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  • Jill Marlowe and Anthong Krutzcamp -- guest dancers from the Cincinnati Ballet Company -- return as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier in Dance Arts Academy's production of "The Nutcracker." Special to the Record-Eagle

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December 3, 2010

'Nutcracker' on stage this weekend

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TRAVERSE CITY -- -- "The Nutcracker," a collaboration of Dance Arts Academy and Company Dance Traverse, will be presented this weekend at Milliken Auditorium.

A cast of more than 100 children and adults will perform the holiday classic. Caroline Bork and Madison Vomastek, both 13, perform as Clara.

Performances are scheduled for tonight, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 4, 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 5, 2 p.m.

Several professional guest dancers also will be featured, including Jill Marlowe (the Sugar Plum Fairy) and Anthony Knutzkamp (Cavalier), of the Cincinnati Ballet.

"It's so special to have these amazing artists in our production," said Betsy Carr, artistic director of Company Dance Traverse. "Audiences love the spectacular lifts and technical virtuosity these fine dancers bring to the production."

Marlowe has danced with the Cincinnati Ballet for six years. She trained at Boston Ballet and the American Ballet Theater in New York City. Knutzkamp has been a principal dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet for several years and trained at the Virginia School of the Arts, the Houston Ballet and Boston Ballet.

The role of Snow King will be performed by Michael Phillips, currently dancing professionally in New York City with the Pascal Rioult Dance Company. Phillips also has performed with the Cunningham Company, the Graham Company and Battleworks, all in New York City. Phillips received his early training from Carr, and teaches at the Academy during his summer break.

DAA students will dance additional leading roles, including Jenny Morris, 17, as the Snow Queen as well as one of the flowers. She has spent past summers in New York City training at The American Ballet Theater School. Christina Perry, 17, will dance the Lead Spanish role as well as a snowflake. Maggie Milliken, 17, is the Lead Arabian, as well as a snowflake. Allison Powell, 17, will dance the Lead Flower Role, as well as a snowflake. Additional senior lead dancers include Elizabeth Snodgrass, Celeste Heinz and Marisa Woods.

Choreographer Melinda Baker has danced professionally with the Chicago Ballet, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Ballet Hispanico and several European ballet companies. She has performed all of the lead roles in 13 different "Nutcracker" productions.

This is the fifth "Nutcracker" production by Company Dance Traverse and Dance Arts Academy. Company Dance Traverse alumni currently are performing leading with professional companies in the U.S. and Canada, including Sarah Simon Wolff, with National Ballet of Canada; Jaime Kotrba and Morgan McEwen, who are guests with various companies; and 18-year-old Sarah West who was selected to perform with the Joffrey New York Touring Company.

Tickets for "the Nutcracker" are available at Diva Dancewear, 941-4234, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

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