By Erin Hawkins
Olympic Peninsula News Group
SEQUIM — The Sugar Plum Fairy, the Rat King and the iconic of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky are all there for Sequim Ballet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” this weekend in Sequim’s Olympic Theatre Arts.
Laurel Herrera, director of Sequim Ballet, said her students have worked on the performance since April to bring the choreography together in her Carlsborg studio.
Shows run at 6:30 tonight and Saturday night and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave. The Sunday matinee features a Sugar Plum Fairy party with cupcakes and photo and autograph opportunities.
For tickets and other information, see olympictheatrearts.org.
Best friends Kate D’Amico, 13, playing the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Amara Sayer, 13, playing the Arabian princess, said they’ve been asking Herrera to do “The Nutcracker” for a long time.
“We don’t have a lot of dancers but we thought it’d be cool to put it all together,” D’Amico said.
The friends have danced together for 10 years and make a tradition to see “The Nutcracker” each year.
“I love the second act. It’s magical,” Kate said.
Amara said she loves the music and for this version they stayed as close as possible to Marius Petipa’s original choreography. The friends also worked with younger students to choreograph “Waltz of the Flowers.”
Herrera said her favorite part of the show has been seeing it come together.
“We didn’t know if we could do it, but some kids have five or six parts,” she said.
“The Nutcracker” is a full performance with two acts.
Herrera said they were fortunate to receive her former teacher June Landrith’s tutus after she retired from instructing after 45 years.
Sequim Ballet has been operating for six years and some of its past productions include “Cinderella” and “Peter and the Wolf.”
“The Nutcracker” features Isabella Williams, 12; Alivia Gray, 11; Claire D’Amico, 11; Savannah Minker, 11; Mia Sayer, 9; Savanah Hurdlow, 8; Lili Mitchell, 10; Ryan Andrews, 11; Eleanor Byrne, 13; Saige Turner, 15; Brohm Dason; Kate; and Amara.
Costumes are by Leah Andrews and Herrera.
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Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.
