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Mia Saunders School of Ballet presents The Nutcracker
The Mia Saunders School of Ballet (MSB) returns to the CVHS stage to celebrate the twenty-ninth-anniversary production of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker on December 9 and 10, 2023 at 3:00 pm in the Centreville High School Auditorium located at 6001 Union Mill Road in Clifton. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the scholarship fund of the Centreville High School Drama Boosters and the Plummer Home. Tickets for $12 are available pre-show online and at the door day of the show.
MSB Artistic Director, Hannah Gestwick is a proud alumna of the Mia Saunders School of Ballet and the current owner of MSB. She has a great sense of pride in her growing dance community. Says Gestwick, “The community of MSB is very important to me. Whether a dancer is in the studio for one or two years, or through high school graduation, each dancer is a part of the MSB story. The lessons that we learn in the classroom - of creativity, discipline, friendship, individuality, and charity are applicable long after our students leave the doors.”
Since 1987, MSB has been a home for young artists to give back and share the gift of dance with the community. The all-student, MSB Alumni, and volunteer production of The Nutcracker has become a beloved community event that plays to capacity crowds each year. This year MSB has three graduating seniors in its Advanced Ballet and Lyrical class. These graduating dancers each reflected on their experience with MSB, their dance journey, and their final Nutcracker performance with MSB.
Senior, Maddie Laszewski dancing the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in the Sunday show, reflects on her experience at the school by saying, “MSB has helped me with my journey by making me fall in love with dance. I want to continue it in the future because of the great atmosphere at MSB. I love boogieing with my friends after a long day.”
Says Madeline Mezynski dancing the role of Dahlia in Sunday’s show, echoes the appreciation of her dance family at MSB. “Dance unites us. We all attend different schools, and we each imagine our future selves in very different places, yet we all meet three times a week to grow stronger together.”
Fellow senior, Gowri Menon, dancing the role of Sugar Plum fairy in the Saturday show talks about the memories she made at MSB. “From performing as an angel to dancing as the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Mia Saunders School of Ballet has given me countless opportunities to grow and explore my love for dance. The friendships and memories I have made during my time at MSB, are ones that I will cherish forever.”
MSB has a strong alumni network of dancers who have a long history of participating in the annual Nutcracker production. Says Gestwick, “When I reached out to recent MSB alumni, I was overwhelmed by the interest in being involved with MSB this Nutcracker season. It is encouraging to me to know that the tradition and community of MSB are meaningful to those who have graduated, moved cities, and followed new paths of adventure. There is real beauty in the fact that MSB's The Nutcracker continues to live on to inspire young dancers and benefit our communities. And that is something to celebrate!”
“Dancing at MSB is one of my fondest childhood memories. My first role was as a "Clown" in "The Nutcracker" which showed me how much fun dancing could be and my final performance was in "Swan Lake" in 2011. That last performance is definitely one of my favorites with the beautiful music and choreography. I enjoyed learning complicated combinations that challenged my body and mind as I improved my technique. I think the greatest skill that I developed while studying ballet at MSB is a strong work ethic. A skill that is useful in personal, creative, and professional pursuits.” says Marisa Righi, MSB Alum 2011.
Carrie Andrews, MSB 2013 Alumnus agrees and continues, “I danced with MSB from 2002-2013. My first role was a clown in "The Nutcracker" and my last was Pandora in "Pandora's Box". Since graduating, I have come back to teach and volunteer as much as possible. MSB was always a safe haven for me growing up. It taught me to be patient with myself and to strive to be a continuous learner. When everything else fails, dance has always been what I fall back on. I have so much gratitude for MSB and this art form for giving me something that I truly adore and have the fondest memories of.“
Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday, December 9 & 10, 3:00 pm performances at the CVHS auditorium are $10 for children 5 and under and $12 for ages 6 and up at the door the day of the show. Tickets are also available online for the Saturday and Sunday 3:00 pm show. More info at www.miasaundersballet.com.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2091235-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2091235-2
