Celebrate 30th Anniversary of The Nutcracker by Mia Saunders School of Ballet

The Mia Saunders School of Ballet (MSB) invites the community to celebrate the holiday season and join in its “Season of Giving” with the 30th annual production of The Nutcracker. This milestone performance will take place at the Centreville High School (CVHS) Auditorium on December 14 and 15, 2024, at 3:00 pm. Located at 6001 Union Mill Road in Clifton, the CVHS stage will come alive with this timeless holiday classic. All proceeds from the event will benefit the CVHS Drama Boosters' scholarship fund and CaringBridge. Tickets are $12 and available for purchase online in advance or at the door. MSB Artistic Director and alumna Hannah Gestwick, now the owner of MSB, shares her connection to this annual tradition: "Since I was a young girl, The Nutcracker at MSB has been something I eagerly anticipate each holiday season. My first MSB Nutcracker was in 2002, and I've been captivated by its magic ever since. I treasure the music, the costumes and scenery, and how each new cast of dancers brings the story to life in their own unique way. As we prepare for MSB’s 30th year of performing this ballet as a gift to others, I am filled with gratitude for all of the dancers, volunteers, and audiences of MSB’s past and the joy and charity that we aim to bring in the future.” This year’s production marks the final Nutcracker performance for two MSB graduating CVHS seniors, Abi Seifried and Abby Carpenter, who both reflect on their experiences at MSB and the bittersweet excitement of dancing their dream roles as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Abi Seifried, who will perform the role on Sunday, shares, “I am both so grateful and so sad to participate in my final performance of MSB’s The Nutcracker.” Abi describes her time with MSB as “an incredible privilege” and says, “Being able to dance as the Sugar Plum Fairy has been a dream of mine since I started dancing when I was two, and I am beyond thrilled to perform this role for my final Nutcracker!” Expressing her appreciation for her teachers, she adds, “I would like to thank Mrs. Saunders for beginning my dance journey so positively and of course Mrs. Hannah for not only being my dance teacher but being an incredibly positive role model and support system in my life. Overall, I am so grateful to MSB for shaping me into the dancer and young woman I am today.” Abby Carpenter, who will perform as the Sugar Plum Fairy on Saturday, echoes the gratitude for her MSB experience. “I am so grateful to have been able to dance here at Mia Saunders for the past 12 years with both Ms. Saunders and Ms. Hannah,” she shares. Reflecting on the friendships she has built, she adds, “I am so glad to have met so many wonderful and fun people who have become some of my best friends.” For Abby, this performance fulfills a long held dream: “I’m so excited, but it’s bittersweet as I’ve wanted to be Sugar Plum my whole life, but I don’t want to think about this being my last Nutcracker!” This holiday season, MSB once again celebrates the spirit of giving, with proceeds from ticket sales, program boosters, and program advertisements going to support the work of the CVHS Drama Boosters and the charity CaringBridge, a nonprofit health platform that offers tools for families and caregivers to document health journeys and connect with supportive communities. Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday, December 14 & 15, performances at 3:00 pm in the CVHS Auditorium are $10 for children ages 5 and under and $12 for ages 6 and up. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. For more information, please visit www.miasaundersballet.com.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2750638-0

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2750638-2

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