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Brighton Ballet Theater’s Russian American Kids Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker”
Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreography and Libretto by Eduard Kouchnarev Executive Director Irina Roizin
Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 2 p.m. Leon M. Goldstein Performing Arts Center Kingsborough Community College 2001 Oriental Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11235
This program is supported in part by Public Funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs BBT will dance you a story, a story of music and friendship, about what happened to a young girl named Marie on a Christmas day long ago in a land far away…
The Nutcracker An Original Brighton Ballet Theater Production Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Director: Irina Roizin Choreographer: Edouard Kouchnarev Scenic Design: Charles H. Stewart & Co., & Edouard Kouchnarev Costume Design: Victor Matsenin, Valeriy Tsymbal, Irina Roizin Sound Technician: Igor Balaban Accompanist: Rosalia Gersmash Light Designer: Oleg Braude
BBT Staff Executive Director: Irina Roizin Coordinator: Vladimir Lepisko Financial Director: Inna Gilkis Ballet Teachers: Edouard Kouchnarev and Larisa Akinicheva Press, Advertising and Sales: Vladimir Lepisko Administrative and Communications Support: Pamela Appea & Erica Freeman The Nutcracker - is an original production with new choreography to a timeless story. Choreographed by Edouard Kouchnarev, a new generation Russian choreographer who has danced and choreographed throughout the world, The Nutcracker is a ballet especially tailored for children. Choreographer: Edouard Kouchnarev Eduard Kouchnarev began his dance career at 10 years old, upon acceptance to the Kiev National Choreographic School. His dancing career on the stage began soon after that under the watchful eye of Irina Yakimova, who singled out the young Mr. Kouchnarev for the solo role in the ballet Malchish-Kibalchish, where he played the lead role of a young boy. After studying under ballet giants such as Vladimir Denisenko, Vladimir Shtefan, Valery Kovtun, Irina Bulatova and others, Mr. Kouchnarev joined the Vronski Kiev Classical Ballet at the age of 18. Gaining his first taste of the stage, Mr. Kouchnarev discovered his passion for acting, particularly dancing roles which required a challenging delivery of emotion. After serving in the army, Mr. Kouchnarev continued his dance career as a soloist with the Ukrainian State Theatre of Classical Ballet, where he danced as a soloist in Firebird, Swan Lake, Giselle, Carmen, Petrushka, The Flame of Paris, Nights by the Little Village of Dekanka and Coppelia. Seeking further exposure to other dance forms, Mr. Kouchnarev left Ukraine to study folk, modern and jazz dance in Spain, where he also danced as a soloist at Ballet Ciudad de Barcelona. After some time, Mr. Kouchnarev decided to return to Ukraine and join the Kiev Jewish Theater. It was during a company tour to the United States that Mr. Kouchnarev made the choice to stay in New York City to pursue his dance career on U.S. soil. He joined Brighton Ballet Theater in 1995 as a soloist and teacher, and has since grown to be the principal school and company choreographer. The Nutcracker Synopsis As homes light up with warm fires and the land is covered with blankets of white snow, a season of fantasy and magic envelopes the air. Children come out and play in the snow knowing they will soon run home to unwrap their presents during this special holiday season. Fritz is having a large birthday party and invites all of his friends. As Fritz’s parents are very wealthy, each year Fritz has a grand party and receives many presents. This year his godfather, Dr. Drosselmeyer, the magician, gives Fritz a beautiful Nutcracker doll. But spoiled with all his presents, Fritz doesn’t care about the Nutcracker doll and immediately breaks it. All the children go to eat the birthday cake and Fritz leaves the broken Nutcracker doll under the Christmas tree. In Fritz’s home, lives a young maid named Marie, an orphan, who has never been invited to any of Fritz’s birthday parties. Every year she hopes to be invited to participate in the holiday festivities with the other kids, but instead she spends her holidays scrubbing and cleaning floors. At night, when Marie is alone she dreams about meeting a Prince one day and marrying him. While cleaning the ballroom where Fritz had his birthday party, Marie discovers the broken Nutcracker doll and falls in love with him. Marie is distraught that the Nutcracker doll is broken and desperately wants to heal him. Dr. Drosselmeyer, the Magician, helps Marie fix the Nutcracker doll and with his magic the Nutcracker doll transforms into a young Prince. Soon Marie is in a different magical land. The toys and tree that once stood lifeless in the ballroom have come to life and start to dance for Marie in the Ball of Toys. All of sudden, an army of mice storm in and attack the toys, breaking up the ball. Marie helps the Nutcracker win the battle against the Mice by throwing a piece of cheese at the Mouse King. After they win the battle they arrive in the Kingdom of Peace, where dolls and sweets from countries such as Senegal, Morocco, Spain, China, Russia and France come to life and dance. The ballet concludes in The Land of Flowers, where the Nutcracker Prince and Marie, who have grown into young adults, marry during the “Waltz of Flowers.”
Cast and Characters:
Drosselmeier:
Simon Shargo
Russian Dance:
Soloists: Alexey Maltsev, Artem Kounetsov, Anton Kapitman & students of BBT/School
of Russian American Ballet;
Adagio: Vitaly
and Veronika Verterich
Cast Biographies: Vitaly Verterich was trained at the Kiev National Choreographic School and the Moscow Academy of Art. After graduating, he danced solo roles in classical and contemporary works with the Russian Chamber Ballet Theater, and often appeared as a guest dancer with the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet dance companies. In 1998, Vitaly was a principal with Moscow Ballet when Michael Flatley invited him to join Riverdance. Vitaly toured Europe, Australia, North America with Riverdance and performed on Broadway. Vitaly has been dancing for the New Jersey Ballet Company since 2001. Veronika Verterich was born in Moscow, Russia is presently 14 years old. Veronika moved to the U.S. at the age of three with her parents who are both professional dancers. She started her ballet training five years ago at Valentina Kozlova’s Dance Conservatory of New York, where she is currently enrolled. Veronika has participated, and placed in the World Ballet Competition, Youth America Grand Prix, and in the New Jersey Dance Festival. This year she was accepted to the Youth America Grand Prix Finals that were held at City Center in New York, and advanced through all rounds at the World Ballet Competition to place second. Simon Shargo is a renowned international circus and variety performer. Upon finishing the highly acclaimed Moscow Circus School and learning the art from such International superstars as Marcel Marceau, he has charmed audiences from many countries including Germany, Poland, Finland, and America. Simon is a three-time recipient of the highest award at the International Variety Competition held in Berlin, Helsinki, and Former USSR. He has been working with Brighton Ballet Theater for over eight years. Alexey Maltsev started to perform with Russian folk dance and music ensemble Barynya in 2007. His first concert took place during Puerto Rico International Festival of Cultures in December 2007. Alexey Maltsev is also very well known in the Russian community of the New York tri-State area as a Russian DJ BARNAUL. Mamadou Dahoué was born in the northern region of the Ivory Coast in the village of Ségula. He became a member of the National Ballet of Côte d’Ivoire at the age of eighteen and was a company dancer for nearly a decade. He has performed throughout Africa, Europe and the United States. Mamadou’s extensive performance experiences include BAM DanceAfrica 2005, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors and Family Concert Series at Carnegie Hall. Reena Mahase came here from her home town, Guyana at age 10 where her parents immediately enrolled her at the Rising Stars Dance Studio in Queens, NY. She is now a student of theater and Dance at Queens College, in Flushing NY. She has now progressed to a successful career as a dancer and has taken roles in musicals and stage shows around the U.S. With over 14 years of experience as a dancer and dance teacher, her areas of expertise include Ballet, Jazz, Modern Dance, Tap Dance, and Indian classical dance.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the following individuals & organizations for their ongoing assistance and friendship: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Independence Community Foundation
Mayor of New York City: Mike Bloomberg Brooklyn Borough President: Marty Markowitz State of New York Assemblyman: Steven Cymbrowitz NYC Council Member Domenic Recchia, Jr. NYC Council Member Michael Nelson NYC Department of Cultural Affairs: Commissioner Kate D. Levine Independence Community Foundation: Stuart Post
Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York: President Dr. Regina S. Peruggi Vice President Bill Keller Dean Saul W. Katz Mr. John L. Aaron Ms. Sarah Van Buren Mr. Paul Winnick & Leon M. Goldstein Performing Arts Center’s Management and Staff
Special Thanks to the BBT's Board of Directors A special thank you to all BBT volunteers, parents and students who have devoted their time, energy and passion to make this performance a success!
About BBT/School of Russian American Ballet: For more information and a registration appointment, please contact: BBT/School of Russian American Ballet at Kingsborough: 2001 Oriental Blvd, Building T7, Room: 7211, Brooklyn, NY 11235 Phone: 718-769-9161; E-mail: brightonballet@gmail.com
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Brighton Ballet Theater Co., Inc.
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