This holiday season, eight ballet companies are performing \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d 27 times across Southwest Florida. Gulfshore Ballet in Fort Myers will be responsible for four of those performances.<\/p>\n
Tchaikovsky\u2019s \u201cNutcracker\u201d has become a tradition in Southwest Florida. Ileana Lopez, the Artistic Director at Gulfshore Ballet, says a big reason for the dance\u2019s enduring popularity is its common appeal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
The mysterious magician Drosselmeyer gives a nutcracker to his goddaughter, Clara.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s about a little girl that gets a gift and that gift is a nutcracker given to her by her godfather, Drosselmeyer. So, it could be anybody’s life up there on that stage,\u201d Lopez said.<\/p>\n
Everyone can relate to receiving a treasured Christmas gift from a favorite relative or friend. And everyone\u2019s had at least one sugar plum dream.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
After he comes to life, Clara shares a dance with the Nutcracker that her godfather, Drosselmeyer, gave her for Christmas.<\/p>\n
While the story may be standard, this year\u2019s \u201cNutcracker\u201d will be different. That\u2019s because Lopez and husband Franklin Gamero alter the ballet\u2019s choreography to suit the strengths of their dancers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Gulfshore Ballet<\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
Gulfshore Ballet<\/p>\n
Gulfshore Ballet Artistic Directors Franklin Gamero and Ileana Lopez modified this year’s choreography in order to accentuate the beauty and lines of their three alumni dancers, Anna McKinney, Skylar Fry and Isabel Donato. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a very happy moment for Gulfshore Ballet to have alumni performing the lead roles in the ‘Nutcracker.’ We have Anna McKinney, who’s performing the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Dew Drop, and the Arabian Pas de Deux. We have Skylar Fry, who’s performing soloist in Snowflakes and the principal dancer in the Spanish dance. And we have Isabel Donato performing Marzipan, Christmas Fairy, and Dew Drop. So, it’s very, very happy to have them back.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
Members of Gulf Coast Symphony in the orchestra pit during performance of ‘The Nutcracker’ at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in 2024<\/p>\n
Of the 27 performances in Southwest Florida this season, just five include an orchestra. Gulf Coast Symphony will be in the orchestra pit for three performances at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on Dec. 20 and 21. Lopez said that elevates the performance for both the dancers and the audience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounds so beautiful, especially when you’re doing your warm-up before the performance and you hear the musicians also warming up, I love that sound of the music and it gets the dancers very inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall <\/p>\n
Members of Gulf Coast Symphony in the orchestra pit during ‘Nutcracker’ rehearsal at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in 2024<\/p>\n
MORE INFORMATION:<\/p>\n
Gulfshore Ballet presents \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d at Saint John the Evangelist Church in Naples at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. For tickets, visit https:\/\/gsballet.org\/shows-and-events\/<\/a> or telephone 239-590-6191.<\/p>\n