SC Ballet Company Presents: The Nutcracker (2024)

The SC Ballet Company (BCo) is a student-led organization at the University of Southern California that is devoted to practicing, performing, and choreographing classical and contemporary ballet.

Since its inception in 2006, BCo provides performance opportunities and a support network for people who share a love of ballet. Attending ballet classes, learning classical variations, choreographing original pieces, and hosting a bi-annual showcase are some of the highlights of being part of this company. Formal auditions are held every Fall and Spring.

The Nutcracker is an 1892 two-act classical ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The plot is an adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” The ballet's first choreographer was Marius Petipa, with whom Tchaikovsky had worked three years earlier on The Sleeping Beauty, assisted by Lev Ivanov.

Tchaikovsky's score has become one of his most famous compositions.

Since the late 1960s, it has been danced by countless ballet companies, especially in North America. The New York City Ballet gave its first annual performance of George Balanchine's reworked staging of The Nutcracker in 1954. Since then, many other choreographers have created their own versions.

SC Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker includes excerpts from the ballet.

With inspiration from New York City Ballet we have created our own rendition of the holiday classic. Follow along as we transport you to a magical land filled with snowflakes and sugar plums.

Our story begins on a snowy night, as Clara and her family gather for a holiday party. Among the joy and excitement was Clara’s godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, a skilled toymaker and magician. He brought marvelous gifts for the children including life-like dolls and soldiers. For Clara, he saved the best gift of all, a wooden nutcracker. Clara was immediately captivated by the Nutcracker.

However, her mischievous brother, Fritz, jealous of the attention, broke it during the party. Luckily, the Nutcracker was able to be repaired with a ribbon and a bit of magic. The evening would not be complete without the traditional Grandfather's dance, cherished by everyone at the party. As the night wound down and the guests departed, Clara and her family went to bed.

As the clock struck midnight, strange things began to happen. Everything in the house started to grow, and her Nutcracker had come to life! Suddenly, the room was filled with an army of mice, led by the Mouse King. The Nutcracker rallied an army of toy soldiers, and a battle ensued. In the end, the Nutcracker and his loyal soldiers emerged victorious, defeating the Mouse King and his army. With the Mouse King defeated, a spell was broken and the Nutcracker transformed into a handsome Cavalier.

Clara and the Cavalier traveled together through an enchanting snowy forest, guided by dancing snowflakes, until they reached the Land of the Sweets. In the Land of the Sweets, Clara and the Cavalier were honored with a grand celebration. As everyone danced joyously, Clara and the Cavalier were gifted with treats from around the world. The flowers waltzed gracefully, followed by a warm welcome from the angels. The night culminated with the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier’s dance.

As Clara’s time in the Land of the Sweets came to an end, the Sugarplum Fairy’s court bid her farewell. Clara found herself back in her living room, holding her toy Nutcracker. She was filled with joy as the memory of her magical adventure would stay with her forever.

Guest Instructors and Advisors James Ady Molly Bogunovic Shannon Grayson

Photographers Quincy Bowie Jr. Blake Pak Avery Van Harte

Videographer Gabriel Botello Faz

Costumes New Ballet San Diego Civic Youth Ballet

Bovard Auditorium Mister Marley Dance Floors

Dear Friends, Family, and Esteemed Guests, Welcome to SC Ballet Company’s second annual production of The Nutcracker!

There’s something truly magical about the holiday season—a time of joy, warmth, and cherished traditions. Among these, The Nutcracker holds a special place, inviting audiences of all ages to escape into a world of wonder and delight. We are overjoyed and deeply grateful to share this timeless classic with you tonight.

None of this magic would be possible without the incredible community that brings it to life. Our company members have poured countless hours into rehearsals and classes, balancing this commitment alongside their academic and personal lives.

Our Executive Board has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to organize and support every aspect of the production. We are also deeply grateful to the Bovard crew, the home dance studios that generously lent us costumes, the professors who shared their expertise, and the photographers and videographers who captured our journey. It truly takes a village, and the SC Ballet Company is fortunate to have one so strong and dedicated.

To our dancers, your commitment and creativity have been the heart of this production. From perfecting choreography to supporting one another through long rehearsals, your dedication has brought this show to life in a way that words cannot fully capture. I am endlessly proud of your resilience, artistry, and ability to inspire each other both on and off the stage.

Since our re-debut in 2023, we have come so far. It has been a remarkable journey, from fostering a supportive and vibrant community to reaching new heights in both our overall caliber as a company and the quality of our productions. Watching this growth has been one of the greatest privileges of my time as Artistic Director, and tonight’s performance is a celebration of how far we’ve come together.

To our audience, thank you for being here and for your continued support. Whether you are a family member, a friend, or simply a lover of ballet, your presence means the world to us and reminds us why we do what we do. Your donations and generosity are an insurmountable help in allowing us to bring productions like this to life, and we are endlessly grateful for your belief in our mission. We hope tonight’s performance fills your hearts with the same magic and joy we’ve felt creating it.

With deepest gratitude, Aivy Levan Artistic Director SC Ballet Company

Opening Remarks Clara and the Nutcracker Performed by Thomazin Jury and Lucas Kwan

Dolls Performed by Eunjae Baek and Mae Hawkins

Grandfather’s Dance Music: “Indestructible” by Ray Barretto Performed by Break On 2: Latin Fusion

The March Music: “March” by Joe McCarthy’s New York Afro Alliance Big Band Performed by Trojan Tap Troupe

The Battle Scene Performed by Trojan Stunt Team

Snow Pas de Deux Performed by Ava Landen and Mark Willenbring

Waltz of the Snowflakes Performed by SC Ballet Company

~ 15 Minute Intermission ~ Spanish Hot Chocolate Performed by Kylie Conlon, Julien Ishigahara Charupakorn, and Aivy Levan

Arabian Coffee Performed by Maia Baluyut, Sydney Madolora, and Liliana Megharief

French Peppermint Swirls Performed by Lead: Mia Glasser Corps: Kelsey Louie, Lucia Perez Valles, and Leyna Weber

Chinese Tea Performed by Rachel Ta and Cathelina Zhan

Russian Tarts Performed by Joel Goodman, Julien Ishigahara Charupakorn, Lucas Kwan, and Mark Willenbring

German Ginger Snaps Performed by Sabrina Atkin, Jasmine Del Gallo, and Mia Glasser

Waltz of the Flowers Performed by Dew Drop Fairy: Kennedy Sheriff Flowers: SC Ballet Company

Angels Performed by SC Ballet Company Apprentices

Sugar Plum Variation Performed by Emma DeAngelo

Cavalier Variation Performed by Lucas Kwan

Sugar Plum Coda Performed by Lucas Kwan and Marguerite Larson

Finale Performed by SC Ballet Company

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Aivy Levan

Artistic Director

Eunjae Baek

External Relations Chair

Lucia Perez Valles

Liliana Megharief Finance Chair

Finance Chair

Kylie Conlon

Mark Willenbring

Emma DeAngelo

Assistant Director

Ava Landen

Public Relations Chair Event Operations Chair Apprenticeship Chair

COMPANY

Sabrina Atkin

Maia Baluyut

Julien Ishigahara Charupakorn

Jasmine Del Gallo

Mia Glasser

Joel Goodman

Abby Groom

Mae Hawkins

COMPANY

Thomazin Jury

Lucas Kwan

Emily Lai

Marguerite Larson

Kelsey Louie

Sydney Madolora

Kennedy Sheriff

Rachel Ta

Leyna Weber

Cathelina Zhan

APPRENTICES Rida Aijaz Shivani Ashyanth Charlotte Bull Maura Caldwell Courtney Cheung Madi Dela Gente Luana dos Santos Kamalani Hanuna-Siqueira Semi Kim Bruno Koskoff Sabrina Li Isabella Lobaina Asha Mody Emily Nelson Karissa Ng Molly Nugent

Paige Price Avery Rehl Joan Ruiz Ayriana Ruiz-Recendez Pranavi Senthil Lily Share Annie Street Ava Tello Veronica Vartanian Hiya Vora Veronika Wallach Jenelle Wong Zihan Xia Yueqi Xiong Jinyi Ye Ava Zinna

BREAK ON 2: LATIN FUSION Anastasiya Bilonozhko Kevin Diller Sufian Khmous Emily Lai Faith San Martin Caroline Mikes Omar Nava Jose Torres TROJAN TAP TROUPE Jared Charney Cohen Tori Feinstein Amelia Hoffman Addison Kuncar Derek Lee Lauren Pickard Hattie Ugoretz TROJAN STUNT TEAM Scott Altsuler Adelin Conanan Krissie Essilfie Casey Fleming Beck Han Theodore Herrin Sentin Lo Gina Phu Megan Poblete Alex Ramirez Hugo Turner

Special thanks to our donors who have helped fund SC Ballet Company this fall. Without their support, The Nutcracker would not be possible.

SC Ballet Company is made possible with your help!

Along with funding from USC, BCo relies solely on donations in order to put on productions. On average, it costs around $10,000 to put on a bi-annual performance such as The Nutcracker. We are beyond grateful for any and all donations that we receive. Please consider donating to SC Ballet Company to support our Spring 2025 showcase!

Donations can be made via our IgniteSC page.

Click here to donate or scan the QR code below.