POAC kicks off holidays with 'Nutcracker'

One of the highlights of Eugene Ballet’s performance of Nutcracker is the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. But, what exactly is a sugar plum? Originally, it had nothing to do with the fruit, but was layers and layers of sugar coating around nuts or seeds, sort of like an old-fashioned jaw breaker and terribly, terribly sweet.

What else is sweet is watching 28 of our local dance students learning to perform with a professional dance troupe. Such is the case when the curtains rise on Wednesday, November 28 for Pend Oreille Arts Council’s annual presentation of Nutcracker. Doors open at 6 p.m., performance starts at 7 p.m. at the Panida Theater.

The following children have been under the direction of talented Becky Lucas from DanceWorks for the last ten weeks to learn the choreography of this timeless tale of about a young girl’s precious wooden nutcracker turning into a handsome prince and taking her on a fantastic adventure.

Please note that some children have more than one role and their names will be listed twice. Dancing the roles of mice are Amelie Hoehn, Brynlee Kane, Charlotte Lewis, Ellawyn Jolley, Evelyn Walker, Holly Yates, Honah Luna Jensen, Isabelle Tylor, Kyra Clark, Pearl Lassen-Smith, Pennelope Keller and Stella Brown. The Angels will be Abigail Eldore, Adyssen Jolley, Ellawyn Jolley, Evelyn Walker, Hayden Kane, Irelynn Jolley, Kyra Clark, Pennelope Keller and Stella Brown.

Party Girls will be danced by Camille McClelland, Christina McClelland, Jaden Peratos, Katherine Mellander, Maisie Rose and Rosalind Young. And last, but certainly not least, the Bon Bons will be portrayed by Abigail Eldore, Abigail Francis, Adyssen Jolley, Bella Smith, Hayden Kane, Irelynn Jolley, Jade Thompson and Kadence Cluck.

Tickets are $30 for adults and $12 for children and can be purchased at Eve’s Leaves, Eichardt’s or online at www.artinsandpoint.org or www.panida.org. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the box office the evening of the performance.

This performance is made possible by the generous support of Union Pacific Foundation, Equinox Foundation, Innovia Foundation, Bonner County Daily Bee, Waterfront Property Management, Community Assistance League, Idaho Community Foundation, MacNeill Family Dental, Arby’s, Judy and Chris Thompson and an enormous thank you goes to Adrian Cox and Sand-Ida for providing lodging for the Eugene Ballet troupe.

For more information about this and other POAC volunteer opportunities call 208-263-6139.