'Nutcracker' to be performed at 3 venues
Tschaikovsky's perennially popular ballet will be staged by Expressions under the direction and choreography Gillian Davis for the sixth year. Many dancers will be local children who are dance students. By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN, for The St Petersburg Times

More than 100 young dancers and several adults in lavish costumes will perform the holiday favorite, The Nutcracker ballet, at three different venues on Dec. 13, 14 and 15.

"We've been practicing every Saturday since Sept. 7," said Expressions founder and show choreographer/director Gillian Davis. "The children have missed birthday parties, field trips and all kinds of other things to work on this show."

This is the sixth year Expressions has produced the ballet.

Danced to excerpts from Tschaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, the ballet tells the story of young Clara (alternately played by Chesiree Balogh and Danielle Taylor) and her family at holiday time.

On Christmas, Clara's uncle gives her a toy nutcracker, which her naughty brother Fritz (Lucas Omar) breaks. That night, Clara dreams that the Nutcracker (Andrew Guilfoil) does battle with a menacing Rat King (Robyn Smith).

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