The Nutcracker & The Girl With The shell
Apparently, one of Saint John’s best kept secrets over the last few years has been the development of Port City Dance Academy’s remarkably enchanting ballet called The Nutcracker & The Girl With The Shell. Giving a fresh outlook to the time-honoured classic, the unique Port City Dance Academy version of the ballet has drawn inspiration from the works of some of our finest local, and nationally renowned, visual artists. You can read more about the wonderful, inspiring artists and artworks below.
Under the artistic leadership of Andrea Scott and Georgia Rondos, The Nutcracker & The Girl With The Shell will, undoubtedly, be charming, curious and captivating. And taking us from exciting to exceptional will be Port City Dance Academy’s special guest artist, Liam Caines, from Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Liam Caines will be dancing the intriguing, newly created role of "Uncle Knight".
This year, our performances of The Nutcracker & The Girl With The Shell will help to raise awareness and funds for medical research that will be conducted in Saint John, thorugh a new foundation called Foundation Glycosylation. We have set a goal of raising at least $2,500 for TheFoG. Please read more about it on this page.
The performances will be held on Saturday, December 3 at 7pm and Sunday, December 4 at 2pm at Théâtre Louis Vermeersch (École Samuel de Champlain). Tickets are $10 and $15, and charitable tax receipts can be issued for tickets that are donated to local school children and/or families. Donations to The FoG would also be greatly appreciated, and can be made through www.thefog.ca, or through the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.
The Nutcracker & The Girl With The Shell
and Foundation Glycosylation (The FoG)
Please read about The FoG...
My niece, Maria, was born with a rare genetic disorder called CDG (Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation). My brother, Duncan, who works as a doctor here in Saint John (infectious disease specialist), started a foundation (TheFoG) to support research on CDG, with support from The Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation, UNB, and the Saint John Campus of Dalhousie Medical School.
In medical terms, Maria can’t process her glycoproteins. In practical terms, she has visual problems, she needs a feeding tube, she has seizures (which are partially controlled by medications), she wears diapers and uses a wheelchair. Maria can’t communicate with words when she isn’t feeling well or when she is hungry, tired, or wants something, but she has a pretty smile and an infectious laugh when she is happy. Maria likes to explore things with different textures, and she has, in her own time, learned to roll over, and to sit up on her own. Maria started school this year with the support of a teaching assistant. Her devoted mother, father and two brothers have noticed her excitement about school, and her classmates seem to really like her.
TheFoG has few grant options because CDG is considered a rare disorder. Diagnosed cases of CDG are not prevalent, but there may be many undiagnosed cases. Also, research on CDG might benefit other genetic disorders, and an improved understanding of glycosylation pathways and their function can have far reaching implications. (If you’re interested, you can read more about CDG and TheFoG by visiting www.thefog.ca.)
Obviously, because of my personal connection to CDG (I myself am a carrier, thankfully my husband is not!) the ambitious goals we have set for our Nutcracker this year are especially meaningful. Thank you for reading this – we hope you will by attending a performance of The Nutcracker & The Girl With The Shell and support TheFoG.
Thank you for reading,
Andrea Webster Scott
Artistic Director, PCDA
INSPIRATION FOR
The Nutcracker & The Girl With The Shell
FROM OUR VISUAL ARTS COMMUNITY…
Some of the inspirations we have drawn from our visual artists have been completely resolved within the ballet, while some are still taking shape; making the work as a whole seem like a living entity – expanding and contracting. The sections of the work that remain in progress will, undoubtedly, be resolved over the next few of years. Here are some of the visual artists who have inspired us . . .
The adaptation of the story was partly inspired by Fred Ross’ Girl With Shell.
A new set for the opening scene is presently being conceptualized, with inspiration from the colours, shapes, and perspectives we see in Holly McKay's work. (Look at a tiny mock-up on our EVERY TUESDAY page.)
In the PCDA Nutcracker, the traditional Drosselmeyer is split between two characters: Aunt Flossie was inspired by Jim Stackhouse’s Aunt Flossie; Uncle Knight emerges from the shadows of Alan Bateman’s Night Lily, Paul Mathieson's Alexandra Park, Ian MacEachern's Three Men, and a very cool work by John Pottle. Also, I think he borrowed a cape from Peter Salmon’s Props from MacBeth.
The figures who come to life in Aunt Flossie and Uncle Knight’s scene were inspired by several of Fred Ross’ works, as well as Peter Salmon’s Puppets.
The “Fancy Ladies” continue to be inspired by the likes of:
Angela Morgan’s Tickle My Fancy
Octavio Ribeiro’s Lady with a Top Hat
Colin Smith’s Spiral Staircase
Fred Ross’ Lady In Black
Holly Carr’s Wine Balance
The emotional inspiration for the Fog & Water scene may be obvious, the visual inspiration continues to come from Sarah Jones’ Studies in Charcoal and Fog and Alexandra Flood’s beautiful Blue Madonna.
Oh, if only I could get our snow to look as magical as Light and Shade by Jaya Krishnan, or The Church at Perth Andover by Violet Gillett!
Port City Dance Academy’s Sugarplum In Writing was inspired by anything In Writing by Hertzl Kashetsky.
Our “Visions of Sugarplums”…
#1 (Spanish) Inspired by Cathy Hooper’s Progreso and Suzanne Hill's Finds
#2 (Arabian) The inspiration lies is somewhere between Suzanne Hill’s High Water Mark, Rick Burns Body Transparent, and Miller Brittain's Pink Figures.
#3 (Chinese) Cryptic inspiration from Toby Graser’s Cryptic Message #33.
#4 (Russian) Definitely from Werner Arnold’s Carnival Series. I wonder if he really is friendly? I call our Trepak “Carnival Beans”!
#5 (Mother Ginger – which we at PCDA call “Lollypops”) will continue to be inspired by the Sonic Lovehearts and other very cool work of Cliff Turner.
#6 (Reed Flutes) From Cathy Ross’ Trout on a Plate. (See the tutus in progress on our EVERY TUESDAY page.)
*Special thanks to the galleries who promote our local artists (visit them!) and to the artists themselves (support them!) not only for the fine work we are able to visit in person, but also to their amazing websites they open a whole new world that we otherwise might not enter.
NUTCRACKER TICKETS
will be available from:
Body Expressions &
The Studio Dance School
Clark Road, Rothesay
Galbraith Electronics
Manawagonish Rd
West Saint John
Pharmasave
Milldige Avenue
Avenue Animal Hospital
507 Rothesay Ave.
Samuel & Co.
Market Square
Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation
Office is on 1st floor,
across from registration
St. Joseph's Hospital
Laura Garland,
Speech Pathology
Port City Dance Academy
Staff, Board, Volunteers,
and students
This article appeared in the Telegraph Journal on Saturday, October 29...
SYNOPSIS
In our original adaptation of The Nutcracker, the ballet begins with The Shoppers busily preparing for the holiday season. One shopper inadvertently drops a nutcracker from among her packages; it is discovered by The Girl. After The Girl picks it up The Nutcracker seems to pull her to the window of an art gallery, where she looks in on the most elegant and decadent festivities.
At the party there is much dancing and merriment. But eventually, two mysterious characters arrive. All are alarmed by the possibility that they could be maleficent party-crashers. However, alarm quickly turns to joy when the characters reveal themselves to be Uncle Knight and Aunt Flossie.
Uncle Knight and Aunt Flossie present the most astounding entertainment for the guests when they bring to life some of the gallery paintings. Then there are gifts to be found for everyone… except Clara. When it becomes apparent to the guests that Clara has not received a gift, Uncle Knight and Aunt Flossie reappear, presenting her with a very special gift; a magic seashell. Clara is temporarily distracted by the arrival and fanfare of Aunt Flossie’s friends, Les Femmes Facinant. But following their departure, as Clara plays with her shell, the enchantment begins, and the real world fades away.
The Christmas tree grows to a towering height, and Clara encounters a herd of enormous mice. Kitty chases the mice away, and Clara follows Kitty to The Fog. When The Fog clears Clara catches a glimpse of the beautiful Blue Madonna. Together with Uncle Knight Clara contiues her fantastic adventure, meeting The Sugar Plum Fairy, and visiting The Land of Snow and The Kingdom of Sweets and Beautiful Treasures. With the Waltz of the Spring Flowers Clara's mystical Uncle Knight whisks her back to the art gallery just in time to say goodbye.
As Clara leaves the gallery, she finds herself face to face with The Girl. There is a strange realization that the two girls are instantly, albeit fleetingly, kindred spirits. After the two girls exchange gifts the curtain closes on Clara with the Nutcracker, and The Girl with The Shell.
