Tchaikovskyâ€s Masterpiece Performed by Nimbus Dancers & Students

By Sally Deering

With just a week away, Nimbus Dance Works in Jersey City spends most of its time rehearsing choreography, preparing Sugarplum costumes and dusting off Christmas scenery as it prepares for its 8^th annual production of JC Nutcracker. The show opens Tues, Dec. 12 at the Frank R. Conwell auditorium in Middle School No. 4 on Bright Street in Jersey City, and stars a cast of 125 – all Nimbus dancers and local Jersey City students.

The magic of Tchaikovskyâ€s The Nutcracker, the story of two kids at Christmas and their toys that come to life, can give even grumpy old Scrooge the holiday spirit. JC Nutcracker, the Nimbus version, tells the story of two kids who hit the streets of Jersey City to find their Christmas wonder. Itâ€s the classic story re-imagined Jersey-style.

With music by Tchaikovsky, the production is directed by Samuel Pott, Artistic Director of Nimbus Dance Works.

JC Nutcracker has become extremely popular, Pott says. The story, written by playwright Alysia Souder, follows two children, one poor and one rich, who are friends and meet up and have an adventure before the holiday tree-lighting. JC Nutcrackerâ€s cast of 125 includes professional dancers from the company and students from its dance school and Public Schools No. 3, 4, 16, and 41 in Jersey City. Not all 125 dancers are on stage at the same time, Pott says, the students rotate in and out of their roles.

“JC Nutcracker features those aspects of The Nutcracker that are magical for kids,” Pott says. “The toys that come to life, the sugarplum fairies, the rat king, and of course, the music score by Tchaikovsky – weâ€ve included those aspects, but weâ€ve also woven in other parts that make it specific to Jersey City and give it local flavor. Mayor Frank Hague makes an appearance. Instead of toy soldiers, theyâ€re like B-boy, B-girl break dancer soldiers. There are references to streets in Jersey City, and the Statue of Liberty makes an appearance.”

This is the 14^th year for Nimbus Dance Works and Pott says, there have been highs and lows. Space has been a major concern as well as funding.

“Coming up with funding is a constant challenge,” Pott says. “Things are changing for the arts in Jersey City. People are realizing the arts are an essential part of what we like about Jersey City, and what gives character to the community here. If it continues to get so expensive that nobody else can live here, then it dries up, and people are seeing thatâ€s what they donâ€t want. Weâ€re seeing more help from city government and companies here who want to support what weâ€re doing.”

Nimbus Dance Works just moved into a new space on Newark Ave and Barrow Street, the old Brick House Gym, Pott says. Itâ€s a big space with two dance studios, and performance and art exhibition spaces.

“Itâ€s been great for the company,” Pott says. “We have performances there. Smaller shows.”

JC Nutcrackerâ€s mix of professional and student dancers is part of the companyâ€s mission to give children a professional experience in dance. Pott says: “Itâ€s at the heart of what we do. Producing professional excellent performances, but also weaving them into the life of the community of Jersey City. Thatâ€s what makes it meaningful for me. Weâ€re reaching out and impacting people from all over Jersey City, and giving everybody the opportunity to connect with dance, come together and be part of something special.”

If you go

Tues, Dec, 12-Sun, Dec. 17

Nimbus Dance Works presents

JC NUTCRACKER

Performances at the Frank R. Conwell Auditorium

Middle School No. 4

www,nimbusdanceworks.org

The post SUGARPLUMS Jersey Style-JC Nutcracker, Hudson Holiday Classic Opens Dec. 12 first appeared on River View Observer.

During the holidays, take a walk down Wayne Street in Jersey City (right off Grove) and you might hear strains of Tchaikovskyâ€s “The Nutcracker” blasting from a boom box inside the Barrow Mansion, a community center where theater and dance companies hang their hats – and shoes. In one of the larger rehearsal rooms, professional dancers and students from local schools are spinning, leaping and paying close attention to Nimbus Dance Works†Artistic Director Samuel Pott as he choreographs their movements for the companyâ€s upcoming production of “Jersey City Nutcracker.”

Artistic Director and Choreographer Samuel Pott rehearses dancers in a scene from “Jersey City Nutcracker”

The curtain goes up Fri, Dec. 21st at the Frank R. Conwell Middle School on Bright Street in Jersey City and runs through Sun, Dec. 23rd — for tickets, go to www.nimbusdanceworks.org. After attending a recent rehearsal, it pleases me to report that this is going to be one fabulous show.

Nimbus Dance Works†version of Tchaikovskyâ€s classic features the composerâ€s beautiful score with a twist on its tale. In the original E.T.A Hoffman story, the boy and girl, Christopher and Maria, fall asleep and the toys that are placed under the tree spring to life. In the Nimbus version, Christopher and Maria embark on a journey through the urban landscape instead where dancers play Sugar Plum Fairies, an Arabian Princess, The Rat King and so much more as Tchaikovskyâ€s score helps bring the story to life.

Now in its third year, and one of Nimbus Dance Works signature pieces, “Jersey City Nutcracker” has become a family tradition among locals. This yearâ€s production features a cast of more than 100 that includes professional dancers who are members of Nimbus Dance Works and students from St. Dominicâ€s Academy, Henry Snyder High School, Jersey City Dance Academy, Next Step Broadway and Middle School No 4, where the show will be performed.

There are so many students in the show that Pott cast four female students and three male students to play Christopher and Maria on different nights. On the 22nd, Tamir Rios of Jersey City will be Christopher and Gina Pilamunga of West New York will play Maria.

Tamir Rios and Gina Pilamunga rehearse a lift in “Jersey City Nutcracker”

“Iâ€ve been dancing since I was 4, “Gina says during a break in rehearsals. “Iâ€m on my dance team at Memorial High School and my dance teacher suggested I audition.”

An 8th grader at Middle School No. 4, Christopher was discovered by Nimbus when he was seen dancing hip-hop – a bit of a stretch from ballet, but something Christopher is learning to enjoy.

“This is new for me,” Christopher says. “I like it.”

Both students say theyâ€re getting a lot out of the experience, especially learning that to be professional requires more than just dancing well.

“Professional also means facial expressions,” Gina says. “You need to put yourself into the character.”

Sounds intense, but thatâ€s just what Pott teaches the students during rehearsals. While going over the steps in a scene where Maria has to appear terrified of evil rats circling her, Pott emphasizes the difference between giving a cute child performance and making an impact.

“Kids performances look cute; professional performances move the audience,” Pott tells them.

Tchaikovskyâ€s Nutcracker with a Twist

“Jersey City Nutcrackerâ€s” collaborative team features Pott as choreographer/director; Alysia Souder as librettist/playwright; Irene Borngraeber, scenic designer; and Jennifer Bentley costume designer. This year, the show is being presented at a larger venue and with new sets and costumes.

“Itâ€s a nice event for families with kids,” Managing Director Ivet Bandirma says. “Goldman Sachs is our title sponsor. Itâ€s a lot of fun, a lot of work and a great experience for the students who get to work with professional dancers.”

Indeed, 120 students from local schools – and schools in Newark – make up the cast of “Jersey City Nutcracker” with kids as young as 5 playing Cookies and their older dance classmates, 6-9, playing Angels. Many of the kids are enrolled in The School of Nimbus Dance Works, which just opened in September 2012.

Nikki Albert of Green Township in Sussex County recently earned a BFA in Dance from the Mason-Gross School of the Arts at Rutgerâ€s University. She is an apprentice with Nimbus Dance Works and after auditioning, Albert landed the role of The Rat King where she dances and performs some complex steps all the while brandishing a sword. Albert is also the storyâ€s narrator.

Nikki Albert will dance The Rat King in Nimbus Dance Works†“Jersey City Nutcracker”

“I love ‘The Nutcracker†and the opportunity to work with the company and with the kids,” Albert says. “Itâ€s a lot of fun and Iâ€m learning a lot.”

Gotta Dance in Jersey City

During rehearsal, Pott watches the dancers execute his choreography. Focused, friendly, yet straightforward with the student dancers, Pott points out when the students are off the beat or when their movements need to be finessed. What made Pott decide to start a dance company? It wasnâ€t a planned decision, he says, just something that grew organically when Pott and other dancers expressed a collective desire to perform.

“At the start it was me and fellow dancers from the American Repertory Ballet and we wanted to do our own projects,” Pott says. “Mostly weâ€ve been operating out of Grace Church. Theyâ€ve always been extremely gracious and generous. We owe a lot to them.”

Nimbus Dance Works plans to present a spring season in Jersey City and at the Alvin Ailey Theater in New York City. Even though it has grown from a grassroots group of dancers to a 501 (c) 3 non-profit dance company, Pott says the mission continues to be about designing and creating projects to get people involved and impact the community.

Dancers in the company rehearse a scene from “Jersey City Nutcracker”

“Many dance companies are about the art of dance,” Pott says. “We try to bring the highest level of dance into the community. Everything we do is based on the question how can we make an impact, change peopleâ€s lives?”

If you go:

Fri, Dec. 21, 7 pm; Sat, Dec. 22, 1 and 5 pm; and,

Sun, Dec. 23, 1 and 5 pm

“Jersey City Nutcracker”

Frank R. Conwell Middle School NO. 4

107 Bright Street

Jersey City

(201) 377-0718

www.nimbusdanceworks.org

Tickets:

Orchestra Seats: $25

General Admission: $18

Seniors, and Students under 17: $10

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post COVER STORY:Sugar Plum Fairies, Jersey Style-Nimbus Dance Works’ “Jersey City Nutcracker” to Enchant Audiences Once Again first appeared on River View Observer.