For this year’s special occasion, we are excited to present major upgrades in both our scenery and costumes. Janie Howland’s beautiful scenic design depicts Boston’s most iconiclandmarks.AndAlexandraArrudahasdesignedlovelycostumesthatpaytributeto Rebecca Cross’ original costume designs, from the 2001 premiere of the Urban Nutcracker.
Also, look for Gianni DiMarco’s new choreography that complements the exciting flamenco dancing of international Flamenco star, Nino de Los Reyes. And because we can’t get enough of Duke Ellington’s music, I have revived an older version of the Russian divertissement–nowcalledVolgaVouty–toEllington’smusic.
I must say, that if 25 years ago, someone had told me we would be performing at the ShubertTheatrein2025,Iwouldhavesaid,“Noway!Youmustbedreaming!”Butherewe areatthefabledShubertTheatreperformingforyouandtheGreaterBostonCommunity.
People often ask me where the idea of the Urban Nutcracker came from. I can’t point to an ah-hah – moment but looking back I think my idea for the show hatched in 2000 when I opened my first dance school. At that time, something unusual happened. Among the first 65 new students that signed up, I was surprised to have 17 boys included! I soon discovered that they were in fact attracted to my hip hop and tap teachers - Ricardo Foster & Khalid Hill, respectively. So, I thought, hey, let’s do another kind of Nutcracker. Why not! I had a school, dance students – girls and boys - and their parents as volunteers! But,howbesttoblendthehiphopandtapstyleswithballet?
Also, around the same time, I came across Duke Ellington’s orchestration of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker music. So, Hmm. I thought why not create a musical score that blends Tchaikovsky music with the Ellington orchestration. After several months in production, the Urban Nutcracker premiered, with three sold out shows, at Dorchester’s Strand Theatre. So, you might ask, was the debut a success? It was a big hit! I say this, only because all three shows had standing ovations from enthusiastic audiences. And thesestandingovationshavecontinuedthroughtothepresenttime.
In closing, I’d like to thank all the folks that have been a part and growth of the Urban Nutcracker these past 25 years. However, that list of people would take several more pages to mention. The charter members from the beginning years were David Rottenberg, Leslie Woodies, Jane Allard, Michael Shannon, Yo-El Cassell, Ilanga, Richard Wood & Wooden Kiwi, Brian (Sideshow) Isaacs, Bill Brittingham, Julie Goodridge and of coursethemanyenthusiasticaudiencesovertheyears!
City Ballet of Boston is a non-profit, professional dance company. More than that, we are a celebration of our city’s multicultural family. By opening our doors to a rich diversity of talented performers, young people, and urban communities, we act on our belief that dance is for everyone. CBB has become a unique creative laboratory fueled by the expertise of dance pioneer Tony Williams.
FRIENDS OF CITY BALLET OF BOSTON
Rebecca Cross, Debra Cash, Erin Diaz, Chobee Hoy, Jeannette Neill, Andrew Grainger, Kathleen C. Stone, James Carroll, John Connolly, Alexandra Marshall, Ilanga*, Erica Schwartz, Sabrina Aviles, Susanne Liebich, Gary Dunning, Walter Pierce*, Glen Urban, Elizabeth Walczak, Jean Whitney
AD
Adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s book by David
Ira Rottenberg & Anthony Williams
Original Costume & Scenery Design: Rebecca Cross
Costume Re-Imagining: Dustin Rennells
25th Anniversary Costume Desgin & Construction: Alexandra Arruda
Original Urban Nutcracker Logo Graphic Design: Christine Brooks
*The scenic and lighting designers of this production are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE
Additional Choreography
Battle Scene, Act Two Opening Scene: Gianni Di Marco
Prologue Tap & Tip-Tap Top of the Hub: Meghan Gaucher after Khalid Hill
Prologue Hip Hop: Isiah Beasley, Ricardo Foster
Prologue Bollywood: Aparna Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda
Ritmo Latino: Nino de los Reyes, Gino DiMarco, Additional Staging: Leslie Woodies, Jane Allard
Costume Designer / Coordinator: Alexandra Arruda
Costume Consultant: Erika Lambe
Rat Heads & Trunk Design: Jan Doucette
Tiaras & Headpieces: Erika Lambe
Rat Head Painting: Karen Wolff
URBAN NUTCRACKER ARTISTIC STAFF:
Artistic Director: Anthony Williams
Operations Manager and Rehearsal Director: Betsy Khalil
Children’s Repertoire Director: Erika Lambe
Ballet Masters: Gianni DiMarco, Donna Silva, Adriana Suarez
Arrangements and Original Compositions: Tyler Birchfield, Jay Frigoletto, Owen Ross, Chris Wilson, Bill Whitney
Ritmo Latino - Gonzalo Grau
Audio Engineering: Jay Frigoletto, Owen Ross, Chris Wilson, Bill Whitney
Mix Engineers: Ryan Ordway
URBAN NUTCRACKER MUSICIANS:
Jared Holaday - clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Melanie Howell-Brooks - flute, baritone saxophone
Andy Cormier - trumpet
Clayton DeWalt - trombone
Owen Ross - guitar
Jay Frigoletto - keyboards, percussion
Bill Whitney - bass, tuba
Jim Felker - percussion
URBAN NUTCRACKER OPERATIONS STAFF
Executive Director: Anthony Williams
Operations Manager: Betsy Khalil
Executive Assistant: August McGrail
Public Relations: Stephanie Janes PR
Marketing: Brand Content
Advertising & Marketing: Jamia Gaffney & Matthew Pacific and the Boch Center Staff
Treasurer: Janet Malone
Community Outreach: Candice Alexander
Administrator: Sophie Gemeinhardt
TECHNICAL STAFF:
Production Manager: Richard Wood
Stage Manager: Elizabeth Ramirez
Assistant Stage Manager: Miguel Flores
Lighting Designer: Scott Clyve
Projection Designer: Sam Biondolillo
Assistant Lighting Designer: Eli Goldberg
Executive Assistant: August McGrail
Facilities Manager: Bill Shamlian
Videography and Photography: Bill Shamlian Metlicka Photography, Peter Paradise
Lighting Equipm TAINMENT, INC
SPECIAL THANKS
Special Thanks to Alexandra Marshall, Christine Brooks, Richard Wood, Jan Testagrossa, Jamia Gaffney, Andrew Grainger, Karl Liebich, Matthew Pacific, Josiah Spaulding, Michael Szczepkowski, Jo Ann Warren, Erin McNally Diaz, Elizabeth Walczak, John Worden and the entire team at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre for bringing this magnificent production to Boston’s historic theater district Their generous contribution of time and other precious resources have only enhanced this production
City Ballet of Boston would like to acknowledge its incredible group of volunteers whose time, dedication, and support keeps City Ballet of Boston alive and moving forward This would not be possible without you Thank you to all of you who have touched our lives
Imlay, Adam Lewis, Tawnee Maestas, Ava Majumder, Emma Odom, Alice Peabody, Elvis Pietrzak, Lacey Sasso, Kathryn Scarpetti, Rhapsody Stiggers, Theresa Sullivan, Alexis Taborda, Tinaiya Tank, Courtney Tern, Eva Thomas, Hannah Tobin, Tony Tucker, Brian Washburn
YOUTH CAST
Sylvie Alperen, Gillespie Alvarado Yuille, Max Arroyo, Zania Bright-Reason, Justin Evans, John Gibbons, Felix Grigsby, Julia Neill
Freya Allard-Walsh, Amandla Alvarado Yuille, Leila Baker, Zoë Butler, Samora Brown, Mona Califano, Kaydyn Callum, Sophia Callum, Kendall Christian, Dahlia Cooper, Irene Cornella Botana, Olivia Daniels, Gabriella Diaz, Sienna Enicks, Catherine Fortino, Chloe Froehlich, Jordan Gomes, Anneliese Hill, Grace Horan, Orietta Iskra, Victoria Jones, Alayna Kristan, Hannah Lee, Ryder Link, Solenn Link, Ali Lopes, Ella Lydon, Sedona Ma, Margaret Marie Smith, Helen Michaud, Tulisa Mwosa, Sanova Napoleon, Samantha Nicoleau, Eliana Pimentel, Linnéa Preston-Sicari, Ella Prokosch, Moira Lee Seibert, Frankie Spears, Naima Ssembitto, Carolina St. Hilaire, Surina Sarkar, Isla-May Theodore, Asia Todman, Bella Todman, Angeline Valliere, Kendric White, Seraiah Witman-Polk
SCENARIO
Adapted by Anthony Williams & David Rottenberg from E.T.A. Hoffman’s book “The Nutcracker”
Prologue: A cold December afternoon. A street band marches through the streets of Boston to begin their day playing on the street. A handful of outdoor street performers including tappers and hip hop dancers begin to have a street “dance battle” in good jest. Shoppers enter a city neighborhood lit with decorations; full of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. The street becomes joyous with the spirit of the season.
Act I
Scene I: Christmas eve in the same neighborhood. In the shelter of a closed storefront, Drosselmeyer, the magician, is dressed in colorful garments and entertaining a few children and their parents. Ms. Williams, young and well dressed, enters with her daughter, Clarice and her son, Omar. As they pass Drosselmeyer and company the children beg to stop. Ms. Williams relents as Drosselmeyer performs wonderful magic tricks to which everyone applauds. Then she remembers they must hurry home. She nudges her children to leave. As the family departs, Ms. Williams has a thought; she whispers something in Drosselmeyer’s ear which lights up his face and he nods.
Scene II: The Williams’ living room later that evening.
Mother and daughter decorate the apartment, which is located in the same culturally diverse neighborhood. Ms. Williams’ sister, Fanny and her daughter Sabrina arrive with presents. Christmas guests begin to arrive and after a quick group photo, the merriment commences. Drosselmeyer arrives and the children get their presents. Drosselmeyer carefully opens the trunk and entertains the party with various magic tricks. Drosselmeyer then presents three life-sized, mechanical dolls that dance. Clarice asks Drosselmeyer, “Do you have anything at all for me?” From the trunk, Drosselmeyer produces a Nutcracker in the form of a twentiethcentury toy soldier. Clarice is thrilled with the present and holds it carefully in her arms. Her brother Omar complains, “Where’s my present?” so Drosselmeyer gives him a cheeky gift. Omar is jealous of Clarice’s gift as it reminds him of his deployed father and grabs the Nutcracker from her. A chase ensues and in the struggle Omar breaks the Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer fixes the toy soldier. Clarice is consoled and the guests start to leave. Drosselmeyer leaves last.
It is late. Clarice gets ready for bed. After all the lights are out, Clarice sneaks back into the living room in her nightgown. She is worried about her Nutcracker. Tenderly, she makes a small bed for him on the couch, lies down beside him and falls asleep.
Scene III: That night.
As Clarice sleeps, mice appear through a mouse hole in the wall, carrying a picnic basket and a bottle of champagne. Once finished consuming and imbibing, the mice spy the sleeping Clarice and mischievously decide to scare her. Clarice wakes up and the mice chase her about the room. Suddenly, the mice flee! Now, Drosselmeyer magically transforms the living room. The Christmas tree and the Nutcracker grow large. Drosselmeyer appoints the Nutcracker as Clarice’s protector.
The mice return and bring along their terrifying rat friends. The Nutcracker calls for reinforcements, his fierce soldiers appear and a battle ensues. The Nutcracker takes on the powerful Rat King. At the end of the duel, Clarice bests the Rat King with her slipper. The Nutcracker uses this diversion to end the Rat King. As the Rat King falls to his death, he stabs the Nutcracker who also falls down. Clarice bends over the Nutcracker weeping.
Drosselmeyer attempts to fix the broken Nutcracker with some magic dust. However, the dust turns The Nutcracker into a handsome Nutcracker Prince. The Nutcracker Prince escorts Clarice into Drosselmeyer’s magical replica of Boston Public Garden. As snow begins to fall, the Snowflakes and their royal leaders, the Snow Queen and King, dance.
Intermission
Act II
Scene I: The Land of Fantasy
As a misty day dawns, the representatives from the Land of Fantasy appear. Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker, and Clarice arrive and the Sugar Plum Fairy greets them. Ruby tells her all about the terrible Battle of the Rats.
The Sugar Plum Fairy is glad that things have ended well for Clarice. She invites her friends to entertain Clarice with various dances from around the world.
Scene II: A Fond Return
After all of the wonderful dancers perform. The Sugar Plum Fairy, accompanied by Drosselmeyer returns Clarice to her living room where the best surprise of all awaits ….
Hip Hop Ensemble: Gordon Andrews, Ariyah Antoine, Max Arroyo, Zoe Blake, Alisha Caille, Emma Collins, Nerisbell Colon, Lux Corley, Brette Cronin, Albert Christie II, Kennedy Davis, Stevie Distasio, Justin Evans, John Gibbons, Felix Grigsby, Lila Guthrie, Joshua Harris, Delaney Humphrey, Adam Lewis, Tawnee Maestas, Tess McAuliffe, Skadjana Parent, Lola Ro, Brian Washburn, Keristyna Williams
Bollywood Ensemble: Zoe Blake, Brette Cronin, Stevie Distasio, Mary-Jane Ferullo, Sophie Gemeinhardt, Greta Gorman, Felix Grigsby, Gabrielle Honoré, Ava Majumder, Tawnee Maestas, Tess McAuliffe, Ololade Robinson, Hannah Tobin
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ACT I
Drosselmeyer: Gianni DiMarco or Junichi Fukuda
Mini-Meyer: Yo-EL Cassel *12/19 & 12/20 evening
Mother (Ms. Williams): Erika Lambe or Ava Majumder
Clarice: Sylvie Alperen or Zania Bright-Reason
Omar: Felix Grigsby or Justin Evans
Fanny (Aunt): Avery Saulnier de Reyes or Katie McMahon or Patty Bourree*
Samantha (Cousin): Gillespie Alvarado Yuille or Julia Neill
Swing Dancers: Stevie Distasio, Shae Forest, John Gibbons, Grace Hall, Margaret Holland, Tawnee Maestas, Elvis Pietrzak, Alexis Taborda, Tinaiya Tank, Tony Tucker, Brian Washburn
Soldiers: Zoe Blake, Genevieve Clark, Greta Gorman, Isabela Haskell, Audrey Hennessy, Kewen Imlay, Emma Odom, Courtney Tern, Eva Thomas
Rat Queen: Tinaiya Tank
NutHead: Max Arroyo or John Gibbons
Snow Queen: Juliet Brown or Kendra Frank or Morgan Brown Sanborn
Snow King: Austin Dabney or Joe González
Snowflakes: Cayla Blake, Naoko Brown, Caroline Cooper, Nicole Dickson, Kendra Frank, Grace Hall, Isabela Haskell, Louise Hautefeuille, Margaret Holland, Gabrielle Honoré, Kewen Imlay, Katie McMahon, Morgan Brown Sanborn, Avery Saulnier de Reyes, Rhapsody Stiggers, Amane Takaishi
ACT II
Sugar Plum Fairy: Juliet Brown or Kendra Frank or Louise Hautefeuille Peter Gwiazda*
Cavaliers: Austin Dabney, Junichi Fukuda, Joe González, Thom McNeilly
Sugar Plum Fairy Attendants: Greta Gorman, Isabela Haskell, Audrey Hennessy, Gabrielle Honoré, Kewen Imlay, Emma Odom, Courtney Tern
Ritmo Latino (Spanish)
Flamenco Soloist: Nino De Los Reyes
Pointe Soloist: Louise Hautefeuille or Morgan Brown Sanborn
Spanish Ensemble: Margaret Holland, Gabrielle Honoré, Kewen Imlay, Katie McMahon, Emma Odom, Rhapsody Stiggers, Avery Saulnier de Reyes, Eva Thomas
Desert Chiffon (Arabian)
Lead Couple: Juliet Brown or Ruth Whitney with Joe González or Austin Dabney
Chiffon Attendants: Chloe Alexander, Max Arroyo, Boe Yee Chan, Brette Cronin, Stevie Distasio, Luna Garcia Aguirre, John Gibbons, Greta Gorman, Felix Grigsby, Ava Majumder, Nicole Sillice, Tinaiya Tank
Ginseng Brisé (Chinese)
Ginseng Brisé Lead: Naoko Brown and Avery Saulnier de Reyes, Margaret Holland and Katie McMahon
Dragons: Zoë Butler, Mona Califano, Kaydyn Callum, Dahlia Cooper, Gabriella Diaz, Sienna Enicks, Catherine Fortino, Chloe Froelich, Anneliese Hill, Grace Horan, Alayna Kristan, Ella Lydon, Sedona Ma, Helen Michaud, Samantha Nicoleau, Julia Neill, Moira Lee Seibert, Isla-May Theodore, Seraiah Witman-Polk
Caviar Caper (Russian)
Leads: Isiah Beasley and Brian Washburn, Felix Grigsby and Max Arroyo
Six Rox Riff: Amandla Alvarado Yuille, Sophia Callum, Lucia Chicas, Irene Cornella Botana, Alexis Ferrer, Catherine Fortino, Makenna Ingram, Ali Lopes, Tulisa Mwosa, Julia Neill, Skadjana Parent, Moira Lee Seibert, Angeline Valliere
Tip-Tap Top of the Hub (Mother Ginger)
Leads: Shae Forest, Khalid Hill, Alice Peabody, Lacey Sasso
Tip-Tap Top of the Hub Painters: Amandla Alvarado Yuille, Samora Brown, Zoë Butler, Kendall Christian, Olivia Daniels, Victoria Jones, Alayna Kristan, Ali Lopes, Bailey Ma, Sanova Napoleon, Julia Neill, Samantha Nicoleau, Eliana Pimentel, Linnéa Preston-Sicari, Ella Prokosch, Surina Sarkar, Naima Ssembitto, Isla-May Theodore
Boston Public Garden Petal Parade (Flowers)
Vineyard Vine: Morgan Brown Sanborn or Amane Takaishi
Petal Parade: Cayla Blake, Naoko Brown, Nicole Dickson, Kendra Frank, Grace Hall, Louise Hautefeuille, Katie McMahon, Avery Saulnier de Reyes, Morgan Brown Sanborn, Rhapsody Stiggers, Amane Takaishi
Mrs. Mallard & Her Duckling Delights (Marzipan)
Mrs. Mallard: Caroline Cooper or Grace Hall Police Officer: Amanda Dragani or Kathryn Scarpetti
Ducklings: Freya Allard-Walsh, Leila Baker, Kaydyn Callum, Jordan Gomes, Grace Horan, Orietta Iskra, Ryder Link, Solenn Link, Sanova Napoleon, Linnéa Preston-Sicari, Surina Sarkar, Margaret Marie Smith, Naima Ssembitto,
*LGBTQ+ Performance
ANTHONY WILLIAMS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & FOUNDER OF CITY BALLET OF BOSTON & URBAN NUTCRACKER
At age 16, after experiencing trouble as a street gang member, he discovered a pathway to international success through ballet. His strong athletic abilities in track, baseball and gymnastics accelerated his dance training. Mr. Williams began his early training with the Lithuanian ballerina, Tatiana Babushkina. Afterwards, Mr. Williams received a scholarship from the Boston School of Ballet, training with E. Virginia Williams (founder of the Boston Ballet) and Sydney Leonard. Along with Mr. Williams’ first teachers, he also attributes his success to Sam Kurkjian, Hector Zaraspe, Perry Brunson and Frank Bourman. Mr. Williams also owes a great debt to Arnold Spohr, former long-time Artistic Director of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Robert Joffrey, founder of the Joffrey Ballet. These individuals offered invaluable artistic direction which Mr. Williams is totally committed to passing on to future generations of dancers. Mr. Williams joined the Boston Ballet in 1964 and after dancing for only three years, Mr. Williams worked his way up from Corps-de-Ballet to Principal Dancer. He then danced soloist roles with the Joffrey Ballet and was a Principal Dancer with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Gulbenkian Ballet of Portugal, and the Norwegian National Ballet.
Mr. Williams has been teaching in the New England area for over forty years. With this background and as a father of three sons and a grandson, Mr. Williams is very sensitive to the needs of children from all backgrounds. Widely respected as a progressive dance educator, Williams has won the Dance Teacher Magazine Award and Wheelock Family Theater’s Wheel Award. In 2014, he founded the Tony Williams Dance Center in 2000. He created Anthony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker in 2001. Mr. Williams founded City Ballet of Boston in 2018 and Boston City Youth Ballet in 2019. He also founded BalletRox in 1996, American Concert Ballet in 1992, and co -founded Ballet Theatre of Boston in 1986. Currently Mr. Williams is a Trustee of the Walnut Hill School of the Arts and a board member of the Umbrella for the Arts in Concord, MA.
ASSISTANT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
BETSY KHALIL
Betsy Boxberger Khalil trained under Victoria Lyras at the Indianapolis School of Ballet. She graduated from Duke University with a double Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Environmental Policy. Betsy joined City Ballet of Boston in 2018. She has also performed with José Mateo Ballet Theatre, Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe, Fukudance, and Ballet Quad Cities, and as a guest artist with Dance Kaleidoscope and the Indianapolis School of Ballet. Featured roles include the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Urban Nutcracker, the Pink Girl in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations, Second Violin in Concerto Barocco, the lead girl in Valse Fantasie, and George Balanchine’s Sugar Plum in The Nutcracker. In 2015, she was awarded the Robert D. Beckmann, Jr. Emerging Artist Fellowship by the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
CHILDREN’S REPERTOIRE DIRECTOR
BCYB PRINCIPAL BALLET INSTRUCTOR
ERIKA LAMBE
Is a native of Brookline, Massachusetts and the granddaughter of tenor Roland Hayes (who opened the doors to black classical singers by being the first black classical singer to sing at Symphony Hall.) Ms. LAMBE studied at Boston Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. She began her professional ballet career at Dance Theatre of Harlem dancing her fist principal 19, she danced her first principal role in Holberg Suite. She joined Miami Ballet, and later Boston Ballet where she danced several leading roles in major ballets, including Swan Lake, Balanchine’s “Rubies,” Twyla Tharp’s ”In the Upper Room,” and “Stompers”. She was frequently featured as the “Arabian” Divertissement in Boston Ballet’s ”Nutcracker” and was their first Black Sugar Plum Fairy. She was featured in a PBS special called, “I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD”, which chronicled the lives of African Americans in dance. After retiring from the stage, Ms. Lambe went on to teach and choreograph for Boston Ballet School, Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, Boston Arts Academy, Charles River Ballet Academy, and Acton School of Ballet. She makes jewelry as a hobby and has made most of the headpieces for Urban Nutcracker. Ms. Lambe currently teaches for Tony William’s Dance Center and the Conservatory at Northeast School of Ballet. She is the Principal Ballet instructor for Boston City Youth Ballet and the Children’s Repertoire Director for City Ballet of Boston and the Urban Nutcracker. She was recently invited as a guest teacher at Charlotte Ballet.
BALLET MASTER
Donna Silva is a former Soloist with the Joffrey Ballet under the Direction of Founders Artistic Director Robert Joffrey, and Choreographer Gerald Arpino. She danced in their National and European Tours, triumphant resident seasons at City Center in New York City, and performed at The White House for President Johnson. Donna was honored to have been coached and directed by the choreographers of the iconic Joffrey premieres of: The Green Table by Kurt Jooss; Still Point by Tod Bolender; Feast of Ashes by Alvin Ailey; Kettentanz and Viva Vivaldi by Gerald Arpino; Three Cornered Hat and Petruschka staged by Leonide Massine; Jinx and Distractions by Lew Christensen; Rooms by Anna Sokolow; Façade and Fille Mal Gardee by Sir Frederick Ashton, staged by David Blair; Pineapple Poll by John Cranko also staged by David Blair; among others. Ms. Silva was Principal Soloist with the First Chamber Dance Company, Manhattan Festival Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and the Bern State Theater in Switzerland. Her teaching and coaching career includes the Boston Conservatory of Music, Boston Ballet School, South Shore Ballet Theater, Anthony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker, and numerous dance studios and small companies, including United Dance, a company celebrating dancers with Down’s Syndrome.
DONNA SILVA
BALLET MASTER RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER
GIANNI DI MARCO
Gianni Di Marco is a professor of dance at the Boston Conservatory, where he has been instructing partnering and advanced ballet technique since 2006. He also teaches somatic and advanced partnering repertoire. In 2016, he started Step by Step!, a dance program for children with autism.
Di Marco began his dance career with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where he was promoted to first soloist. He has also performed with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, Opera Leipzig Ballet, Boston Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence, and Tony Williams Dance Company. His roles include Romeo and Mercutio in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet and pas des deux in Petipa’s Don Quixote, as well as works by Balanchine, Nacho Duato, J. Kylián, Hans van Manen, Cranko, Danny Pelzig, and others.
Di Marco has choreographed more than 50 original works, including Muñecas (2009), On the Brink (2007), and In the Window (2012) for Boston Conservatory, La Rondine (2003) for the Boston Lyric Opera, and Orpheus (2012) for Boston Baroque. He has created works for Boston Ballet, including The Nutcracker (1996), Dance on the Top Floor (1998), Raw Dance (2002-2005), and various gala balls (1999-2016), as well as multiple works for Festival Ballet, including Lady of the Camellias (2016), Scheherazade (2005), and El Amor Brujo (2009).
Di Marco has been teaching ballet and movement to children and adults since 2000. In addition to Boston Conservatory, he has taught at Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education, Harvard University, University of South Carolina, and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. He was the principal of Citydance, a Boston Public Schools outreach program. In 2002, he founded Adaptive Dance with Michelina Cassella, a program for children with Down syndrome and autism, at Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education.
Di Marco is a graduate of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. He has studied with the National Ballet of Cuba and the National Ballet of Canada. He has completed Cecchetti certification (intermediate level), certification for Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis®, and certification for Burdenko water therapy.
BALLET INSTRUCTOR
ADRIANA SUAREZ
Adriana Suarez has been an associate professor of dance at Boston Conservatory since 2005, specializing in advanced ballet, pointe technique, Gyrokinesis®, and classical and contemporary repertoire. She has also served as rehearsal director for resident choreographers and was co-artistic director of Boston Conservatory's Summer Dance Intensive with Gianni Di Marco from 2011 to 2014.
Her dance career started in New York City, where she performed as a guest artist following her training at School of American Ballet. She was quickly spotted by Bruce Marks and invited to join the Boston Ballet in 1989. She became a principal ballerina in 1994 and has performed the lead role in a wide range of classical ballets, such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsaire, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker. Her contemporary repertoire includes the leading role in numerous works by George Balanchine, including Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Terpsichore in Apollo, and Serenade.
Suarez has had the pleasure of working closely with such renowned choreographers as Bill T. Jones, Mark Morris, William Forsythe, and Nacho Duato. She has performed the roles of Tatiana in John Cranko's Onegin and Kate in The Taming of the Shrew and has created roles for Christopher Wheeldon's Firebird and Twyla Tharp's Waterbaby Bagatelles. Suarez created many roles for Daniel Pelzig while he was a resident choreographer at Boston Ballet. She has appeared as a guest artist in South America and Asia. In 1997, she took a leave of absence to join Oper Leipzig Ballett in Germany as a principal ballerina under the direction of Professor Uwe Scholz, where she performed the classics as well as many of his works. Upon returning to Boston Ballet, she continued to broaden her repertoire and teaching skills.
Her teaching experience includes Boston Ballet, Alvin Ailey School and Company, Harvard University, Ballet Hispanico, Brookline Ballet School, University of South Carolina, Green Street Studios, Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, and Regional Dance America.
BALLET INSTRUCTOR
LORRAINE CHAPMAN
Lorraine Chapman’s professional dance career spans 38 years. She danced with several international companies including Ballet British Columbia and Eliot Feld Ballets/NY, as well as locally with Amy Spencer & Richard Colton, José Mateo Ballet Theatre, Prometheus Dance, and Marcus Schulkind. Her formal training includes The Ballet Academy, Boston Ballet, Boston Repertory Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and École Supérieure De Ballet Du Québec from such distinguished instructors as Frances Kotelly, Shauna Bereska, Samuel Kurkjian, Leo Guerard, Tony Williams, Jacqueline Weber, Galina Yordanova, Daniel Sellier, and Charmaine Turner and as a professional dancer with Camilla Malashenko, Patricia Neary, Jocelyn Lorenz, Marcus Schulkind, Richard Colton, Amy Spencer, José Mateo, and Diane Arvanites. As a choreographer she has received numerous awards including LEF Foundation New England’s Contemporary Work Fund Grant, Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Artist Grant for Choreography, Choreographer’s Project Fellowship Summer Stages Dance, The Dance Complex’s CATALYSTS Series, Boston Dance Alliance Rehearsal & Retreat Fellowship, 2013 Brother Thomas Fellowship, The Gallery of the Pentacle dance agency, Boston Center for the Arts Dance Residency, Summer Stages Dance/Baryshnikov Arts Center Residency Project, Dance Magazine’s one of “25 To Watch”, Regional Dance Development Initiative – NE Dance Lab, 3 New England States Touring Grants, New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Direction, and a Live Arts Boston Grant. Lorraine has been teaching dance for 29 years, currently holding positions at Ballet Arts Centre of Winchester and Acton School of Ballet. Her latest adventure is working on becoming a fully certified Pilates instructor.
CITY BALLET OF BOSTON
JULIET BROWN
Juliet is from Norwell, MA and trained at the Boston Ballet School and South Shore Ballet Theatre. She has danced with Columbia Classical Ballet in South Carolina and the Paris Opera Ballet. She is currently freelancing in the Boston area and dancing with City Ballet Boston. Her repertoire includes Sugar Plum and Snow Queen from The Nutcracker, Shades Pas De Trois from La Bayadere, Cinderella in Cinderella, and her portrayal of Lucille Grahn in Pas de Quatre.
NAOKO BROWN
At the age of six, Naoko Brown was introduced to the world of classical ballet by Michiko Matsumoto and continued her training with Barbara Banaskowski Smith in Lansing, MI. While there, she performed with the students of the National Ballet School of Gdansk in Poland, as well as students from Vaganova Ballet School in St. Petersburg, Russia. Brown received her B.F.A. in Dance from The Boston Conservatory. There she performed works by Daniel Pelzig, Sean Curran, Lar Lubovitch and José Limon. She also attended the Boston Ballet School Summer Dance Program, Ballet Intensive from Moscow, and was a full scholarship recipient at Summer Stages Dance in 2012. Brown has performed with Michiko Matsumoto Ballet, Prometheus Dance and Jo-Mé Dance. She is also a faculty member of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee as well as Boston Ballet teaching Contemporary/Modern dance.
CAROLINE COOPER
Caroline Cooper is a Boston-based dancer. She graduated from Harvard College in 2023 with a degree in Psychology. She trained primarily at Boston Ballet School, starting at age 5. At BBS she developed parallel interests in teaching and choreography. In addition to ballet, her training included extensive work in classical character dance, an area of special focus for her now. While still a student, she was invited to teach at BBS, and she has subsequently taught at Acton School of Ballet and at Franklin School of Ballet. Now she is on the faculty at BBS. In college, she danced with Harvard Ballet Company, where she served on the board in leadership roles and also taught and choreographed. She is thrilled to be performing in the Urban Nutcracker.
NICOLE DICKSON
NICOLE DICKSON is a Boston-based ballet dancer originally from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. She began her training at Chester Valley Dance Academy, where she studied ballet under the guidance of Kimberly Martin and Patricia Brown. In 2023, she graduated from Butler University with a Bachelor’s degree in Dance Pedagogy and Mathematics. At Butler, she performed in live-orchestrated productions of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Giselle, and she danced in La Vivandière, The Forecourt Dance by Marek Cholewa, The Other Self by Marek Cholewa, and Church Song by Susan McGuire during ButlerBallet’s Midwinter Dances. In 2023, Nicole joined the City Ballet of Boston for the Urban Nutcracker and became a company member in 2024. Notable roles include Hoopette and Rat Queen, and she has had the privilege of dancing in original works by Gianni di Marco, Tony Williams, and Morgan Brown Sanborn. This fall, she premiered in the Tony Williams’ Saraband.
CITY BALLET OF BOSTON
KENDRA FRANK
Kendra Frank, originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts began her pre-professional training under the instruction of Tanya Vincent and Beth Vages. She continued her training at South Shore Ballet Theatre, with Marthavan Mckeon, George Birkadze, Stephanie Moy, Leslie Woodies, Dona Silva, and Nan Keating.
In 2016 Ms. Frank was offered a traineeship with Bay Pointe Ballet in San Francisco. The following year she trained with Festival Ballet Providence as a Post-Graduate. From 2018-2020, she danced as a company member with City Ballet Boston. Ms. Frank then joined Florida Ballet’s company 2020-2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. She is now back dancing in her home state with City Ballet of Boston since 2023! Ms. Frank is excited for her role this season as the Sugar Plum Fairy!
Kendra Frank is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a professional certified pointe shoe fitter, Frankly.Fitted.
Born and raised on Martha's Vineyard, Grace Hall (she/her) was first introduced to dance at her mother's dance school, Kaleidoscope Dance. She studied classical ballet for 6 years at Atlantic Coast Academy of Dance under Tanya Vincent before attending high school at Walnut Hill School for the Arts as a ballet major. She went on to attend Vassar College where she graduated with a minor in dance and was a member of the on-campus company Vassar Repertory Dance Theater (VRDT). In summers spent on the Vineyard, Grace dances in the island's homegrown dance festival Built on Stilts and runs her own summer intensive program for ballet students titled Summer at Kaleidoscope. Since graduating, Grace has performed professionally for companies such as North Atlantic Ballet, the Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe, BalletMV, and now City Ballet of Boston. This is Grace's first year with the company and first time performing in the Urban Nutcracker. She is absolutely thrilled to be a part of it!
MARGARET HOLLAND
Margaret first performed in the Urban Nutcracker in 2019 as a guest artist and has since joined City Ballet Boston year round. During her dance career, she has also performed with Harvard Ballet Company, New York Dance Project, and Capital Ballet DC. In addition, Margaret is an active member of the Boston medical community and enjoys sharing her passion for the arts by inviting colleagues to performances and community events.
KATIE MCMAHON
Katie is a Massachusetts native joining Urban Nutcracker for the first time in 2024. Prior to this season, she danced several seasons as a full-time company member for North Atlantic Ballet, performing roles such as Dew Drop Fairy and Snow Queen, in their annual production of The Nutcracker, as well as soloist and principal roles in countless story ballets. She also had the great pleasure of dancing for Dance Visions, Inc. under the direction of Margot Parsons, prior to having her son Carter in 2018, who now shares her love for dance.
Katie is also a licensed physical therapist and holds her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from University of Massachusetts, Lowell. When she is not rehearsing and performing, she spends her time treating students and professionals in the Boston area, through her private practice Boston Dance PT. Katie is thrilled to be a part of the magic that goes into this year's production of The Urban Nutcracker.
GRACE HALL
CITY BALLET OF BOSTON
MORGAN BROWN SANBORN
Morgan Brown Sanborn is originally from Standish, Maine and is currently a member of City Ballet of Boston as well as the Director of Dirigo Conservatory of Movement in Biddeford, ME. She has previously danced with The Florida Ballet, North Atlantic Dance Theatre, Teatrul Balet de Sibiu of Romania, Nevada Ballet Theater, and Portland Ballet Company of Maine.
Sanborn is a magna cum laude BFA dance graduate of Point Park University. She is a graduate of the Portland Ballet of Maine CORPS program under the direction of Eugenia O’Brien and Daielma Santos-Decker. Her training includes summer intensives at American Ballet Theatre, Festival Ballet of Providence, Point Park University, and Boston Conservatory.
Sanborn's recent featured roles include Lilac Fairy in Gianni DiMarco’s Sleeping Beauty. Vine Soloist and Spanish Soloist in Anthony William’s Urban Nutcracker. Soloist in Gianni DiMarco’s The Gathering and Danse Macabre. Arabian Soloist in Linda MacArthur Miele’s Nutcracker, Persian Princess in Miele’s Cinderella. Carmen’s Alter Ego in Roberto Forleo’s Carmen, Christoph Garcia’s Death of the Maiden, Nikiya in La Bayadere, Mercedes in Don Quixote, Hermia in Forleo’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Glove Seller in Forleo’s Gaîté Parisienne. Soloist in Linda MacArthur Miele’s Souvenir, Fairy Godmother in Roger VanFleteren’s Cinderella, Dew Drop and Sugarplum in FLB’s Nutcracker. Fokine’s Le Spectre de la Rose, Dying Swan, Prelude in Les Sylphide, as well as Joseph Morrissey’s Suite for Strings. Her choreography has been presented by City Ballet of Boston, Florida Ballet, Portland Ballet, Penta Project, Dean College, Franklin Performing Arts Company, Florida Ballet School, South Shore Ballet Theatre and many more.
Morgan has over 20 years of teaching experience and is currently an ABT® Fellowship Instructor, who has successfully presented students for ABTNTC examinations. Sanborn has completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a Kane school certified Pilates Apparatus Instructor, as well as certified in Progressing Ballet Technique.
AVERY SAULNIER DE REYES
Avery Saulnier de Reyes is a freelance dancer and Co-Director of Northeast Arts. Avery received her classical training at Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Lexington School of Ballet and Integrarte. Her professional roles include Canary Fairy, Garland Lead and Little Red Riding Hood in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet’s confidante in Romeo & Juliet and Fanny Cerrito in Pas de Quatre. She has been set on regularly by renowned choreographer Gianni di Marco. Avery enjoys character roles and has explored work on film, performing with Columbia Pictures, ArtsEmerson and Carley Byers.
She is immensely grateful for the love and support of family, friends, teachers, directors and colleagues and the unending patience, knowledge and kindness of mentors Carlos Molina, Érica Cornejo, Gianni di Marco, Adriana Suárez, Mary Thompson and Linda diBona Brassel.
AMANE TAKAISHI
Amane Takaishi, a native of Tokyo, Japan, is a performer, dance educator, and choreographer with extensive experience dancing with professional ballet companies, as well as teaching ballet and Pilates. She began her ballet training in Tokyo with Mitsuyo Kishibe and continued at Elmhurst Ballet School in association with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and at the Central School of Ballet in the UK. Amane’s career highlights include performing the Snow Queen, Rox Riff Lead, and Mrs. Mallard in The Urban Nutcracker with City Ballet of Boston since 2019.
Prior to joining CBB, she danced with Eugene Ballet Company, Ballet Tucson, and A&A Ballet. In the Boston area, Amane has performed with United Dance, the Asian American Ballet Project, and DanceVisions, featuring in roles such as the Spanish Variation in The Extraordinary Nutcracker (United Dance), the Candide Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty (Asian American Ballet Project), and the solo work Footsteps (DanceVisions), choreographed by Margot Parsons. Her professional experience has shaped a teaching approach that blends technical rigor with artistic expression, enriched by historical insight. Amane is a lecturer at Boston College, where she teaches courses in ballet, pointe, and the history of ballet. As a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance (UK), she also teaches young dancers at Tony Williams Dance Center. Her dance instruction is complemented by Pilates; a Balanced Body Comprehensive Certified Pilates instructor, Amane teaches both Pilates and ballet at Boston University. She recently began teaching a new course implementing ballet as a cross-training method for divers, a context she greatly enjoys and that continues to deepen her understanding of this emerging area. Also, Amane teaches Pilates at Boston Body Pilates. As an aspiring choreographer, her first original work, The Celebration, was presented in Awakenings, a departmental showcase at Robsham Theater, Boston College, in 2022. Amane has also been choreographing for dancers at Boston City Youth Ballet, a scholarship program at TWDC. She holds a BA with honors in Professional Dance and Performing Studies from the University of Kent, UK, and an MA in Education (Dance Teaching) from the University of Bath, UK.
URBAN NUTCRACKER CREATIVE TEAM
STORY ADAPTATION
DAVID IRA ROTTENBERG
David Ira Rottenberg is a graduate of Columbia University. He is the author of the popular Gwendolyn series of children’s books which begins with GWENDOLYN, THE GRACEFUL PIG, about a pig who wants to learn to dance and he has co-authored three business books, THE RHYTHM OF BUSINESS, COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES and EVERYONE IS A CUSTOMER, published by Butterworth-Heinemann and Dearborn Press. He has also written a young adult novel, OUTSIDE THE EDGES.
SCENIC DESIGN
Scenic Design, Janie is happy to be back at the Shubert with Tony and the Urban Nutcracker for the 9th year! Recent designs include: Urinetown (Lyric Stage Company), Operation Epsilon (Southwark Playhouse, UK), In The Deep (world premier, Willamette Univ., OR). Venues include: NYC Dance Alliance, Lynn Redgrave Theatre (NY), InterAct Theatre (PA), Speakeasy Stage, Mass MOCA, Moonbox Productions, Berkshire Opera Festival, ASP, Odyssey Opera, Weston Playhouse (VT), Umbrella Stage, Reagle Players, Gloucester Stage Company, North Shore Music Theatre, Central Square Theatre, Ohio Star Theatre(OH), Company One, Merrimack Rep, Seacoast Rep, NJ Shakespeare Festival (NJ). Honored with the 2024 Elliott Norton Sustained Excellence Award, 4 time Elliot Norton Design Award winner, 4 time IRNE Design Award winner; adjunct faculty at Bridgewater State, Wellesley College. Founder of the Prop Co-Op. USA Local 829. www.janiehowland.com
SCENIC FABRICATION AND PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
- WOODEN KIWI PRODUCTIONS
JANIE E. HOWLAND RICHARD WOOD
Richard Wood is happy to be back at the beautiful Shubert Theatre and working with Tony Williams and the Urban Nut team again. Since working on the Urban Nutcracker first production in 2001, Wooden Kiwi Productions has managed the production of the Urban Nutcracker at the Strand Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, John Hancock Hall and The Shubert as well as building the original scenery and the new set designed by Janie Howland. In addition to their work with the Urban Nutcracker, Wooden Kiwi Productions designs, builds and rents dance floors, builds scenery and has managed performance projects throughout the Boston area and around the world. Our clients include Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, Emerson College, BoCO @ Berklee, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, SpeakEasy Stage Company, the MIT Media Lab’s Opera of the Future Group, Moonbox Productions and many more. Wooden Kiwi Productions started in 1991 when partners Richard Wood & Peter Colao built their first dance floor at Green Street Studios in 1991 and is now based in Waltham, MA. Richard is a founding board member of the Massachusetts Live Events Coalition.
ORIGINAL COSTUME AND SCENIC DESIGN
REBECCA CROSS
Rebecca Cross is a visual artist who studied at Bennington College, St. Martins School of Art, London, and received her MA in painting from the Royal College of Art London, UK. A MacDowell Fellow her artwork is in numerous collections such as the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery and the US State Department. Since 2006, as owner and director of Cross MacKenzie Gallery in Washington, DC she has presented over 150 art exhibitions. Currently she is curating a ceramics exhibition at AU’s Katzen Museum for September 2022. Cross designed both sets and costumes for the original 2000-2014 productions of Urban Nutcracker, and her inspiration continues in the current costumes reimagined by Dustin Todd Rennells.
15TH ANNIVERSARY COSTUME DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
DUSTIN TODD RENNELLS
A native of Missouri, Dustin has made his home in the art world of Boston since 2000 when he entered the Art Institute of Boston (Lesley University). Through college friend coincidence he was introduced to the Urban Nutcracker and quickly became the Costume Master twelve years ago. From 2007-2021 he served as Costume Director and Managing Director of City Ballet of Boston and Tony Williams Dance Center. Dustin regularly costumes for community theater, most recently Dreamgirls (Riverside Community Theatre), One Man Two Guvnors (The Center for the Arts Natick), Legally Blonde (Footlight Club) where he also served on the Board of Directors. Dustin was a member of the WGBH Community Advisory Board. Dustin was nominated for an EMACT DASH Award for best costumes and best hair/makeup in 2018 & 2019. Dustin is a former elementary school teacher at Star Academy in Watertown and recently relocated back to Missouri. Dustin has developed a contemporary styling for all of Becca Cross’s original designs and hopes his work does her designs justice.
ALEXANDRA ARRUDA
COSTUME DESIGNER/COORDINATOR
25 ANNIVERSARY COSTUME DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION TH
Alexandra Arruda is excited to return to the Urban Nutcracker to continue working on the costumes! She recently graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a degree in fashion design. She has been working in costume design for eight years with a focus on musical theater and dance.
URBAN NUTCRACKER CREATIVE TEAM
STAGE MANAGER
ELIZABETH RAMIREZ
Stage Manager Elizabeth Yvette Ramirez (they/she) is a stage manager, director, and labor leader from Boston. They are delighted to be back for their third year of Urban Nutcracker. They have worked at over 20 theaters in Greater Boston including: A.R.T., North Shore Music Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Hanover Theater Rep, Speakeasy Stage, Lyric Stage, Central Square Theater, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, GBSC, New Repertory Theater, Reagle Music Theater, and many more. She advises student stage managers at Wellesley College, and also stage manages for opera, haunted houses, orchestras, and corporate events. When not in the theatre they are advocating for workers’ rights as an elected councilor for Actors' Equity Association.
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
MIGUEL FLORES
Miguel Flores got his BA in Music from California State University Los Angeles. Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, he has been a theatre professional for the last 25 years. He has worked in opera, theatre, new works, and music education. Was the Music teacher at a public high school, in California, for two years before returning the LA theater scene as a stage manager, and then traveling the US to ASM Operas. He moved to St. Louis for 8 years to work as an Associate Production Manager before moving to New England to be the Production Manager at North Shore Music Theatre, the Production Coordinator at MIT Music and Theater Arts Department, and then the Production Manager at Revels, Inc. He is currently the Associate Director of Production at The Huntington and continues as a freelance PSM for local operas and other events.
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Scott is happy to return for his 17th season with the Urban Nutcracker. Scott’s notable credits include designing the lighting for three locations in Philadelphia PA for Pope Francis during his legendary visit to the US, and President Barack Obama’s White House Frontier’s Conference. Theatrical credits include on Broadway The Gathering starring Hal Linden and Your Arms Too Short to Box with God starring Teddy Pendergrass and Stephanie Mills. Off-Broadway credits include Syndrome, Teresa's Ecstasy and A Winter’s Tale. Scott was recently the lighting director and/or designer for over 120 live streams for the music streaming service Tidal X, including artists such as Bon Jovi, Coldplay, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Emeli Sandé, Rascal Flatts and Lil Wayne. Here in Boston some of Scott’s credits include Express Yourself (Wang Theatre); City Spotlights (Shubert Theater); Man of La Mancha (2007 IRNE Award), Nicholas Nickleby (2010 IRNE) and 1776 (Lyric Stage). He is a graduate of Purchase College at S.U.N.Y. and can be found at www.sclightingdesigns.com.
PROJECTION DESIGNER
SAM BIONDOLILLO
Sam Biondolillo is a New York based designer and producer. Sam is thrilled to return to Urban Nutcracker for another season. He has been an associate lighting director for ESM Productions (a Roc Nation company), designed at many of New England’s regional theatres, Off-Broadway in New York City, and internationally, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sam is a member of USA Local 829, a national member of USITT, and is a full member of the Off-Broadway Alliance. He is the co-president of SAMS Entertainment, whose producing portfolio includes several notable productions, including The Talented Mr. Ripley UK Tour, the 2024-2025 revival of Our Town at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, the Tony Award-winning revival of Merrily We Roll Along at the Hudson Theatre (2023-2024), and Gutenberg! The Musical! at the James Earl Jones Theatre (2023). He also serves on the boards of Lost Nation Theater, The Tudor City Association, and the Marcia Amsden Biondolillo Foundation. SJBLightingDesign.com
BILL WHITNEY
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Bill Whitney studied music education at James Madison University, and taught high school music at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, NH for five years. He then took a position as a composer and sound designer for the Boston-based video game developer, Harmonix, where he worked on all the Rock Band and Dance Central games, as well as Disney's Fantasia before moving on to start a small business called Calderwood Percussion, which builds custom percussion instruments of all kinds. Some of Bill's notable clients include the musical, "Hamilton" the new "SpongeBob SquarePants" Broadway musical, the US Air National Guard, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, as well as many percussionists, ensembles and schools all over the world. He also co-owns, and plays bass in a very active nine piece wedding band called The Ward Eights, continues to work as a freelance audio engineer, and teaches as often as he is able.
MUSIC DIRECTOR
JAY FRIGOLETTO
Jay Frigoletto is a music industry veteran having owned and operated studios in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Boston. As an engineer/producer he is credited on numerous gold, platinum, multi-platinum and Grammy-winning albums and has worked with a range of artists including Alice in Chains, India.Arie, Blondie, Black-Eyed Peas, Ani DiFranco, INXS, Eddie Money, Oasis, War, and on film and television projects such as the X-Men 2 soundtrack and CBS prime-time drama, Touched By an Angel. A Berklee trained pianist and virtuoso multi-instrumentalist he has toured, performed and recorded on both coasts since the age of sixteen. As an educator he spent 10 years as a professor of applied physics in acoustics and audio engineering and continues to lecture and consult on topics of music, audio, acoustics, sound for film and television, forensic audio analysis, DSP (Digital Signal Processing) and algorithm development. He is the executive chair of the Boston/New England chapter of the international Audio Engineering Society (AES).
SCOTT CLYVE
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT
ISIAH “MOVELIKEZAY” BEASLEY
Isiah “MoveLikeZay” is a dedicated dancer, choreographer, creative director and teacher born and raised in Boston, MA. He has over 20 yrs of experience in the dance/entertainment industry ranging from community events to movies, commercials, video games, music videos, artist development, and touring. He actually was casted in the Urban Nutcracker as a teenager and is excited to be back with the production as a choreographer, a full circle moment for him and his career. Most recently he was recognized with a citation for his dedication to the arts and mentorship in the City of Boston
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT
MELISSA GOLD
Melissa Gold, a seasoned performer with a rich background in movie background work, has been captivating audiences since 2015 with her enchantinportrayal in the Urban Nutcracker. A proud graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Melissa brings a unique blend of academic knowledge and on-screen experience to the stage, making her a dynamic and versatile presence in the world of theater.
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT
KAYLA DAME
KAYLA DAME is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator from Boston, Massachusetts. She achieved her Bachelor's in Fine Arts Dance Degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is an instructor at Tony Williams Dance Center and College of the Fenway Performing Arts Program as an educator and choreographer and most recently, a dance teacher at Boston Renaissance. She also worked at American Dance Training Camps (ADTC) in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and at Bayside School of Dance for either dance camp or studio intensives. Dame also performed and collaborated alongside musical artists such as Aliyah’s Interlude, Luke Bar$, and Alcina Tran. This summer, she debuted her own dance company, Dynasty Dame Dance Company, providing professional performance opportunities and special collaboration projects. Overall, Kayla enjoys all areas of dancing in regards to educating, choreographing, and performing works in various genres. No matter what age she works with, she enjoys watching everyone's passion for dance blossom! She is excited for the show! .
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT
TAWNEE MAESTAS
Tawnee Maestas is a Southern California dancer, choreographer, and mentor residing in Boston, Massachusetts. She has worked in the community, competitive, and professional dance industries on the East and West Coasts for the past 10 years. Tawnee is a former Boston Celtics dancer for five seasons, two of which she served as Captain. While on the team, she was selected as the 2017 NBA All-Star Dancer and represented the Boston Celtics at the NBA All-Star game in New Orleans, Louisiana. Throughout her career, she has performed in many exciting places, including Italy and Spain. Some of her performance credits include DJ Khalid, Remy Ma, Tyga, Nick Jonas, and New Kids On The Block. In addition to her work as a performer, she is also a choreographer in the industry, working with NBA and NFL teams, including the Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pro Action Dance. She also collaborates, mentors, and works with various youth arts programs in partnership with the Boston Police Department and the City of Boston. Currently, she is the Founder and Creative Director of Move for More, a non-profit dance program dedicated to bringing the healing power of dance, mindfulness, and positivity to under-resourced communities throughout the city of Boston.
URBAN NUTCRACKER ARTISTS
ARIYAH ANTOINE
My name is Ariyah Antoine, I have been dancing since I was four years old and trained primarily at 4 Star Dance Studio. This year marks my first appearance in the Urban Nutcracker, where I perform in the Hip Hop Prologue. I first saw the show two years ago and immediately felt connected to its energy and community, telling myself, “I’m going to be on that stage one day.” I’m thrilled to see that dream come true as part of this season’s cast.
CAYLA BLAKE
Cayla Blake is a professional dancer and dance teacher originating from New York where she began her early training at Seven Star School of Performing Arts in a wide range of disciplines. Throughout her career she has performed with companies such as City Ballet of Boston, Pantos Project Dance, Northeast Arts, and Brooklyn Ballet. Cayla’s repertoire includes performances of José Limón’s The Moor’s Pavane, George Balanchine’s Minkus Pas de Trois, and Marius Petipa’s Sleeping Beauty Cayla received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she had the privilege of learning from professors such as Paul Dennis (Limón) and Bronwyn MacArthur (Bebe Miller Company). During her time at school, Cayla spent three months training at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona where she also choreographed and set work internationally. After graduating, Cayla received her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training and has since been teaching yoga to all levels throughout the New England region. Cayla also teaches ballet, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, and creative movement throughout the Northeast and New England region within studio and public school settings. This will be Cayla’s fourth year performing in the Urban Nutcracker and she couldn’t be more excited!
PATTY BOURRÉE
Patty Bourrée is the drag persona of Boston-based cabaret artist and educator Patrick Burr. The Director of Boston’s chapter of Drag Queen Story Hour, Burr has also taught acting, voice, and vocal performance for over a decade with elementary to college level students. Educated at NYU and Emerson college, Burr uses their theatrical training all over Boston and the greater New England area in shows for kids and adults.
ALBERT CHRISTIE II
Albert Christie II, was born and raised in Boston, MA and began his dance journey at the age of 10 performing at middle school assemblies. As he began High School he started focusing more on Musical Theatre and Performed in shows such as “The Wiz”. After High School, he attended the University of Hartford where he started to take dance more seriously. After College he started taking classes in Boston and trained in different studios such as Urbanity, Phunk Phenomenon Dance Studio, and The Dance Complex. After the pandemic Albert continued his training with MoveLikeZay and trained in Thre3Live Dance Studio shortly. Shortly after he joined Haus of Snap Dance Company and MLZMoveMent Dance Company. Albert has performed and competed in Prelude New England, World of Dance Boston, and Prelude NY. He was also featured in the Haus of Snap Celtics Pride Performance, Phunk X Snap Celtics Performance, Noyze Boston 2023, and most recently featured in the Syberite Presents Love is Love showcase performance choreographed by Ky Edwards.
BRETTE CRONIN
Brette Cronin is a multi-faceted performer, choreographer, and dance educator based out of Boston. In 2023, she graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BFA in Dance, along with a certificate in Arts Management. She previously trained at the Karen Bernard School of Dance in Winchester for 16 years in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop, modern, contemporary, and musical theater. She teaches dance classes at Joanne Langione Dance Center in Newton. Brette is also a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at Best Fitness in Woburn. Her passion for movement is what ties together all aspects of her life. This is her second year dancing in The Urban Nutcracker. Brette is excited to celebrate 25 years with this outstanding cast and to bring the holiday cheer to Boston!
URBAN NUTCRACKER ARTISTS
AUSTIN DABNEY
Austin Dabney received his classical ballet training at Interlochen Arts Academy from 2015-2019, a boarding school outside of Traverse City, Michigan. Under the directorship of Joseph Morrissey, Austin performed principal roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Raymonda as well as George Balanchine's The Four Temperaments, Agnes DeMille's Rodeo, and Paul Taylor's Company B. Austin joined Boston Ballet II for their 2019-2020 season, where he performed in Giselle, Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker, Jerome Robbins' Glass Pieces, and Christopher Wheeldon's This Bitter Earth. He joined Ballet West II for their 2020-2021 season, where he performed in Pamela Robinson's The Glass Slipper, George Balanchine's Raymonda Pas de Dix, and Adam Sklute's Swan Lake. In 2021, Austin returned to Boston to attend Fisher College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in English and graduated Summa Cum Laude in the spring of 2025. After four years, Austin recently returned to the stage with Harvard Ballet Company, performing an excerpt from Christopher Wheeldon's An American in Paris.
AMANDA DRAGANI
Amanda Dragani is a multifaceted dancer, teacher, choreographer, adjudicator and media creator in the Boston area. She grew up immersed in the competition circuit and continued on to study dance collegiately. Amanda graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance concentrating in Dance & Media. This prestigious program was under the direction of Katie Langan. While at Marymount, Amanda studied a variety of styles, with tap as her main focus. She supplemented her collegiate training in weekly classes at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway with various professionals. Upon graduating, Amanda began teaching both recreational and competitive dancers in the New England area as well as touring nationwide as an adjudicator for dance competitions. Alongside her competition-based work, Amanda coordinates social media and marketing efforts for dance-related businesses. She is also in her third season as a member of DrumatiX Tap Company and performs at events coordinated throughout New England. Most recently, she has begun creating an online dance clothing line, Dance Trends Apparel. While exploring many different avenues of dance, Amanda strives to make a strong, and positive impact on the dance community.
SHAE FOREST
Shae Forest holds an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University and a BFA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her performance credits include RWS Global Talent at Legoland New York, Journey Through Christmas at the Amato Center (NH) with Saving Grace Dance, and guest artist appearances with City Ballet of Boston. Teaching is her passion; she has taught throughout New England, including serving as dance faculty at Dean College and studios including Thelma Goldberg’s The Danceinn. In 2024, Shae choreographed Milton Academy’s production of Something Rotten! and directed the school’s annual Winter Dance Concert.
Shae is also a nationwide dance adjudicator and convention teacher for Inferno Dance Competitions and Alive Dance Tour. Her website is ShaeForest.com. This is her third Urban Nutcracker, and she is thrilled to tap and jazz it up for the 25th anniversary season!
JUNICHI FUKUDA
Japanese native Junichi Fukuda has danced with renowned companies, including Ballet Tech/NY, Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Buglisi Dance Theatre, and Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Fukuda has received awards and fellowships from institutions such as the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the Mass Cultural Council, the Boston Foundation, the S&R Foundation, and the New England Foundation for the Arts. In 2014, he founded FUKUDANCE, which has performed globally at festivals like MASDANZA in Spain, Mexico City's Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporánea de la Ciudad, and Dance St. Louis. His work has been praised as "a work of easeful harmony" by The Washington Post. Fukuda holds an MFA in choreography from Jacksonville University and teaches at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Phillips Exeter Academy. He continues to collaborate with Japanese artists. www.fukudance.com
URBAN NUTCRACKER ARTISTS
JOE GONZÁLEZ
González is a Afro-Latino American Dancer and Choreographer. Born and raised in Boston Massachusetts, González started dancing at a young age, where he was selected for Boston Ballet’s City Dance, Ailey Camp Boston and their after school program Act II. In late 2001 González enrolled at the Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts and after his first year of taking dance seriously at the Roxbury Center, he decided to apply to a performing arts highschool called Boston Arts Academy. In 2006, he received the Boston Arts Academy’s Dance Award and the YoungArts Merit Award (National Foundation Advancement for the Arts) as well as the John Ross Award in 2007 for Theatre Excellence. During his training, Joe has participated in programs such as; Boston Conservatory’s Summer Intensive (2006), American Dance Festival (2004), Bates Dance Festival (2005) and SpringBroad Danse Montréal (2010 and 2011).
After graduating high school as a Dance Major, Gonzalez went on to the Boston Conservatory where he was featured in many of the conservatory’s performances and presented his own works in the very selective choreography showcase. Joe received his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from the Boston Conservatory and has coproduced an evening performance and dance installation. González has toured and performed national and internationally as a full time performing artist with Anna Myer and Dancers (2005-2014), Deborah Abel Dance Company (2011-2014 & 2017-2019), Prometheus Dance (2011-2014) and “A” Major Dance Company (2005-2014). Gonzalez has also danced with DMB|#DBdanceproject, Putty Dance Project, Dance IQUAIL, Zoé Dance, Danza Orgánica, Waheed Works, Boston City Ballet and David Dorfman Dance. As well as traditional holiday performances such as Black Nativity Boston since 2005.
Joe is a former performing artist with Philadanco! (The Philadelphia Dance Company) and is currently a performing artist with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Jo-Mé Dance Arts Inc. as their Resident Choreographer and co-Artistic Director/Founder. Performing and Choreographing has taken Joe around the world such as India, Scotland, Chile, South America, London/Leicester UK, Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and USA.
Joe Has commissioned 3 works at Bryn Mawr College, 1 at Rowan University, 2 for Boston Conservatory at Berklee, The Philadelphia Dance Theatre, City Dance and many works for Jo-Mé Dance Theatre. As González continues to be a performing artist and choreographer, he also was the Artistic Director of Philadanco’s 3rd Company (D/3) since 2017 and is a dance professor at Temple University since 2018 and Georgian Court University since 2021. Joe will continue to perform, create work and co-directed Jo-Mé Dance while creating more space for his choreography to flourish!
ISABELA HASKELL
Isabela is very excited to be joining the Urban Nutcracker this year! She grew up in Irvine, CA where she trained at Maple Conservatory of Dance from age seven to eighteen. She additionally attended summer intensive programs at Houston Ballet, Alberta Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. Isabela graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 2023 with a BA in biochemistry. During her undergraduate studies she performed as a guest artist in Massachusetts Academy of Ballet's production of the Nutcracker, as well as performing in various faculty and student dance concerts at Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and Umass Amherst. She additionally helped found and run the MHC Ballet Company and organized a volunteer dance program with Girls Inc. of the Valley.
Isabela is currently working as a clinical research coordinator in the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. She is very grateful for the opportunities she has had to become involved in the Boston-area dance community through taking open ballet classes, performing with the Harvard Ballet Company, volunteering with BalletRox and now dancing in the Urban Nutcracker! She would also like to thank her friends and family for all of their support!
Khalid Hill is a professional actor and tap dancer from Boston MA who currently resides in Harlem NY. He has been tap dancing for 33 years and holds a Masters Degree in Performing Arts Administration from NYU. He is also a trained actor with 3 years of training in the Meisner technique from the Ted Bardy Acting Studio in NYC.
As a professional, Khalid has performed as a featured artist at colleges and theaters in 40 cities nationwide and abroad in the US, Canada and Germany. As a dance instructor and educator, he has taught master classes and lectured at Gordon College, the UNC Charlotte, Bridgewater State University and Lehman College. He has also taught beginner, intermediate and advanced tap classes for Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and the Boston Tap Party Festival. His credits include: the first national tour of Bring in Da’ Noise, Bring in Da’ Funk under the direction of George C Wolfe; Bounce (in Disney World) with Mogee & Friends; Rhythm is Our Business with Derick Grant; Invitations To A Dancer with Savion Glover; Cholesterol Low Down (national tour) with Debbie Allen and Dick Clark. Khalid has performed as a featured soloist for Hillary Clinton, Bill Irwin and Maya Angelou.
Khalid has also provided choreography and artistic direction for numerous productions, including The Urban Nutcracker in Boston (15 seasons), The Purple Flower in Charlotte NC, The Medicine Showdown in Atlanta and St Louis. In the Fall of 2022 Khalid was part of the tap ensemble in the movie Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrel. Khalid is known for his intricate “rapid-fire” footwork that has impressed audiences across the US.
KHALID HILL
URBAN NUTCRACKER ARTISTS
GABRIELLE HONORÉ
Gabrielle Honoré is currently a senior at the Boston Conservatory where she plans to graduate in 2026 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Contemporary Dance Performance. In addition to her academic studies, Honoré has been a guest artist with City Ballet Boston in their production of Tony Williams’ The Urban Nutcracker and has joined the company as an apprentice for their Spring and Fall 2025 season. Through the Conservatory Gabrielle has also had the opportunity to perform Dvorák Serenade by Lar Lubovitch, PLOD by Dan Wagoner, and world premiers by Andrew Skeels and Nicole Von Arx. Her strong ballet foundation comes from furthering her studies by examining in the Cecchetti Syllabus provided by the Cecchetti Council of America, where she has completed grades I-VII presented under Karla Harris. Honoré has also had the opportunity to train with companies such as Boston Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet Hispanico, and Hubbard Street to name a few.
KEWEN IMLAY
I am a dancer from Maui, Hawaii, and a longtime student at the Alexander Academy of Performing Arts, where I trained in ballet as well as contemporary and modern dance. Dance has shaped my life for as long as I can remember, giving me a place to grow creatively, push myself physically, and connect with a supportive artistic community. I have also attended the Boston Ballet Summer Intensive several times, which helped kickstart my love for Boston’s vibrant dance community. This year marks my first time performing as a guest artist with City Ballet of Boston’s Urban Nutcracker, and it has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my dance journey. I have fallen in absolute love with the company—its directors, dancers, teachers, and the energetic, heartfelt adaptation of this holiday classic. Being welcomed into such a vibrant artistic environment has been an incredible gift that has encouraged me to grow both as a dancer and as an artist. I am currently studying architecture and dance at Boston University, where I explore creativity through both movement and design. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to perform in the Urban Nutcracker and for the unwavering support of my teachers, mentors, family, and friends.
ADAM LEWIS
Adam Lewis has been a student in Gino DiMarco’s Adaptive Dance Program for the past 23 years, first at the Boston Ballet and now at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. With Gino’s guidance, Adam has danced in the Urban Nutcracker for the past eight years, and looks forward to the performances as a highlight of his year. Adam also dances the parts of the Soldier Doll and the Rat King in Gino’s Extraordinary Nutcracker production for United Dance, a special needs dance program, in Boston in early December. When he’s not dancing, Adam is a retail associate at TJ Maxx and a greeter for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
AVA LOUISE MAJUMDER
Ava Louise Majumder is a Boston-based Dance Artist and Educator. This is her fourth year as Clarice’s Mother in The Urban Nutcracker and is honored to be a part of the production. Ava is a Rehearsal Director and Performer with Evolve Dynamicz Dance Collective. Since 2018, she has been the Artistic Coordinator for On Display Harvard in collaboration with Heidi Latsky Dance. She has additionally performed with contemporary companies Nozama Dance Collective and Luminarium Dance Company. Ava teaches dance at Somerville High School and is the Artistic Director of the SHS Dance Company. Ava holds an Ed.M in Arts in Education from Harvard University and a B.A. from The Claremont Colleges, where she was awarded for Outstanding Performance in Dance. Ava would like to thank her loved ones for supporting her journey!
Thom is from Hudson Valley, New York, and began dance training at his Mother’s ballet school. He moved to train at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, The Boston Ballet School Trainee Program, and the Miami City Ballet. He had the opportunity to choreograph while a student at Miami City Ballet School and perform in select performances. He has Programs at The School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Thom continued with Cincinnati Ballet, performing featured roles in productions at The Aronoff Center for the Performing Arts and Music Hall. Thom has choreographed, taught, and performed in the lower Hudson Valley, New York, as well as in New Orleans, St. Augustine, South Florida, and MA. In Boston, Thom has been involved with a number of different organizations. Thom attended Tulane University before transferring to Emerson, where he will be completing his BA with a concentration in business on a scholarship.
ALICE PEABODY
Across Alice’s dance experience, she has taken part in multiple tap companies, including Taplife Too, Boston Tap Company, Connecticut Tap Collaborative, Speaking in Taps, and Drumatix. Alongside all of the different companies, Alice also began teaching as full time faculty at a studio in September 2025 and has also done guest choreography multiple times. Alice was also a part of the USA Tap Team in 2024, traveling to Prague, Czech Republic, and taking part in a large group securing the silver medal. Along with these experiences, Alice has also been choreographing for 4 years now, with multiple choreography awards for both dances for herself, as well as others. Aside from dance, Alice was also homeschooled from 1st grade through 12th, graduating a year early. Currently she is working on her associates degree from Holyoke Community College in Child and Family Studies
ELVIS PIETRZAK THOM MCNEILLY
Elvis is so excited to be taking part in his first production of Urban Nutcracker! He previously performed with City Ballet of Boston in their production of Ballet Banquet this past spring. He’s currently a student at the Boston Conservatory, pursuing a BFA in Contemporary Dance.
Prime dancer/bailaor, first bailaor to be recognized with a Grammy award for best Latin jazz album “Antidote” collaborating in the album along music legend Chick Corea.
Nino begins his career at 9 years old with the “Campanas Flamencas” show, directed by Paco Sanchez, founder of the renowned company “Cumbre Flamenca”, sharing stage with: Joaquin Grilo, Milagros Mengibar, La Tati, Antonio Reyes and his brother Isaac de los Reyes. At the same age, he starts joining greater dance companies like Eduardo Serrano “El Guito”, Carmen Cortes and Javier Baron among others. He has been a crew member and performer alongside Enrique Morente, Pepe Habichuela, Josemi Carmona, Juan José Suárez “Paquete”, José María Bandera, Niño Josele, Jesús de Rosario, Juan Carmona, Ramón el Portugués, Miguel el Rubio, Montse Cortes, José Soto “Sorderita”, Rafael de Utrera, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, Alain Pérez, Rubén Dantas and Israel Suárez “Piraña”, Sergio Martinez, etc.
In 2010, Nino won three awards in the “Certamen de coreografía de danza española y flamenco de Madrid” competition for his spectacle “Origen”:
• First place in the solo choreography category,
• Flamenco young promise,
• Best musical composition composed by Paco Cruz
He was also invited to join the “Beyond the Memory” show, a tribute to Paco de Lucia, where he had the opportunity to share the scenario with the renowned members of his band. Also, he was a guest in the mediaset show, “Flamencos en el Berlin”, collaborating with the greatest representatives of flamenco dance to date: Antonio Canales, Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya “Farruquito”, Antonio Fernández Montoya “Farru”, José Maya, Paloma Fantova and Belen Lopez.
Currently, due to his versatility, dancing and musical knowledge has collaborated with various recordings related to pop and jazz genres. Just to mention some, “Stranger to Stranger” album from worldwide Singer Paul Simon, with whom he performed in the “Barclays center” in Madrid, in front of 20,000 people. In addition, Chick Corea, jazz’s legendary figure, invited him to participate in his 75TH birthday presentation in the Blue Note club and performing in the Madison Square Garden in New York. Finally, he collaborated in the latest album recording “Antidote” by Chick Corea and The Spanish Heart Band that also had the participation of Ruben Blades. With The Spanish Heart Band he has performed in the most important music festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival and Love Supreme. Nino has created five unique spectacles: ORIGEN, INSIDE, TIERRA, UNO MÁS DE LA BANDA, and his latest creation VUELTA AL SOL.
NINO DE LOS REYES
URBAN NUTCRACKER ARTISTS
OLOLADE “LOLA RO” ROBINSON
Born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, Ololade “Lola Ro” Robinson is a triple threat performer and creative artist. After performing in her first musical Bring It On at The Cleveland Playhouse Theater, they began their formal dance training in high school as well as the Cuyahoga Community College Dance Academy. During that time she trained in styles and techniques such as ballet, West African dance, Praise dance, and Horton Technique. From there she went on to broaden her technique training in Jazz, Tap, Musical Theater, Heels, Hip Hop, and Contemporary under the direction of Jonathan and Tracey Webb as well as Howard Washington. Lola received her BFA from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee as a part of the inaugural class of the Commercial Dance program. During that time she was able to train under the likes of Anthony Burrell, Jessica Franco, James Viera, Daniel Pelzig and Kendrick Samuel. Appearing in shows like Berklee Beyonce Ensemble Revival show, The Usher Tribute at the 2023 Spring Commencement. One of her proudest accomplishments was being able to lead, choreograph, and direct her own Caf Show “Lola’s Playground.” Notable performances include Noyze Boston, World of Dance RI division, The Blair Bxtch Project, and Boston Calling with the artist KEI. She signed with Bloc Talent Agency in April.
LACEY SASSO
Lacey Sasso (she/her) is the founder and Artistic Director of Sasso & Company, a Boston-based modern dance company. She attended Missouri State University where she earned a B.F.A in Dance Performance and a minor in Psychology. She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy from William James College. Lacey spent six seasons with Undertoe Dance Project (NYC) as the Jazz Captain and Resident Jazz Teaching Artist and four seasons performing and choreographing for Six One Seven Dance Collective (Boston). She spent five seasons performing in Project31’s professional company and serving as rehearsal assistant; her choreography was featured in Alice in P31wonderland and 5. Lacey joined the cast of City Ballet of Boston’s Urban Nutcracker as a tap lead, soloist, and ensemble member in 2024. She is a company member with DrumatiX and a freelance contemporary performer with CreatAVES. She has served on the faculty at Boston University, Urbanity Dance, the Royal Academy of Dance (London) and Montage Theatre Arts (London). She currently teaches on faculty at Project31 Dance Studio and South Shore Ballet Theatre, where she is the Head of the Modern Dance Program.
KATHRYN SCARPETTI
Kathryn began dancing at the age of three and discovered her passion for tap at five. With over 20 years of experience in both competitive and recreational dance, she joined the pre-professional tap company Speaking in Taps in 2018, under the direction of her mentor, Aaron Tolson. Her training includes prestigious programs such as the School of Creative and Performing Arts in Vermont, The Intensive directed by Derick Grant and Aaron Tolson, and the Joffrey Summer Tap Intensive, among others. Kathryn has taught at the Boston Tap Party festival and at numerous dance studios. She has performed in a variety of notable productions and venues, including the Boston Urban Nutcracker, Disney Springs, and as an opening act for Recycled Percussion. In addition to her work in tap, Kathryn is a certified Zumba instructor and serves as a backup dancer for drag performer Clara Divine. Instagram: @Kathryns.dance Tik Tok: Kathryns.dance
THERESA SULLIVAN
Theresa Sullivan is a triple-threat performer, choreographer, and dance teacher based in New England and New York City. Her training began at age 3 when she was put in dance and she soon began singing and acting. She recently earned her BA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Dean College. While at Dean, she performed in and choreographed for multiple dance showcases and musicals, had her choreography adjudicated by members of the Manhattan Dance Project, and received merit awards from the Kennedy Center American Collegiate Festival. She has worked background on a few films and TV series, and danced in the Netflix documentary The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Theresa is also a dedicated dance educator and has taught students ages 1.5-18 years old in multiple styles at both the recreational and competitive levels. Theresa is so excited to be returning to Urban Nutcracker and would like to thank her friends, family, and dance teachers for their continued support
RHAPSODY STIGGERS
A Minnesota native, Rhapsody Stiggers began her dance journey with the Minnesota Dance Theater at two years old, where she studied classical ballet and modern. As a young teen, she segued into a wider variety of styles at TU Dance Center such as Horton, contemporary, improvisation and West African dance under the direction of Toni Pierce Sands. After graduating, Rhapsody continued her training in a myriad of styles at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, studying under influential professors such as Kurt Douglas, Gianni DiMarco, Ruka White, and Marissa Parmenter. While at BoCo, she was able to perform in numerous mainstage performances, including classical ballets such as La Vivandiere and La Bayadere, as well as company repertory from Doug Varone, and Urban Bush Women. In addition, she has had the opportunity to participate in various summer intensive programs throughout the years including: Orsolina28, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Rhapsody spent her final semester at BoCo working with choreographer Anderson Carvalho in Cape Town, South Africa and continued performing his work both in The Netherlands and Rwanda this past summer. She is beyond excited for her return to Boston to participate in the Urban Nutcracker
ALEXIS TABORDA
Alexis Taborda is a 19-year-old artist and Boston Arts Academy graduate with a deep love for ballet, modern, and contemporary. They continued their training at the Boston Conservatory, further refining their technique and artistic voice. Alexis is committed to growing as a performer and exploring new creative opportunities.
TINAIYA TANK
Tinaiya is a California native and a graduate of CSU Dominguez Hills with a B.A. in Theater Arts. Tinaiya was a member of The San Diego Charger Girls for two years before her passion for pro-team dance led her on a cross-country adventure dancing for the Boston Celtics from 2015-2019. In 2016, Tinaiya performed in Fiddlehead Theater's Showboat at the Boch Center Shubert Theater and is honored to return for her debut in Tony Williams' Urban Nutcracker as the Rat Queen.
COURTNEY TERN
Courtney Tern is thrilled for her first year with The Urban Nutcracker! She began her training with Classical Ballet Theatre in Northern Virginia. She has trained at summer intensives with the American Ballet Theatre in New York City, Bolshoi Ballet, and Kaatsbaan. Her past soloist roles have included the Fall Fairy (Cinderella), Canary Fairy (Sleeping Beauty), and the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker). She can be found at open ballet classes across the Greater Boston area and has danced in the adult summer intensives at The Brookline Ballet and Northeast Arts. In addition to ballet, Courtney is experienced in modern, contemporary, jazz, and amateur breakdancing.
Outside of the studio, Courtney received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in Human Biology and Mathematical Statistics. She is a biostatistician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a writer and fact-checker for the YouTube channel SciShow, and a master’s student in infectious disease. She’s delighted to be fulfilling her childhood dreams of being a scientist who also dances and makes YouTube videos on the side.
Thank you to Mom and Dad for always supporting my dancing, to Ashley for being the best sister and baby ballet dance partner, and to Bruce for the love and unflinching willingness to drive me to rehearsals!
EVA THOMAS
Eva recently moved to the Boston area as a graduate student and researcher at Tufts University and is excited to join the Boston-area dance community! Eva is a graduate of Barnard College. While in New York she performed at New York Live Arts Festival, KnJ Theater, and the Movement Lab. She has choreographed and danced in work as part of Columbia University’s Co/Lab project. She also has appeared in and directed several dance films and was part of BAIRA New York Cohort and other collaborative choreography projects. Eva grew up attending the Washington School of Ballet. More recently, she has attended training at International Dance Festival Budapest, MOSA Ballet Liège intensive, and has worked at Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive.
BRIAN WASHBURN
Born in Providence, RI, Brian performed in his first large scale production at 15, He began teaching hip-hop following his graduation from Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte North Carolina. Since then he has expanded out to other styles and skills such as contemporary, jazz, acrobatics, ballet and made a career performing and teaching, both around and outside of the Boston area, Now living in Charlotte, he teaches Taekwondo and travels to perform dance along the East coast.
RUTH WHITNEY
Ruth Whitney is a Boston based movement artist who received her early training and performance experience with the Boston Ballet, studying under Tatiana Nikolaevna Legat and Laura Young. She has performed regionally and internationally with companies including Boston Ballet, Teatrul De Balet Sibiu, and as a principal dancer with Festival Ballet Providence. Her classical repertoire includes Odette/Odile, Aurora, Juliet, Sugarplum Fairy, Marguerite, Firebird and Titania as well as Balanchine’s neo-classical Agon and Apollo, and Jose’ Limon’s Moor’s Pavane. Ms. Whitney has been fortunate to work with many wonderful choreographers and mentors including Andrew Kelley, Gianni Di Marco, Viktor Plotnikov, Pavel Rotaru, Marcus Schulkind, Donna Silva and Anne Tolbert.
Ms. Whitney holds a BA in English and Dance from UMass Boston, and practiced yoga and Qi gong for many years with Jesse Winder and gyrotonics with Lisa Pari and Carol Somers, among others, and incorporates these philosophies in her approach to movement. She currently teaches at Wilmington Dance Academy, and hopes to bring more ballet and performance to her Dorchester community in the future.
Ruth and husband Bill Whitney have two young children who plan extravagant parties and wage epic battles, when they aren’t helping her make costumes for upcoming productions.
Ms Whitney is excited to joining the cast of Urban Nutcracker for another season of this magical production, with profound thanks to Tony Williams and the many many mentors, friends and family members whose generosity, patience and faith have made her dance career possible.
PETER GWIAZDA
Peter Gwiazda is delighted to join City Ballet of Boston in their production of Anthony Williams’ “Urban Nutcracker” this holiday season! Hailing from Long Island, NY, Peter is currently 19 years old and a recently joined member of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Peter has received year-round training from schools such as The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory in Torrington, CT, and Ballet Academy East in New York, NY! Additionally, Peter has trained at summer programs with schools such as the Bolshoi Ballet Academy from Moscow, RUS and Ellison Ballet in New York, NY, as well as companies such as Steps on Broadway, Carolina Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ULA CAFE
Your home in Jamaica Plain’s Brewery building
To all the parents, caregivers, dancers, and dreamers — thank you. We see you every week rushing in before class, grabbing a treat after rehearsals, or taking a quiet moment with a cup of coffee. You’re the heartbeat of this community, and we’re grateful to be part of your routine. Ula is proud to be a Black-owned, woman-owned, and veteran-owned café + bakery right here in the Brewery Building — just steps from Tony Williams Dance Center — and a gathering place for our JP neighbors for 18 years and counting. This winter, think of us for catering, community gatherings, and cozy meetups. Or join our Unlimited Coffee Club — just $29/month for all the caffeine you need to power those busy dance schedules. Happy holidays from our family to yours.
NOW CATERING!
We’reready toserve your corporateevent, group gathering+ morewith delicious breakfast + lunch platters and coffee breaks for groups up to 200! 8AM-2PM
City Ballet of Boston would like to thank the following supporters for their generous donations
Donors & Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor
$250,000+
Adage Capital Management, Inc
Prima Ballerina Assoluta
$3000 to $29,999
Gross Family
Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation
Rachel Isadora & Roger Brunswick
Anonymous
Will Hapgood &, Julie Schecter
Joel Dickson
Emilie Steele
Principal
$1500-$2999
Susanne Liebich
Glen & Andrea Urban
Soloist
$500-1499
Susan Friedman
Alexandra Marshall
Paula McNichols
Vita Paladino
Sarah Terrey
Demi-Soloist
$200-499
Dr. Myron (The Manual Mystic)
Allukian Jr.
Jason Allukian
Gordon Andrews
Anonymous
Dolores Bailey
Maria Bradbury
Demi-Soloist cont.
Ali Horwitz
Lorraine + Christopher Mehl
David Orr
Michael P
Sonya Page
Rita Sparrow
Richard Williams
Corps-de-Ballet
$100-199
Anonymous (2)
Jane Allard
Walter Bentson
Maria Pilar Botana Martinez
Linda Brassel
Tracy Clark
Rebecca Cross
Thomas Dimmock
Kimber Lynn Drake
Iris Fanger
Dianna Hahn
Susan Kelly
Emerson Kington
Bette Kisner
Ava Majumder
Raj Majumder
Janet Malone
Thomas McKean
Kimberly Rand
Laura O’Rourke
Pamela Pierce
City Ballet of Boston would like to thank the following supporters for their generous donations
Corps-de-Ballet cont.
Laura Russo
Elaine Shannon
Janice Testagrossa
Anna Waldron
Liz Walzak
Jean Whitney
Frank Williams
Gwendolyn Williams
Kenneth Williams
Maria Williams
Sheila Wilson
Apprentice
Up to $99
Anonymous
Debra Cash
Mahesh Gudapakkam
Paulina Muratore
Emma Odom
Karoline Peralta
Special Thanks:
Ropes & Gray, LLP
Emilia Cannella
Gary Dunning
Ilanga
Tom Davison
Vincent McPhillip
Suzy Good
John Connolly
Boston Dance Alliance
Lynn Parkerson, founder and director of Brooklyn Ballet
Denise Cecere, director of Northeast Youth Ballet
Costume use and props courtesy of Northeast Youth Ballet
City Ballet of Boston (CBB) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that presents exciting dance performances and innovative dance education to Boston’s diverse urban community. Led by Boston dance pioneer Tony Williams, CBB was founded on the idea that diversity through dance heightens creativity both in the studio and on the stage.
Help us to continue to provide the city of Boston with innovative performances and exceptional dance education for all. Your generous donation helps create space for young people to connect through dance, promote the arts in underserved communities, and develop young performers into the leaders and artists they’re destined to be.
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Adage Capital Management is proud to sponsor The Urban Nutcracker and their Community Ticket Outreach Program on this 24th year of this wonderful Boston tradition.
Congratulations to Tony Williams and City Ballet of Boston for making this happen, year-after-year!
