Fans of Ballet Petit’s holiday event await the return of its 46th Annual Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2pm and 7pm at Chabot College Center for the Performing Arts. This once-small annual event, today is a standing tradition for many families in our local community.
Grandparents, parents, friends and children of all ages mark their calendars for the first Saturday of December each year to enjoy this holiday classic. Ballet Petit has hosted audience members who have returned annually, for over 30 years! This is a wonderful testimonial to how Ballet Petit has continued to share its production with the public for 46 years.
Ballet Petit’s audience continues to grow as people continue to discover the delight of enjoying this holiday show. There is a certain magic that happens when people sit and gather in a dark theatre, with hundreds of others. There is nothing quite like a live performance, the very existence that only happens at that moment in time, during that show.
The ballet, The Nutcracker, is a staple in the classical ballet world. This ballet was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. This future holiday classic arrived in the United States in 1944, with its first performances danced by the San Francisco Ballet (SFB), right here in the Bay Area. This production was staged by then SFB Artistic Director, Willam Christensen. Ballet Petit, Artistic Director, Peggy Peabody actually danced in this same production in the 1970s, when she was a student dancer!
As happens in the ballet world, as dancers grow up in the ranks of ballet schools around the world, in 1978, now “Miss Peggy” felt something was missing on her first holiday not performing in The Nutcracker. She took action to rectify this empty feeling. The result was the emergence of Ballet Petit’s first Nutcracker in 1978, a simple show with a small cast, very different from the full stage production of today. That early production set in motion 46 years of annual shows, with constant growth and development.
Since then, thousands of young, local dancers have graced the Ballet Petit stage to bring this delightful show to the delight of thousands in the audience.
Today, Ballet Petit’s Nutcracker lists a cast of 160 dancers in over 300 costumes. Woven throughout the production are long standing traditions blended with a constant effort to keep the production fresh and ever-evolving.
If you have never experienced Ballet Petit’s Nutcracker, this year is a perfect time to set aside a couple of hours on Saturday, Dec. 7. Enjoy the music, the stage lighting and the common experience with others in the community. Marvel at the growing Christmas tree, the beautiful costumes, the talented and delightful dancers. Wonder how the snow falls, how the fog envelopes the stage, and more. This is a perfect way to kick off the holiday season, as many have over the years.
Tickets are available through www.purplepass.com.You can also access the links by visiting www.balletpetit.com and clicking to get to the Purple Pass links.
Thank you for supporting local artists. Community events make a positive impact on us all, on stage and in the audience. Happy Holidays.
Ballet Petit Nutcracker
Saturday, Dec. 7
2pm & 7pm
Chabot College Center for the Performing Arts
25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward
Tix: $23 – $30
