Pace University Presents Gelsey Kirkland Ballet in THE NUTCRACKER, 12/12-15

Pace University is will host the debut of Gelsey Kirkland Ballet. This 20-member company, under the artistic direction of Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov, is comprised of fourteen dancers and six apprentices, and is based in Lower Manhattan.

Between December 12 and 15, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet will take to the stage in its world-premiere at Pace University's SchimMel Center for Michael Chernov's production of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker, composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The richly symbolic story about a young girl's (Marie in this production, Clara in others) journey through fear and darkness to the light of love, The Nutcracker is one of the most popular stories in the canon of classical ballet. With the unlikely gift of an ugly doll, Marie begins a magical journey up the Christmas tree and into the land of snow and beyond.

In the version presented by Gelsey Kirkland Ballet and Michael Chernov, Marie is an active participant in this dream, dancing the famous pas de deux with her Prince rather than observing her escort dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Featuring original choreography by Co-Artistic Director Michael Chernov and assisted by Ms. Kirkland and Alexandra Lawler, this debut will showcase the talents of the company which consists of dancers from all over the world including Brazil, Israel, and Korea. The Nutcracker will also feature a 70-member ensemble comprised of graduates and trainees of the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet.

The narrative is set against a Romantic backdrop of original sets including one re-made from a baroque theater that was part of a trove Gelsey Kirkland Ballet purchased at auction from New York City Opera last year. This purchase brought more than 1,000 costumes and five full sets to a GKA owned warehouse in East Orange, New Jersey.

One of the most celebrated prima ballerinas this country has produced, Gelsey Kirkland writes, "Each time I come back to The Nutcracker, I find more layers of meaning in the symbolic rite of passage of the child who journeys through some of life's dangers and finds her special Prince."

At the age of twenty-five, Kirkland danced the lead role with Mikhail Baryshnikov in the American Ballet Theater production of The Nutcracker, which was filmed and became an annual holiday broadcast on PBS.

"I remember what a challenge it was for me to match my remarkable Russian partner in that production. It was my own rite of passage for me to understand how much work was involved in creating that kind of performance. And now I am blessed to be able to help the young dancers in our production of The Nutcracker, as they struggle to create that kind of beauty - which only comes from searching for the truth of each moment of the ballet, searching for the meaning and magic of the story. In a way, it is my gift to pass on to them what I learned, and their gift to share with our audience."

Gelsey Kirkland's commitment to reviving the art of dramatic storytelling through ballet, combined with the enduring values of the original artistic piece, make Gelsey Kirkland Ballet's The Nutcracker a must see for all lovers of ballet this season.

Tickets for Gelsey Kirkland Ballet at The SchimMel Center for the Arts at Pace University range from $30 to $55.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://schimmel.pace.edu/ or call toll-free (866) 811-4111.

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