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COMMUNITY
NUTCRACKER
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March Girl. “And my sister, Alexandria from Chandler, has her three-year-old daughter Hazel in her first show,” said Ake, sister of the Queen of Sweets’ mother, Kacey Droz. In winning and playing the role of Fritz, Greyson Droz, 7, is following in the footsteps of his brother Hudson, who played the role last year. “I’m excited to be Fritz,” said the Kyrene de Los Cerritos second-grader. “I think it’s fun, and I get to dance with Clara.” His sister, Jayden, said entering her 11th year with the Nutcracker didn’t lessen the joy at winning a coveted queen role. “It feels amazing. I’ve been watching all the older girls doing these roles, and finally I get the chance. Its breathtaking,” she said. Jason Droz, father of Jayden and Greyson, is the troupe’s PR and marketing director and was responsible for setting up the system that will allow tickets to be purchased online for the first year. Their mother, Kacey Droz, is busy backstage helping her daughter with multiple costume changes for two of the three shows, with Ake taking over the responsibilities for the other so Mom can watch. “Being backstage with my girl is some of my most treasured memories. She’s growing up before our eyes, so these moments seem fleeting. The quickest change we ever had was when she was Clara, changing from the red dress to the white gown in less than 30 seconds. She has yet to not make it on stage in time; we’re hopeful to keep that going,” she said. This year’s Butterfly Queen is Ally Nash, a Desert Vista High junior who has played three other Queen roles in her years with the company. Her sister, Madi Nash – a 2018 Desert Vista grad who is an ASU freshman and spirit squad and dance team member – had played four queen roles as well.
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 5, 2018
junior, as this year’s Sugar Plum Queen. Both have starred in multiple Nutcracker Ballets. Family involvement in the Ahwatukee Foothills Nutcracker Ballet nev(Kiberly Lewis/Special to AFN ) er ceases to Among the dancers rehearsing for the Ahwatukee Nutcracker last weekend were, please and from left, Sara Allen, Jayden Droz, Natalie Sterling and Leah Goldstone. amaze LewHer parents, Dave and Tammy Nash, is. have been Nutcracker parents and avid “There are so many wonderful family supporters for a decade. stories that go into our Nutcracker every “This is our 10th year with the Nutcrack- year. I wish everyone knew all the stories er Ballet, and we’re very proud of both girls behind our Nutcracker and the connecfor all the work they put into their danc- tions with family,” she said. “We’re not just ing. Through dance, they’ve developed a Nutcracker cast, we’re a Nutty Family.” both poise and confidence, and because Winning the coveted role of Clara this dance requires year-round training and year is Kyrene Altadena Middle School takes so much time, they’ve also learned life seventh-grader Kendall Birnbaum. skills like time management and prioritizaDancing with Studio 111 has been a tion,” said Tammy Nash, whose husband part of her life since age three, but it was and oldest son Jaxon, an ASU sophomore, appearing onstage in the Ahwatukee Footserve as ushers for the ballet. hills Nutcracker Ballet as a Baby Mouse Desert Vista junior Bella Gregg, who and China Baby at age four that solidified dances as this year’s Snow Queen, is also her desire to dance in the annual produca part of a long-running Nutcracker fam- tion. ily dynasty. Desert Vista 2018 alum OlThe daughter of Brett Birnbaum and ivia Gregg, her older sister, performed as Tricia Fuller, the 12-year-old recalled how the Arabian Queen last year among other she learned she’d won the role after audiroles during the years. tioning in mid-August. Also a freshman at ASU, she teaches “Kimberly drives around, placing red part-time at Dance Studio 111. signs in your yard that say “A NutcrackBoth Bella and Olivia Gregg have played er Cast Member Lives Here,’ so you go the roles of Clara, the Sugar Plum and outside and see what role you won. It was Butterfly Queen, and now Snow Queen. like 6:30 in the morning and my mom Other dancers performing as queens ran outside behind me and screamed, and this year include Ashleigh Griffin, a ju- my dad was videotaping, and I jumped nior at Arizona College Prep as the Ara- around when I saw the sign said ‘Clara.’ bian Queen, and Avery Katherine, a DV It’s taken a lot of hard work to get here,
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and I never knew I’d get to play Clara,” she smiled. She said even though the part can be difficult, she admires her character’s attributes. “I like that Clara is determined but also curious about the world around her,” said Birnbaum. The only nervousness she confessed to involved the ‘Pas de Trios’ with the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy (Avery Katherine) where the prince, Ryan Sadowsky, lifts Clara. “I really respect Avery and Ryan, and I want to dance as well as I can,” she said. “I want to dance at their level, which is very high.” Sadowsky, 15, who commutes from Tucson for the production, is a professional dancer and actor who lists national television shows and commercials among his other accomplishments in broadcast and theatre. This is the second Nutcracker the Catalina High School sophomore has been in. He also plays the Nutcracker role. All cast members range in age from 3 to 21 except for a few adults in supporting roles. The Ahwatukee Foothills Nutcracker Ballet with its rich costumes and stellar staging, including the post-performance onstage snowfall, has three performances Dec. 16 and 17 at the Desert Vista High School Fine Arts Theatre. The 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday feature a Santa visit, with theater-goers encouraged to come onstage to snap photos with him in his elaborate sleigh and meet and greet cast members. Autographs and photos with the cast can also be done, and posing with Clara on her throne in the Land of Sweets is perennially popular. The Dec. 17 show at 7 p.m. historically sells out quickly. To purchase tickets online, see AFNutcracker.com/tickets. Tickets are also available at Dance Studio 111, 4910 E. Chandler Blvd., suite 111.
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