Burnaby dancers part of Nutcracker extravaganza

Six young local dancers will be part of the Christmas magic when Alberta Ballet brings its Nutcracker production to Vancouver.

The Nutcracker is onstage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from Dec. 28 to 31, with live music by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Choreographed by Edmund Stripe, with sets and costumes designed by Emmy Award-winning designer Zack Brown, The Nutcracker is set in turn-of-the-20th-century Imperial Russia in all its opulent grandeur, including mice dressed as Cossack soldiers and snowflakes dressed as Russian princesses.

The production will include scores of young dancers chosen from ballet schools around the region.

In their ranks will be two dancers from the Northwest Academy of Performing Arts (formerly Kirkwood) in New Westminster - Emma Berrow, who appears among the page boys and rats, and Jennifer Prigl, also one of the rats.

From Douglas Ballet in Burnaby, Sarah Nelson appears as a soldier.

Three dancers from HZ Ballet Classique in Burnaby also appear in the production: Dain zolty as a page girl, Merissa Mah among the party girls, and Leila Khan as a soldier.

"The Vancouver premiere of Alberta Ballet's The Nucracker last year was a huge success with Vancouver audiences," said Emily Molnar, artistic director of Ballet B.C., which is bringing the production to the city. "We're sure the return of this magical version of the delightful Christmas story will add magic to the holiday season of both dance and music lovers alike."

The Nutcracker is onstage Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 28 to 30, at 7:30 p.m., with Friday and Saturday matinees, Dec. 30 and 31, at 2 p.m.

Tickets range from $22.50 to $70 and can be bought through Ticketmaster, 1-855-985-2787, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.