‘The Nutcracker’ at Huntington Beach High...

‘The Nutcracker’ at Huntington Beach High

Huntington Beach High School will host a rendition of the holiday

tradition “The Nutcracker” presented by Ballet Etudes on Dec. 7 and 8

in the auditorium.

Company members will include Shannon Pelot, Natalie Pitt,

Bridgette McNulty and Gary Joyce, a teacher at Perry Elementary

School and Huntington Academy of Dance in Huntington Beach, who will

play the role of Dr. Drosselmeyer. The cast was assembled by artistic

co-directors Jewel Tweten-Donnelly and Sofia Carreras.

Ballet Etudes, which was founded in 1997, provides educational

opportunities and outreach for pre-professional dancers in the

community by holding local performances.

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For more

information, call (714) 847-6657 or visit www.balletetudes.org.

Swan gives home stage her ‘Dance Impressions’

The nationally recognized Orange County High School of the Arts

welcomed Jodi Swan of Huntington Beach to perform in a

classical/contemporary dance department concert, “Dance Impressions”

last week.

The concert was a diverse collection of contemporary dances with a

repertory featuring “Swan Lake.” The program also had works by

choreographers Gary McKenzie and Andrew Vaca.

The dance department offers training and performing opportunities

for dance students and helps them develop their technical skill,

discipline and commitment. The high school provides pre-professional

training to visual and performing arts students throughout Southern

California. Students from Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San

Diego counties receive tuition-free instruction from seventh to 12th

grade.