillow.

Mr. Ohman has been a prolific choreographer, creating over two hundred original ballets, many of which have been performed by his New York Dance Theatre. He has choreographed for the Boston Ballet, Edmonton Ballet, Syracuse Ballet (where he was director), the Cassandra Ballet of Toledo, the Long Island Philharmonic, the Long Island Lyric Opera, the School of American Ballet workshop performance, American Movie Classics, the PAF Playhouse, the Adirondack's Long Lake Performing Arts Camp, and Indiana University. He assisted in the re-staging of Balanchine's "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" for the 1981 revival of "On Your Toes" and the 1986 New York City Ballet revival.

Mr. Ohman is currently directing his talents towards teaching, choreography and artistic direction. He has been a guest teacher at the Boston Ballet, the School of American Ballet, the St. Louis Ballet, and the National Dance Institute. In 2004, he was invited to be the guest Ballet Master of the Ballet Philippines where he spent three weeks sharing his knowledge and teaching the company in the style of George Balanchine.
When not teaching at the Ohman School of Ballet, guest teaching, choreographing or directing, Mr. Ohman enjoys painting and sculpting.

About the Frank Ohman School of Ballet
The Frank Ohman School of Ballet was founded in 1979 by Frank Ohman, former soloist at New York City Ballet (NYCB) and one of the few remaining direct links to the teaching of George Balanchine. Located in Commack, the school serves as a training ground for promising young dancers and offers aspiring students the opportunity to learn classical ballet in the tradition of George Balanchine. The school is a non-competition, non-recital school, focusing on proper classical ballet technique. A division of the New York Dance Theatre, Inc., the Ohman School has become an integral part of the company, and is one of the very few not-for-profit ballet schools in the region. It offers three studios with state-of-the art flooring to Balanchine specifications and a highly qualified teaching staff headed up by artistic director Frank Ohman. For more information visit www.ohmanballet.com.