Kozlova's NUTCRACKER SUITE Comes to Symphony Space in December

Valentina Kozlova's Dance Conservatory of New York returns to Symphony Space with Kozlova's charming one-hour production of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," two performances Saturday December 18 at 3 PM & 6 PM. Featured dancers are Katherine St. Jean and Mary Eisener, both recipients of awards at international ballet competitions, and guest Albert Davidov. Other dancers will be drawn from Kozlova's ballet school, where her teaching method combines the Bolshoi School with Balanchine methods of training, and the cast includes several remarkable young dancers who have won medals in ballet competitions around the world.

The production is ALL-DANCE, and opens with an ensemble of delightful angels to start the festivities, taking audiences into the Snow Scene, and then the Kingdom of Sweets. All the Act II divertissements will be performed for Clara, including Waltz of the Flowers, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, the Russian, Chinese and Arabian dances, and more - all danced to the beloved music of Tchaikovsky.

Kozlova, a former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet and New York City Ballet, has staged these dances after the original by Marius Petipa and Valery Vainonen (formerly with the Kirov Ballet).

Valentina Kozlova was trained at the Bolshoi Ballet School, graduated into the Bolshoi Ballet Company and soon rose to the rank of Principal Dancer. She was the youngest dancer ever to dance the role of Juliet, and appeared in principal roles until 1979, when she defected while the Company was on tour in Los Angeles. The ballerina guested with companies around the world, starred on Broadway in "On Your Toes," and joined New York City Ballet as Principal Dancer, at the invitation of George Balanchine, remaining with that company until 1995. With Margo Sappington, Kozlova directed her own Ballet: The Daring Projects for several seasons, and also became coach and judge for ballet competitions around the world. Kozlova directs her own school located in magnificent studios in Norwalk, Ct. as well as the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition, presented twice in Boston and several times in New York. The next VKIBC is scheduled for June 20-24, 2022 at Symphony Space.

Reservations: 212.864.5400 or www.symphonyspace.org