Photo by Katie Turpen
Magic City Nutcracker
The cast of The Magic City Nutcracker poses after a Saturday morning rehearsal. The production premieres on Dec. 6 at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church.
Girls in leotards of all sizes and colors scamper around the rehearsal room lined with mirrors at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. The young dancers occasionally let out a giggle but mostly they appear determined to get each turn, spin and step exactly right.
“I know it’s hard to focus for this long, but I see the younger ones are really coming through. I’m very pleased with that,” said Artistic Director Stephanie Thompson.
The Nutcracker Ballet, based on the story of “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” is a visually captivating performance that has become an annual tradition for dance companies across the world. Now it’s coming to Vestavia Hills.
Vestavia Dance’s premiere performance of The Magic City Nutcracker will mark a new holiday tradition for local residents. The nonprofit, volunteer-run organization will donate a portion of the proceeds to a charity selected through the church.
The production is a result of the collaborative efforts of Vestavia Dance members Stephanie Thompson, Kelly Avery and Angel White. Last year, Thompson sensed a shift in her career as a dancer.
“I had been dancing professionally for seven years,” Thompson said. “I was about to get married. I thought it was a great time to transition to director.”
The idea was to create a sophisticated performance that showcases local talent. Community auditions were held in August at the church, where Thompson and her fellow directors ensured that every child in the community had a chance to be in the performance.
In addition to keeping the cost as low as possible, they offered 13 need-based and talent-based scholarships. Furthermore, Thompson said a professional choreographer traveled to Jasper to work with the children who could not make it to Birmingham because of financial constraints but still wished to be a part of the performance.
The organization plans to do one free show for underprivileged children in order to give them a closer look at the world of dance and theater. Thompson believes reaching out to those in need is the essence of the organization.
“With the downturn in the economy, no one pays more than $200 to participate,” Thompson said. “To be involved in something like this is an important part of a child’s development opportunity.”
Thompson said the performance showcases the talent of 70 children ages 5-18 in addition to several adults, each with a unique gift. The event offers varying degrees of sponsorship from local businesses, with the larger sponsors being aptly titled Sugar Plum Fairy.
“Not all the dancers are ballerinas,” Thompson said. “Everyone has different styles.”
Thompson looks forward to giving the children the chance to not only perform but also appreciate the art of dance in Birmingham. She wants them to observe other performances so they can widen their perspective on the craft.
“We picked the first weekend in December so they can still go and see the Alabama Ballet Nutcracker,” Thompson said.
Tickets for the performance are $10 and can be purchased at vhumc.org/vestavia-dance/magic-city-nutcracker/.
