
2 minute read
School Bell
A Suite Tradition
For the past 18 years, students at the Settlement Music School have been performing a holiday classic for friends, family, and neighbors.
By Hilary Young
If you are looking for options on how to mark the holidays, especially for young ones, you can now add The Nutcracker to your list! An all-youth cast at the Mary Louise Curtis branch of the Settlement Music School has put on a free performance of classic holiday ballet for the past 18 years. The show always stars the youth performers enrolled in ballet classes at the building on 416 Queen Street, and they look forward to capturing the imagination of more young ones in this, their 19th year! The annual presentation is choreographed and directed by Kay Fernandez, lovingly known as “Miss Kaye,” a former professional ballerina who has taught ballet classes at Settlement Music School for nearly 27 years. She says the show never loses its appeal—even though it’s not new material for her or for some of the older children.“I never get tired of doing the show with new kids each year and watching the little ones progress through the years,” said Miss Kaye. “They go from puppets to snowflakes

Settlement Music School dance students rehearse for a Nutcracker performance at the School’s Mary Louise Curtis Branch. (photo courtesy of Settlement Music School).

Settlement Music School’s longtime faculty member Kaye Fernandez guides a young student through a Nutcracker rehearsal at the School’s Mary Louise Curtis Branch. (photo courtesy of Settlement Music School).
and are so excited about the new role.”
Ballet classes at Settlement are offered for children between the ages of 4 and 18, and Miss Kaye instructs all of them. There are never any auditions for the special holiday performance; Miss Kaye simply has an eye for who is ready to be on stage, which takes pressure off the children who might not want to perform in front of a crowd.
“Of course I look for technique in terms of who is ready, from posture to the ability to go up on pointe, but I also look for kids who are sociable, sweet, and friendly because we want the experience of The Nutcracker to be a good one for everyone involved,” Miss Kaye said.
Admission to Settlement Music School classes are rolling throughout the year, so if you have a dancer at home in need of an outlet for their talents you can sign them up for classes with Miss Kaye at any time, as long as classes aren’t at capacity.
This year, Settlement Music School’s free performance of The Nutcracker will be held on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18 at 3 p.m. You can learn more about the performance and classes Settlement Music School offers on their website, settlementmusic.org. ■

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