By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
If it’s dream time for Claire, then Christmas must be near.
Claire, of course, is the name for the main character in Julie’s Dance Studio’s “Nutcracker … All Jazzed Up.” While the show opens with a bedtime story, there’s nothing sleepy about Julie’s production.
Based on the classic ballet, “All Jazzed Up” includes Tchaikovsky’s tunes and plenty of pounding beat, rock ’n’ roll, and swinging jazz as well as moments evoking the original.
“Nutcracker … All Jazzed up” will be staged Friday, Nov. 22, and Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts on the Owens Community College Center campus, 30335 Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.
Appetizers and beverages will be served by Sunset Bistro one hour prior to each performance.
Katie Osten tells the story of the Nutcracker to a group of the youngest cast members, clad in night gowns. This helps for the youngest members of the audience so they have a sense of how the ballet will unfold.
Then we meet Claire. The role was performed by Nina Snyder at the dress rehearsal held in the studio Star Style Theatre. She plays the role in the Saturday evening and Sunday matinee, while Riley Fullenkamp performs Friday evening and the Saturday matinee.
Claire arrives first at her family’s Christmas party and exudes the excited anticipation at the festivities.
That, of course, involves the presentation of gifts including an elegant ballerina doll (Molly Stygles), strutting toy soldiers (Bryn Conner, Vivian Tracy, and Prestyn Whitman) and an acrobatic harlequin Hailey Hemminger.
But the most impressive present from the eccentric Uncle Drosselmyer (played by studio instructor Timothy Barker) is the Nutcracker given to Claire. She is enamored with the Nutcracker, though other mischievous children are envious. Veronica Artiaga, Katherine Brown, Breckin Diem, Jessa Donaldson, Ella Hemminger. Kit Jatho, Zoe Kern, and Avaya McMillin show the importance of acting as well as dancing. They whisper among themselves before dashing out to try to snatch the Nutcracker, then retreat when Uncle Drosselmyer scolds them. This happens three times before the Nutcracker is damaged and taken away for repair. The party disbands.
In its wake a wonderland unfolds of Jingle Bells, a tumbling ornament (Ella Hemminger) , dancing ornaments, and Wooden Soldiers.
We get adorable mice (Genevieve Althaus, Aubree Bly, Brooklyn Conner, Rory Erford, Maggie Jatho, Hazel Lafontaine, Maya Lawrence, Natalie Snyder, and Natalie Truckor) and more menacing rodent-forward mice (Rhiana Arps, Veronica Artiaga, Katherine Brown, Bryn Conner, Breckin Diem, Lorelai Erford, , Reid Foust, Riley Fullenkamp, Hailey Hemminger, Nina Snyder, Emersyn Strum, Molly Stygles, Vivian Tracy, and Prestyn Whitman).
These tap-dancing mice set up the grand battle between the now large Nutcracker (Emersyn Strum) and the Mouse Queen (Rhianna Arps).
The battle is energetic with almost the entire cast taking part until Claire deals the decisive blow to the Mouse Queen saving her beloved Nutcracker.
From there the scene, and our heroine changes.
Stephanie Bell becomes the Dream Claire.
Bell started studying at Julie’s when she was 8 and the “Nutcracker … All Jazzed Up” was new. That was 18 years ago, and Bell now teaches at the studio.
This is testament to the continuation of the tradition.
She is joined by Barker as the Dream Nutcracker.
They are led by the Snow King (Caleb Hemming) through the snow to the Land of the Sweets.
We encounter the sweets from various lands which the more advanced dancers to glide into the spotlight — such as Kyleah Grubb with the coffee dance, Larissa Frost taking the lead on the celebration of chocolate, and Adelaide Brown as the queen in the “Waltz of the Flowers.”
The dance becomes more traditional as the production moves toward its conclusion culminating Bell and Barker’s “Pas de Deux” and the solo features that follow.
The scene shifts back to Claire’s living room and an ensemble of spirits swirl to the strains of Pachebel’s Canon representing the Meaning of Christmas.
“Nutcracker … All Jazz Up” captures the spirit of Christmas in its many aspects, and serves as a fitting beginning to the season.
