Tri-Parish Ballet performs ‘The Nutcracker’ at Independence Park Theatre

In the beloved ballet The Nutcracker, main character Clara receives the titular gift on Christmas, unleashing a dreamscape of frights and enchantments that range from dueling mice and soldiers to dancing sweets. But in the Tri-Parish Ballet’s version, onstage this month, Clara is named “Maria,” and dancers deploy a bit of hip-hop along with classical movements.

Founder Wendy Guidry says the Tri-Parish Ballet has been producing a local version of The Nutcracker since the late ’90s with dancers primarily from East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension parishes. For many years, the holiday favorite was performed at the LSU Student Union Theater and, most recently, the Price LeBlanc PACE Center in Gonzales. This year marks Tri-Parish Ballet’s debut performance at BREC’s Independence Park Theatre.

“It’s a joy to see the kids get up there, and to see the light in their faces when they perform,” says Guidry, also the owner of Odyssey Academy of Dance in Denham Springs. “They learn something new and they’re so proud.”

Tri-Parish Ballet’s lively version of The Nutcracker features Tchaikovsky’s classic score and combines traditional ballet elements with unexpected twists, Guidry says.

“We add hip-hop into the party scene to spice things up a bit,” she says. “And we add some tumbling and some pop-and-lock and hip-hop into the Land of the Sweets. It has classical ballet, but it also has some variety in it.”

The hip-hop numbers are set to a remix of the traditional Tchaikovsky score, Guidry adds.

Guidry says she decided to call the main character Maria, a riff on the name “Marie” used in the original 1812 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” from which the familiar narrative derives.

The part of Maria will be shared by Hailey Pourciau, 17, a senior at Dutchtown High School, and Elizabeth Hinson, 19, a freshman at FranU. The show will also feature professional guest artists Brian Gomez from Ballet RI, who will play the part of the Cavalier, and Giovanna Montoya from Columbia Classical Ballet as the Sugar Plum Fairy.

As usual, the story is told in two acts. The first centers on a holiday party at the home of Maria and her family. Mercurial Uncle Drosselmeyer gives her a nutcracker, which transforms into a life-size nutcracker who battles an army of mice. Once they’re defeated, the Nutcracker whisks Maria off to the Land of the Sweets, where dancers representing both candy and different nationalities perform.

Ballet companies often take liberties with the Land of the Sweets, and Tri-Parish Ballet is no exception. Look out for new numbers including Hungarian, Gumdrops and Candy Canes, along with stalwarts like Mother Ginger and her bon bons.

“That’s my personal favorite,” Guidry says.

Tri-Parish Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker

BREC’s Independence Park Theatre

Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. 
Bring a canned good for admission to benefit CommUnity Hands Food Pantry Denham Springs and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.

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