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250 NFA Dance Scholars Perform Not-So-Traditional Nutcracker
Earlier this December, the Newburgh Free Academy Dance Department presented a not so traditional version of the classical tale The Nutcracker.
The performance included the traditional story line and using the Tchaikovsky score, but added in some other, more modern songs to make it "a not-so-traditional" version.
Seniors in the dance department danced the lead roles and all 250 scholars who take dance were involved in the production.
The Story
Act I: The Silberhaus Home
It is Christmas Eve at the Silberhaus’ house. Mr. and Mrs. Silberhaus their children Clara and Fritz, have gathered with their family and friends to celebrate the holiday. The festivities begin with dancing. A mysterious mam appears. It turns out to be Clara’s godfather, Herr Dosselmeyer. He gives out presents to the children including a Nutcracker for Clara, which her brother Fritz breaks as he is hopping around on his hobby horse. Drosselmeyer brought two life-like dolls who dance to the delight of all, except Clara who is still heartbroken over her Nutcracker Doll. The guests depart and Clara falls asleep with her broken doll. She dreams that human sized mice try to take her away. She is saved by her now life-size Nutcracker, but soon finds herself in the middle of battle between toy soldiers and the mice. The mice retreat and the Nutcracker leads Clara through a pine forest in which the Snowflakes dance around them. She meets the Snow Queen who sends Clara on her way to the The Land of Sweets.
Act II: The Land of Sweets
Clara and the Nutcracker arrive in the Land of Sweets, ruled by the Sugarplum Fairy. The people of the Land of Sweets present a celebration of sweets from around the world: hot chocolate from Spain, spices from Arabia, tea from China, candy canes from Russia, Marzipan Sweets from France, Fruit from Brazil, and Golden carafes from Africa. Mother Ginger’s must catch her Gingerbread cookies who would rather dance with Clara than be eaten. Beautiful flowers lead by the Dew Drop Fairy perform for Clara and The Nutcracker. Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara dance a duet and The Sugar Plum Fairy receives Clara as an equal. A final dance is performed by all as Clara is whisked away by the Nutcracker, but knows she can always return to the Land of Sweets, perhaps someday as Queen.
CAST AND DANCES
Overture / Clara and Fritz at the Tree / Guest Arrive
Music: Miniature Overture – Glenn Miller, In The Mood For Christmas – Ben Setzer Orchestra
Clara – Iliana Lopez, Fritz – Micahel Lopez, Mrs. Silberhaus – Olivia Fava, Mr. Silberhaus – Marc Alberti, Butler – Miles Goldstein, and Party Guests:
Modern 2 - Eva Akoto, Marc Alberti, Alasia Ashley, Jessie Bouquet, Olivia Chewins, Da’nayah Christmas, Sydney Corwin, Desiree Diaz, Kaitlyn DiDomenico, Ayanna Dudley, Rachel Fassbender, Olivia Fava, Miles Goldstein, Simone Green, Gabriella Hall, Gloria Kirkland, Matthew Levenstein, Elizabeth Licameli, Angely Magana, Naja Moore, Rayna Oliva, Chelsea Ortiz, Kadijah Peterson, Jasper Reid, Jocelyn Reyes, Ashley Riboul, Naomi Roach, Joy-Ann Stewart, Roneea Thompson, Sabrina Vachon, Amani Vasquez, Katherine Vidal, Raven Ware, Malik Williams, Leslie Zavala-Arias
March
Music: March Glenn Miller
Iliana Lopez (Clara), Taylor Brooks, Shayla Cuttino, Grace Figueroa, Audrey
Hemingway, Sarah Krueger, Naomi Phimister-Jiminez, Chelsea Pryce, Emily Reischer, Ashley Sabillon, Elisha Telesford, Emma Yeaple
Drosselmeyer’s Gifts
Music: The Nutcracker Suite & Lang Lang from The Nutcracker & the Four Realms soundtrack
Drosselmeyer- Robert Conti, Doll 1 – Olivia Gloffke, Doll 2 – Allison Mayo
Clara’s Dream / March of the Toy Soldiers
Music: Tchaikovsky / Radio City Christmas Spectacular soundtrack
Clara – Iliana Lopez, Mice – Taylor Brooks, Ashley Riboul, Nutcracker – Spencer Conti,
Toy Soldiers: Shayla Cuttino, Grace Figueroa, Olivia Gloffke, Audrey Hemingway, Sarah Krueger, Allison Mayo, Naomi Phimister-Jiminez, Chelsea Pryce, Emily Reischer,
Ashley Sabillon, Elisha Telesford, Emma Yeaple
The Battle
Music: China Man, Ed Palermo Orchestra
Clara, Nutcracker, & Toy Soldiers (listed above), Mouse King – Steven Baltsas, Mice: Katherine Alvarado, Taylor Brooks, Elayzea Clarke, Roxenne Contreras, Deafny Gallo, Alexandra Garcia, Zakiah Helm, Zhara Jackson, Makiah Lindsley, Blanca Luna, Ysahni Mayshack, Ciara Ortega, Gabriella Palladino, Ashley Riboul, Analiese Ringgenberg, Ayanah Rivera, Crystal Ruiz, Zaniah Stewart, Sabelle Texeira, Kathryn Turenchalk
Nutcracker and Clara Depart for the Forest and The Waltz of the Snowflakes
Music: Tchaikovsky
Clara – Iliana Lopez,, The Nutcracker –Spencer Conti, Snow Queen – Addison Parker
Snowflakes – Shayla Cuttino, Grace Figueroa, Olivia Gloffke, Audrey Hemingway, Sarah Krueger, Allison Mayo, Naomi Phimister-Jiminez, Chelsea Pryce, Emily Reischer,
Ashley Sabillon, Elisha Telesford, Emma Yeaple
~ ~ 10 MINUTE INTERMISSION~ ~
Sugarplum Fairy
Music: Sugarplum Fairy from The Nutcracker & the Four Realms soundtrack
SugarplumFairy- Nina Zylberberg, Sugarplum Court:, Grace Figueroa (Spain), Sarah Krueger (China), Shayla Cuttino, Emily Reischer, & Naomi Phimister-Jiminez (France), , Emma Yeaple (Arabia), Elisha Telesford (Russia), Audrey Hemingway (Brazil), Chelsea Pryce, & Ashley Sabillon (Africa), Olivia Gloffke & Allison Mayo (flowers)
Spanish Hot Chocolate
Music: Tchaikovsky/Enrique Iglesias/ Don Omar
Grace Figueroa and Isolbel Aviles Deliz, Marelyn Bello, Melissa Carbajal, Yeileen Carpio, Armani Cortez, Rubi Cruz, Jenny Garcia, Ashlaya Geter-Robinson, Jennifer Martinez, Aileen Mestizo, Erin Murphy, Esmerelda Nunez, Madison O’Connell, Ashanti Rodenzo, Merari Sanoja, Wyse Smith-Crossman, Isabelle Saint Louis, Alyssa Tarantino, Jailin Tabon
Chinese Tea
Music: Tchaikovsky / Chinese Festival
Sarah Krueger and Imani Anglin, Melani Giles Arbieto, Ellisyn Granda, Tajie Inman,
Jesica Lopez, Jasmin Marin, Madison McMillan, Destini Morrison, Rose Petit-Frere, Mya Ramos, Sarah Roach, Tory Shropshire-Howerton, Hailey Swanson, Sophia Turenchalk, Shy’deia Williams, Iyanna Ward
French Marzipan Candy
Music: Tchaikovsky / New Edition
Shayla Cuttino, Naomi Phemister-Jimenez, Emily Reischer and Cailyn Albino, Carly Bove, Symara Burks, Ximena Castillo, Ta’mari Collier, Nigel Corney, Jacqueline Cottini, Jaslyn Martinez Lopez, Amara Mayo, Isabel Medina Daloye Mc Kenzie, Ky’reil Ortiz, Aidan O’Shea, Tyra Osuba, Jennifer Ramos, Saniyah Rios, Sanai Robertson, Angie Saldarriaga Cruzado, Charissa Mae Salley, Sa’myia Sims, Giselle Sotelo, Gerard Stackhouse, Naomi Vargas
Arabian Spices
Music: Tchaikovsky / Ismail Carbar – Dola Re Dola
Emma Yeaple and Imani Anglin, Nia Bryan, Olivia Chewens, Layla Cornman, Mark Crook, Raven Dunn, Echtanie Exantus, Erica Ghrael, Simone Green, Sydney Green, Nathaly Herrera, Jaylin Hillard, Samantha Iannolo, Shania Lopezdevictoria, Jazmin Morales, Elizabeth Ortiz, Chelsea Quilambaqui, Ashley Reyes, Jaylynn Salazar, Juliana Salazar, Trinity Stackhouse, Jillian Torres, La’shjanae Walker, Amilia Wise-Sweat, Raia Wolfson
Russian Candy Canes
Music: Tchaikovsky / Joey Dee & the Starliters
Elisha Telesford and Emy Alamanzar, Ariyana Atkins, Ashley Calderon, Gabrielle Colon, Elizabeth Cruz, Kayla Garcia, Leiyana Gayle, Tegan Maher, Ta’niyah Majano, Summer Martinez, Karissa Mazer, Amara Mayo, Kaylani McDowell, Maricarmen Mejia, Kamora Millan, Keythlin Minaya DeLaCruz, Aidan O’Shea, Keilin Ortega-Castillo, Myong Ryder, Nivieria Spearman, Ashley Strack, Madison Washburn, Arionah Woody
Brazilian Fruits
Music: Samba Hits / Sergio Mendes
Audrey Hemingway and Na'veiah Arnold, ,Ashanti Brown ,Amirah Edmond, Yaire Flores-Lucero, Sage Galati, Dianna Gonzalez, ,Parisia Hutchinson, Kylie Jackson, ,Nastajahlae' Johnson, Aneesa Lewis, Michael Lopez, Dessauni McDonald, Brytny Mendez, Pilar Mera, Charline Ochang, Morelia Ortiz, Alison Rall, Samantha Rodriguez,
Elizabeth Santana Lugo, Shaylea Triller
African Gold
Music: Sinte / DJ Eric Instrumental Coupe Decale
Drummers: Matt Levinsteing, Marc Alberti, Miles Goldstein
Chelsea Pryce, Ashley Sabillion and Jaelyn Boyd, Ma’Zhanae Bryant, Symara Burks, Jennifer Cardona, Nyasia Chinnis, Eliana David, Aaliyah Dixon, Leah Isaacs, Isabella Jabbour, Xin Xin Liu, Mia Martinez, Daniela Mejia, Chandini Persaud, Rose Petit-Frere, Angelina Porco, Alexandria Tapia, Taylor Walters, Kaniya White-Fuller,
Tatiana Wimberly, Shayla Yozzo
Mother Ginger and Her Gingerbread Cookies
Music: Tchaikovsky
Mother Ginger – Naomi Roach, Clara – Iliana Lopez, Gingerbread Cookies: Shayla Cuttino, Grace Figueroa, Chelsea Pryce, Ashley Sabillion, Elisha Telesford
Waltz of the Flowers
Music: Glenn Miller
Dew Drop Fairy - Nicolette Porcaro and Shayla Cuttino, Grace Figueroa, Audrey
Hemingway, Sarah Krueger, Allison Mayo, Naomi Phimister-Jiminez, Chelsea Pryce,
Emily Reischer, Ashley Sabillon, Elisha Telesford, Emma Yeaple
Sugarplum Fairy and Clara
Sugarplum Fairy – Nina Zylberberg, , Clara – Iliana Lopez
Finale
Full Ensemble
Production Team
Director - Mandy Clifford – NFA Dance Teacher
Choreography – Mandy Clifford, Iliana Lopez, and students of the NFA Dance Department
Lighting – Ron Jacobsen
Costumes – Amina Villalba and The Darlene Wilson Institute of Dance, Debbie Levy, Briana Bene-Espinal, and members of the NFA Dance Department
Scenic Painting - Fay Pacht and the NFA Technical Theater Class
Tech Support – Tom Durante
Donation & Fundraising Coordinator – Lisa Zylberberg
Stage Crew – Brandon Rein, Abigail Ho, Timmy Marry, Analiese Ringgenberg
Tech Crew – Joe Canon, Jasper Reid, Matt Levinstein, Robert Conti, Crystal Ruiz
Special Thanks to the Following:
NFA Administrative, Security, & Custodial Staffs
¶¹ÄÌÊÓƵ Central Administration and Board of Education
Theresa Brown, Director of Fine and Performing Arts
John Etri – Director of CTEVA
Jennifer Caron and the NFA Culinary Classes
Cassie Sklarz
Fay Pacht
Al Prokosch
ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!