Ruth Page Civic Ballet Presents THE NUTCRACKER This Holiday Season

The Ruth Page Civic Ballet is proud to present its annual production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Ruth Page and co-directed by Victor Alexander and Dolores Lipinski Long.

This production is performed at Northeastern Illinois University, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago, Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4 at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets for the performance are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors and children under the age of 12 years and $10 for NEIU students, faculty and staff, one ticket per I.D. card. Also available is "Tea with Clara," a delightful tea party which patrons can enjoy with their favorite The Nutcracker characters from 3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Tickets for "Tea with Clara" include admission to the tea party and either 1 or 5 p.m. performance, and are $85 for adults and $50 for children under the age of 12 years. Performance tickets and "Tea with Clara" tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at www.ruthpage.org.

Central to the Ruth Page Civic Ballet's performance schedule is its annual presentation of The Nutcracker, the popular recreation of the beloved holiday classic. Originally presented in the Arie Crown Theater from 1965 to 1997, the Ruth Page Civic Ballet's performance recreates Ruth Page's original full-length staging. Exquisite dancing, stunning costumes and magical settings in the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of the Sweets, these performances promise world-class entertainment and holiday joy for children of all ages.

"And, once again, we are so pleased to have four incredibly talented guest artists from Cuba's National School of Ballet (Escuela Nacional de Ballet - ENB). Last year, as part of our historic cultural exchange program with ENB, which was supported by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, we presented three artists from Cuba as part of our 50th Anniversary presentation," said Executive and Artistic Director Venetia Stifler. "This year, in addition to the ENB artists our own Catherine Conley, who has been in Cuba training at their school, will return to take on the role of the "Snow Queen." Catherine is the first American to be invited to train at ENB since the normalization of relations between our two countries."

About Victor Alexander

Born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, and trained at the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) in Havana. Alexander has had an extensive performing and choreographic career in the United States. He is the director of the Ruth Page School of Dance and was also included in Dance Magazine's prestigious "25 to Watch in 2013" list. Alexander is known for his riveting stage presence as he mixes formidable technique he gained in the rigorous training ground of Cuban dance schools with facility at theatrical interpretation.

About Dolores Lipinski Long

Because of her lifetime connection to Ruth Page, Dolores Lipinski Long has been associated with the world's greatest dancers, choreographers, producers and designers. In addition to her role with the Ruth Page School of Dance as its associate director, she is also the co-director of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet. With her celebrated husband of 47 years, Larry Long, (1936-2009), Long co-founded the Ruth Page School of Dance.

About Catherine Conley

Conley is a Michigan resident who has danced and trained for more than a decade with the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago and the Ruth Page Civic Ballet. She has performed in joint productions with The Cuban National Ballet School and Ruth Page Center in Havana and Chicago as part of an historic, ongoing exchange program between the schools which was initiated by the Ruth Page Center in 2015 and supported by a grant from The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation through it's International Connections Fund. Conley has also trained in the summer intensive programs of The Royal Ballet in London, Boston Ballet and American Ballet Theater.

An important component of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts and its School of Dance is the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, the official youth training performance company and one of its Artists In-Residence. This small classical company of talented young dancers is now in its 17th season and was founded in 1998 by Larry and Dolores Long, the original directors of the Ruth Page School of Dance.

Serving as a bridge between ballet training and professional performance, the Ruth Page Civic Ballet provides performance opportunities for the most advanced ballet students from the School as a means of continuing their training. Members of the company will train in this program before moving on to national and international professional dance companies. The Civic's dancers are joined in performances by notable guest artists and choreographers, expanding their sphere of professional work.

The Ruth Page School of Dance, one of the leading Ballet training centers in the country, provides the highest level of training to talented young dancers, professionals and those who study dance for personal enrichment. Larry Long (1936-2009), the School's much-loved Director, was recognized as one of the preeminent ballet teachers in America. Mikhail Baryshnikov in an article in The New York Times named Mr. Long as one of six ballet teachers in America who have distinguished themselves as the best in developing students into professional dancers. With the passing of Mr. Long in 2009, the Ruth Page School of Dance continues his legacy of excellence through its renowned faculty and regular guest artist and teacher offerings.

About the Ruth Page Center for the Arts

An incubator of artistic energy and excellence and the center of Chicago's dance history, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of international dance icon Ruth Page to make dance accessible to everyone, ensuring that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence. Located at 1016 N. Dearborn Street, the Center serves the Chicago dance community by being an incubator, providing a home, office space, rehearsal space, performance opportunities, professional dance training and marketing support for the up-and-coming companies and artists of Chicago's vibrant dance scene. Founded by Chicago icon and internationally-renown performer and choreographer, Ruth Page, the Center reflects her vision of supporting dance excellence in Chicago. Emanating from the Illinois heartland, the visionary work of Ruth Page influenced the growth of theater design, opera-ballet and dance. She achieved worldwide recognition as a true pioneer of dance in America by creating at the forefront of social, political and artistic issues. As a prominent force in the Chicago arts community, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts continues that legacy through its initiatives and programs that nurture the art form of dance, and by being an arts incubator for emerging and established artists and organizations.

The Ruth Page Civic Ballet is proud to present its annual production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Ruth Page and co-directed by Victor Alexander and Dolores Lipinski Long. This production is performed at Northeastern Illinois University, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago, Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4 at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets for the performance are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors and children under the age of 12 years and $10 for NEIU students, faculty and staff, one ticket per I.D. card. Also available is "Tea with Clara," a delightful tea party which patrons can enjoy with their favorite The Nutcracker characters from 3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Tickets for "Tea with Clara" include admission to the tea party and either 1 or 5 p.m. performance, and are $85 for adults and $50 for children under the age of 12 years. Performance tickets and "Tea with Clara" tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at www.ruthpage.org.

For more information about The Ruth Page Center for the Performing Arts and its programs visit www.RuthPage.org.

Photo by Kristie Kahns