Pinkerton presents 'Nutcracker'

Staff Reports

Get into the holiday spirit as Pinkerton Ballet Theatre presents their 22nd annual production of "The Nutcracker Ballet" on Thanksgiving weekend at the Carson City Community Center. Performances are 7 p.m. Nov. 26 and 27, and 2 p.m. Nov. 28.

The cast includes area dancers and guest artists from around the United States.

Dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy is Christine Blanck, who received her early training under the instruction of Jill Chase, New Haven Ballet and New England Ballet. She was member of Utah Ballet and the Character Dance Ensemble, and earned her Bachelor of Arts with emphasis in performing, teaching and character dance. She is in her fourth season as a company dancer with Festival Ballet Providence.

Roger Fonnegra, who will portray the Cavalier, received his primary dance training with the Caracas Ballet School of Teresa Carreno and later joined the Ballet National of Caracas as an apprentice. He trained with Wilhelm Burmann at the School of American Ballet, then returned to Venezuela to become a corps member of the Ballet National of Caracas. Fonnegra joined Columbia Classical Ballet, performed as a guest artist with the Ballet Camara of Caracas, Seiskaya Ballet, Island Moving Company, Pennsylvania Ballet, New Haven Ballet, and is a company dancer with Festival Ballet Providence.

Featured in the lead roles in Arabian Pas de Deux are Natalie Berger and Arthur Reloj. Natalie was born and raised in Carson City, where she trained with Pinkerton Dance. She earned dance degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the University of Utah, performed with Ririe Woodbury Dance Company of Utah, the Siegfried and Roy show, and the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Arthur comes from Sierra Nevada Ballet, and performed with the University of Nevada, Reno, dance program, Wing and a Prayer Modern Dance Co., and Nevada Festival Ballet.

Armen and Ruben Hagopian return for their 12th year with Pinkerton's "Nutcracker" to bring the true spirit of Russian dancing. They are professional folkloric character dancers from Las Vegas who travel extensively and delight audiences wherever they go.

The role of Clara will be shared by Victoria Lauder of Carson City, and Erika Aufiero of Sparks.

Ryan Frier of North Carolina returns for his fourth year with Pinkerton Ballet Theatre as the Nutcracker Prince. He also performs the role of Snow King with Becca Kitchen, a Carson City native and Pinkerton alumnus who resides in Reno, as Snow Queen.

Lane Wilke of Reno will be the Mouse King, and the role of the Dew Drop Fairy will be shared by Breyanna Aufiero of Sparks and Brianna Goodfellow of Dayton.

Continuing the old time tradition of inviting local gentlemen of stature to perform the role of Mother Gigogne, with the huge skirt and many children, Pinkerton Ballet Theatre presents Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell, Carson City District Attorney Neil Rombardo, and Nevada State Sen. Mark Amodei. A different celebrity will be featured in each performance.

Tickets are $23.50 for general admission and $19.50 for seniors and students, including arts support fee, and are available at the Brewery Arts Center's Artisan Gift Shop, 449 W. King St., Carson City, (775) 883-1976, ext. 117, or at www.breweryarts.org.

Group discounts are offered, and tickets will be available at the door starting 90 minutes before each performance. Information, (775) 230-1915.