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Locals will dance with Moscow Ballet

The Moscow Ballet will perform the classic Great Russian Nutcracker at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre as part of its 70 city international tour.

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Preparing to perform in the Great Russian Nutcracker with The Moscow Ballet are, from left, Anna James, Jackson Township’ Katelyn Reinert, Trucksville; and Elisabeth Harris, Dallas.

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Set against Valentin Fedorov’s spectacular hand-painted backdrops and life-sized dancing puppets, the Great Russian Nutcracker delights audiences with a visual tapestry rich in detail and whimsy. It is especially distinctive for its unique setting of Act II in the “Land of Peace and Harmony” and for the introduction of a new character, a Christmas Dove.

The production will feature local dancers in supporting roles. This past September, prima ballerina Nataliya Miroshnyk from the company visited the area and conducted auditions at the Harris Conservatory for the Arts. Eighty regional performers from six area schools were cast in a variety of parts, including party guests, snowflakes, mice, angels and many of the variations of the famed Tchaikovsky work.

Thirteen dancers from the Back Mountain communities were given roles in the Nutcracker. They include Brittany Brown, Dallas; Alyssa Dragon, Trucksville; Allyson Earl, Harding; Bridget Frame, Tunkhannock; Anna Giacometti, Dallas; Gabrielle Grzymski, Shavertown; Anna James, Jackson Township; Christina Kasper, Dallas; Janice Lisman, Shavertown; Ruby Mattson, Wyoming; Katelyn Reinert, Trucksville; Lauren Slavoski, Shavertown; Angelina White, Dallas.

The Moscow ballet hired Dallas resident Elisabeth Harris to serve as the regional coordinator and trainer for the production, marking the 10th year Harris has worked with the company.

For more information, call 826-1100.