November 12, 2024
Story by Joe Vinduska
One of the most iconic ballet productions in the world will be brought to life this fall as the Barton Dance program and various collaborators present “Nutcracker for the Golden Belt,” with multiple showtimes Nov. 21, 23, and 24 in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Barton campus.
To purchase tickets, visit shows.bartonccc.edu. General admission tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for ages 6-12, and children five and under get free admission. Barton students will be admitted free for student section seating with their ID.
The homegrown production was created in collaboration with members of the region’s dance community. The creative team includes artistic direction from Barton Dance Coordinator Danika Bielek Barton Theatre and Dance alumnus Maddy Casey, Mara Klenda of Ballet Salina, ballet instructor Paige Lofland, and Maddy Rideaux of Be.Studio in Great Bend, former owner of Just Dance Studio Kelley Scott, and Alyson Smith of Aly’s Dance Studio in Great Bend. The cast includes community children, young dancers, adults, and Barton’s dance students. The theatrical ballet features accompanied live music from Barton’s Prairie Winds Concert Band, led by Barton Director of Instrumental Activities Jamie Minneman. Professional dancer Rhiannon Vieyra will be a guest soloist as the Sugarplum Fairy.
Bielek said the project grew from a desire to create an uplifting event for all ages that Barton County can be proud of.
“The Nutcracker is a theatrical ballet based on a fairytale that inspires a sense of the wonder and magic of the holiday season,” she said. “Since its first performance in 1892, the production has been beloved for many generations worldwide. Our team of regional dance experts wants to bring this message of hope and unity. Dance students aged seven and older have launched into ballet training for months to prepare for their dances. Teenagers and adults from the community have rehearsed every weekend to get their theatrical just right. I think everyone has had a good experience putting the production together, and we are ready to share.”
Bielek said that the collaborative nature of this project, coupled with Great Bend’s rural location, resulted in the production being partially funded by an Arts Everywhere grant from the state of Kansas through the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. The remaining support comes from Barton Community College’s Fine and Performing Arts Department and local businesses and individuals excited about creating a new holiday tradition for families in our area. The initial funding served as seed money to launch the production that will be performed every other year.
For more information on the production, contact Bielek at (620) 792-9253 or bielekd@bartonccc.edu. For ticketing information, contact Brooke Murphy at murphyb@bartonccc.edu.