Nutcracker: On the ground and in the air, holiday classic still pleases

[ Originally published on: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 ]

Special to The Recorder/Gordon Daniels

From left, Fiona, Susannah and Bridget Lowry, of Sunderland, will perform in The Flying Nut production at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro, Vt.

Imagine one of the holiday's beloved tales told two different ways by some of the county's most talented youth -- one the traditional way with pas de bourees, brise voles and arabesques, the other with acrobatics, juggling and stilt walking.

Area audiences will have the opportunity to see both this weekend as the Academy of Ballet Arts in Hadley performs 'The Nutcracker Story' in Amherst and the New England Center for Circus Arts performs 'The Flying Nut' in Brattleboro, Vt.

Eight-year-old ballerina Erin Rose LeBlanc of Leyden will embark as Clara on a journey to a land of dancing snowflakes, fairies, waltzing flowers and queens during a performance at Amherst High School and 15-year-old Abel Phillips of Northfield will juggle and perform acrobatics as Clara's brother Fritz in the circus rendition in Brattleboro.

'It's going to be like nothing anyone has seen,' said Serenity Smith Forchion, co-founder and executive director of the circus school in Brattleboro. 'The audience will see some of the tradition of the 'Nutcracker,' only vertical.'

Forchion said the cast of characters will perform above the heads of the audience, twirling and dancing in the air.

'It's the magic of Christmas in a whole new way,' she said.

For the full version of this story, you may purchase The Recorder electronically, by returning to the home page and clicking under 'E-Edition' on the right side of your screen, or you can purchase the print edition, which is available throughout Franklin County, Massachusetts.

 

---