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Click on the links below to meet different artists involved with Nutcracker!
Meet the Choreographer
Meet the Composer
Meet the Student Dancers
Meet the Professional Dancers
Meet the Choreographer
Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux
Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux [ZHON Pea-AIR BONN-foo] is the Artistic Director of North Carolina Dance Theatre and the choreographer of the Nutcracker ballet. He grew up in France and joined the Paris Opera Ballet when he was 14. He later danced with ballet companies in Russia and then came to the United States to dance with the New York City Ballet. Mr. Bonnefoux and his wife, Patricia McBride, moved to Charlotte in 1996 to lead North Carolina Dance Theatre.
Meet the Composer
Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the Romantic era, in the mid-to-late 1800s. He began piano lessons at age five, and within three years he could read music as well as his teacher. He did not receive regular music instruction at school, but was taken on trips to visit the theater and the opera.
Tchaikovsky began composing music at age 14 when his mother died and he composed a waltz in her memory. Many of his works were inspired by events in his life. Tchaikovsky’s music has come to be known and loved for its distinctly Russian character as well as for its rich harmonies and stirring melodies.
The Nutcracker, Op. 71 was created in 1891 and 1892 and it was the last ballet he composed. It was a commissioned work (someone was paying him to compose it) and he was less satisfied with this piece than his other works. Tchaikovsky died on November 6, 1893, and is one of the most famous ballet composers.
Meet the Student Dancers
Clara - Ellie Frith
Age: 13
School: Alexander Graham Middle School
Grade: 8th
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Years of dance training: 10
Favorite thing about dancing the role of Clara: My favorite thing is the chance to act and really enjoy myself onstage. So much of being Clara is showing her emotions to the audience. I try to let the audience feel what Clara feels and let them enjoy the performance as much as I do.
Favorite food: pork chops and rice
Favorite movie: 27 Dresses
Holiday plans: My holiday plans are mainly to visit family and friends and to have some time alone to relax and enjoy myself. Even though I love dancing, it is nice to have some free time to do whatever I want for a while.
Clara – Allie Parsons
Age: 13
School: home schooled
Grade: 8th
Hometown: Elkin, North Carolina
Years of dance training: 12
Years in prior Nutcrackers: I’ve performed at North Carolina School of the Arts for two years as a party girl. I also performed as Clara at Radio City Music Hall for two years and with Carolina Ballet for one year.
Favorite thing about dancing the role of Clara: I love dancing Clara because there is a lot of acting and you are involved in the whole ballet.
Favorite food: steak and pickles
Favorite TV show: America’s Funniest Home Videos
Holiday plans: Staying home with my family!
Clara - Kira Greer Rice
Age: 14
School: home schooled
Grade: 8th
Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Years of dance training: 11
Favorite thing about dancing the role of Clara: Being able to act out the magical story as Clara. I love it because I get to have so much fun with it.
Future plans and goals: Become a professional at NC Dance Theatre or American Ballet Theatre. To be able to dance as a career would be a dream come true.
Favorite food: sushi
Favorite movie: Center Stage
Holiday plans: I usually visit my family in Kentucky, Atlanta or Cleveland.
Fritz - Tyler Haritan
Age: 13
School: Cannon School
Grade: 7th
Hometown: Cornelius, North Carolina
Years of dance training: 3 ½
Favorite thing about dancing the role of Fritz: My favorite thing is that I get to be energetic, rascally and Clara’s little brother. You don’t really think about those three things when you talk about ballet.
Future plans and goals: To become the Nutcracker Prince, then keep dancing until I graduate from high school. I want to go to Carnegie Mellon University and major in aeronautical engineering. Then I want to come back and watch North Carolina Dance Theatre productions.
Favorite food: pasta
Favorite movie: Billy Elliot
Holiday plans: My holiday plans are to visit my cousins and grandparents in Pittsburg and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Meet the Professional Dancers
Click here to meet all the professional dancers featured in Nutcracker
Meet Anna Gerberich
 Role: Rose, Snow Queen and Sugar Plum
Favorite Nutcracker Role: My favorite role would have to be Rose. It feels freeing to dance in and out of the flowers. I love the music and playing with the musicality.
Earliest Nutcracker Memory: My earliest memory is when my sister was an angel in the Nutcracker and it was my first time going to see it. I was so excited that when I saw my sister on stage I stood up and screamed at the top of my lungs! My mom had to make me sit and watch because all I wanted to do was dance along.
Meet Justin VanWeest
 Role: Candy Cane
Favorite Nutcracker Role: My favorite role to dance has always been the Toy Soldier.
Earliest Nutcracker Memory: My earliest memory is being Fritz as a young boy and being amazed to see the battle scene with all the mice and soldiers. It’s very action packed.
Funniest Nutcracker Experience: A funny experience happened to me during the Party Scene. My pants split while on stage and I couldn't turn around the whole show. Everyone around me laughed so it was hard. It was hard to keep a straight face.
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