In an effort to support the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program, the Phoenix dance company Ballet and Friends are exchanging a ticket to "The Nutcracker" for the donation of a new, unwrapped toy.
"This is a good way to get started putting on a production and doing something good for people," said the ballet's Artistic Director Nina Marlow. "The Nutcracker has become a Christmastime tradition."
Marlow said she felt Arizona was on a cultural island when she moved from New York and began Ballet and Friends to introduce classical ballet, especially to young families.
"I feel our audience is really the children," she said. "If a child learns to love ballet at a young age, they will love it their entire life."
The show is in its 21st year and is sponsored by grants from corporations such as Target and the state agency Arizona Commission for the Arts.
According to Marlow, the show is well received by the public.
"Last year we had standing room only," she said about the program, which is run by volunteers.
Dancers from the Nina Marlow School of Ballet, as well as featured performer Slawomir Wozniak of the Warsaw Ballet, will be performing in the traditional holiday classic.
The school promotes "classical ballet in the Russian tradition" and was founded by Marlow, who studied with the American Ballet Theatre and Ballet Russe before performing with the Alicia Alonso Ballet de Cuba in Havana and at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.
All performances will be held at Paradise Valley High School at 3950 E. Bell Road. There is a 2 p.m. matinee and a 7:30 p.m. performance on both Saturday and Sunday.
Reach the reporter at megan.rudebeck@asu.edu.
