Ballet school leaps for holiday tradition

EAST COUNTY — You could say Anna Gonzales has been dreaming about sugar plum fairies.

But, in Anna’s dreams, they aren’t the only ones dancing.

The 11-year-old East County resident and her fellow ballerinas at the School of Russian Ballet have been working hard as they prepare for this year’s performance of “The Nutcracker.”

“I like everything about it,” Anna says of the show, as she stretches inside the ballet’s studio off Cooper Creek Boulevard.

This year’s performances will be held Dec. 9, at a new venue, the Sarasota Opera House, instead of its previous location at Braden River High.

Show times are at 2 and 7 p.m.

Celaina Ramos, also 11, agreed she’s excited, but also a little nervous.

“It’s really good to be part of a tradition and really fun,” she says. “There’s going to be a lot of people watching, so it’s a little scary, but I’ll be OK.”

Sergiy Mykhaylov, who owns the school with his wife and fellow dancer, Darya Fedotova, said his father-in-law, Vadim Fedetova , who is famous in Ukraine for his ballets, choreographed the school’s show.

“The story is the same, but the choreography is different,” Mykhaylov says. “It’s a beautiful show. We toured (this show) in Japan, Europe and in Ukraine. It always was standing ovations. It’s a very dynamic performance.”

“We wanted people to see it more,” he says of the move to the Sarasota Opera House. “It’s all new costumes and all new sets. My wife (with the help of parents) is making the costumes. It’s such hard work. The kids’ parents help us. We thank them for that.”

About 70 dancers — ages 3 to 18 — will perform in the show. Three guest artists from the Orlando Ballet also will be performing: Andrea Maciel de Faria, of Brazil, as the Sugar Plum Fairy; Nieser Zambrana, of Cuba, as the Nutcracker Prince; and Oleksandr Vykhrest, of Ukriane, as the Rat King.

Contact Pam Eubanks a [email protected].

IF YOU GO
‘The Nutcracker’
WHEN: 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 9
WHERE: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
COST: $15 to $32
INFO: Schoolofrussianballet.com or 962-6664