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Valley dancers to join Moscow Ballet’s ‘Great Russian Nutcracker’ at Powers
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
The Moscow Ballet will return to Youngstown next week to perform “The Great Russian Nutcracker”, and will again be joined on stage by young dance students from the Mahoning Valley.
The performance will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Powers Auditorium. Tickets are on sale at youngstownsymphony.com, by phone at 330-744-0264, and at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office, 260 W. Federal St., downtown.
The Moscow Ballet partnered with Ruth’s Dance and Fitness of Boardman to run rehearsals with the students participating in the performance. After auditions in October, the ballet selected 41 local children and then trained them in the choreography.
Ruth Smrek Balestra, artistic director of Ruth’s Dance, and Katie Kurdziel, assistant to the director, conducted rehearsals in recent weeks, with the help of Shannon Joy, Sarah Gleydura and Gabriella Arquilla.
IF YOU GO
What: The Moscow Ballet’s “Great Russian Nutcracker”
When: 7 p.m. Dec. 6
Where: Powers Auditorium, Youngstown
Tickets: $28, $38, $48, $68, $102 and $175 (fees may apply); go to youngstownsymphony.com, call 330-744-0264, or purchase at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office, 260 W. Federal St., Youngstown
The children’s roles are broken down into Party Kids, Mice, Snow Flakes, Snow Maidens, Spanish Tall and Small, Chinese Small and Tall, and Russian Small and Tall.
Here is the list of participating dancers:
Party Children: Natalee Balestra, Ayla Bundy, Angelina Folsom, Hannah Gettemy, Ruth Gitimu, Rachel Marshall, Gianna Micco, Abigail Mihok, Hadley Moser, Katrina Patrick, Lindsay Volenik, Carys Yarwood.
Mice: Lindsay Anderson, Alexandra Bosca, Lynn Fair, Isabella Helidonas, Judah Leonard, Luna Niles, Isabella Phillips, Reagan Trocci, Kaylee Trolio, Elllianna Volpini, Lillie Yanko.
Snowflakes: Elliana Cavanaugh-Pete, Lilian Evans, Eleanor Evans, Isabelle Sosnosky, Riley Seydlorsky, Addison Shilling, MarenEmilia Hann, IreLynn Wellman, Cora Dupin
Snowmaidens: Lauren Engle, Delaney Finsley, Sabrina Frank, Zoe Frank, Anna Joy, Erin Morell, Katrina Patrick, Della Toliver.
Spanish: Natalee Balestra, Morgan Kincaid.
Little Spanish: Carys Yarwood, Kaylee Trolio
Chinese: Breeze Stec, Chloe Mershimer.
Little Chinese: Elliana Cavanaugh-Pete, Angelina Folsom.
Russian: Lauren Engle, Anna Joy, Erin Morell, Della Toliver.
Little Russian: Hannah Gettemy, Rachel Marshall.