RACE DANCE COMPANY'S
AUDIENCE ENTHUSIASTIC,
AND THE COMPANY ASKS 
FOR YOUR SUPPORT

By Nancy Condit

Race Dance Company's enthusiastic audience at the Hip Hop Nutcracker "raced" during intermission
in this photo taken from the stage at the December 6 performance at McGuinness High School.

  Those wishing to support the only professional contemporary dance, jazz and hip hop company in Oklahoma may follow the link to their web page: http://racedance.com/donate/.

THE PARK PIGEON OCCASIONAL:
VOL. 15 NO. 10: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
FROM MARY REYNOLDS

We have a few dates to lure you out in January.  I hope you'll come out and listen to some music, as the new year starts.

After the turn of the year, warm up the winter with us at our first Full Circle gig on Saturday, January 4th.  7:30 to 9:30, coffee, wine, beer and desserts.  No cover.

Saturday, January 11th we're back at Zannotti's, 113 W 7th in Downtown Stillwater.  8 to 11, no cover.

Then one of the best parties of the year:  Gypsy Cafe Night at First Unitarian Church!  Saturday, January 18th.  The Party starts at 7:00, with food and drink available.  This is a dance party!  Elyse Angelo will be with us, pouring out the beat.  There is a sliding scale for admission, starting at 10 bucks, and the money goes to fund microcredit lending in Central America.  Always a fun time for a good cause!

Then Saturday, January 25th, we'll be back at the Jazz Lab.

Betwixt and between all these dates, we're starting work in the studio for a new album!  We're really excited about getting our new songs, as well as some of our favorite covers, on CD.  

Thanks everyone who came to the Christmas show - even with the weather and postponement, we raised over $2000!

And thanks for your support and encouragement in 2013, and Louise & I wish you all the best in the New Year!!

mmmmmmmwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaa,

mary

From the newsletter

OKLAHOMA CITY BALLET
REQUESTS SUPPORT 

Click on the video link to see a page full of intriguing clips from
the OKC Ballet.

Dear Friend,  We want to thank you very much for your past and continued support of Oklahoma City Ballet. You are truly a part of our family, and we hope that you are as proud of us as we are grateful to you.  We are in the middle of our Annual Campaign, a critical time of year for this company. We have been working tirelessly on this initiative to grow and support Oklahoma City Ballet.  Below are some thoughts from our Annual Campaign Committee as to why you should support this wonderful organization. The simple truth is, if you look at all of the top tier cities in this country, they all have nationally recognized ballet companies.  This is the next step in the wonderful evolution of Oklahoma City. It needs to have a ballet company that matches the caliber of our state's capital. There are many reasons to support one of the fastest growing arts organizations in the state. Whether you enjoy our performances at the Civic Center, have a child that is enrolled at The Dance Center, or want to support our many community outreach programs, now is the perfect time to contribute.  Not just for the future of this company, but for the future of the culture of Oklahoma City. Thank you, I hope you and yours have a blessed holiday season. Sincerely, Shane Jewell Executive Director Oklahoma City Ballet    STAY CONNECTED WITH OKCBALLET:

Oklahoma City Ballet | 7421 North Classen Boulevard | Oklahoma City | OK | 73116 From the OKC Ballet

HARTEL DANCE GROUP
REQUESTS SUPPORT
FOR SEASON 

Thank you for being a Hartel Dance Group Friend. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. My Dear Friend, Dance is a very personal and intimate art form. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to share my vision of dance with audiences around the world. Twenty eight years ago I made the decision to become a choreographer and create works that capture beauty, power, style, and grace. Our success is due to a circle of powerful dancers, inspiring composers, and people like you who help my work continue to grow. During the next few months, I will be working on projects that I hope will make a major impact on our audiences  From rehearsals, to designing costumes, composing music and creating new movement, it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to make the end result magical. I hope you will join me on this journey.  We are currently working towards raising $20,000 for the upcoming summer season and workshop. Please consider making a donation towards this new and exciting summer season for HDG. Your help is important towards our success. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. We are a 501(c)3 non profit organization. Make a Contribution Now! Most Gratefully, Austin Hartel. Artistic Director. Ways to contribute: Make check payable to: Hartel Dance Group 102 W. Apache St Norman, OK 73069 Make a contribution online Online Contribution Ask your company to match your gift and send check to the address above. learn more about HDG  Follow on Twitter | Friend on Facebook | Forward to Friend  Copyright © 2013 Hartel Dance Group, All rights reserved. Hartel Dance Group Our mailing address is: Hartel Dance Group 1020 W. Apache St Norman, OK 73069 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

CHRISTMAS REMIXED
USES LIGHT SHOW
TOMORROW IN
STREAMING SERVICES

People’s Church, the fast-growing church with two locations in the Oklahoma City, is wrapping up a unique four-week Christmas season celebration on Sunday, Dec. 22.

“Christmas Remixed” featured four weeks of a variety of musical genres, performances and extras for church visitors. Including dance performances, rap, classical music and a laser light show.

The series wraps up on Sunday with a spectacular finale of Christmas music, worship, dance and a light show. The four Sunday experiences will also include baby dedications and baptisms.

People’s Church is one church in two locations at 800 East Britton Road in Oklahoma City (with Sunday experiences at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.) and 351 North Air Depot in Midwest City (with Sunday experiences at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.).

People's Church will open a third campus in the Spring of 2014 at Northwest Expressway and Rockwell.

People's Church also streams its experiences on Sunday at www.peopleschurch.tv/live

For more information, contact People’s Church at 775-9991 or go to www.peopleschurch.tv

From the press release

THE NUTCRACKER IS OPEN,
THE OSU/OKC FARMERS'
MARKET IS OPEN, AND 
MARY REYNOLDS' PERFORMANCES
AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH ARE
POSTPONED UNTIL THE SAME
TIMES TOMORROW.
CHECK FACEBOOK TO KEEP
UP WITH OPENINGS, ETC.
THE SHOWS GO ON.
 
 
 

THE NUTCRACKER'S
SPARKLING PERFORMANCES
CONTINUE THIS
WEEKEND



 Image provided

Oklahoma City Ballet's The Nutcracker, choreographed by Robert Mills, will be performed through this weekend with Tchaikovsky's score performed live at every performance by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. The weekend dates and times are Friday, December 20 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday December 21 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and close Sunday, December 21 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets start at $15.

 This is a lovely production of The Nutcracker that brings visions of sugar plums, dancing snowflakes and a host of other fanciful characters to the child in us all.

Children's activities will include "Letters to Santa" held in the South Lobby beginning one hour prior to all performances where children will be able to prepare a letter for Santa and mail to the North Pole. Santa Claus will be in the main lobby one hour prior to all matinée performances. Families will have the opportunity to take their own photos with him as a holiday keepsake. Following each 2:00 p.m. matinée performance, a Dancer Meet and Greet with refreshments courtesy of Braum's will occur in the main lobby where children can meet, get autographs, and take pictures with dancers from The Nutcracker including Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and her Cavalier.

Single tickets start at $15 which are now on sale and can be purchased in person at OKC Ballet offices, 7421 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, by phone at (405) 848-8637 or online at okcballet.com/nutcracker. Three performance Season Subscriptions are also available for the remainder of 2013-14 season "From the Page to the Stage."

MARY REYNOLDS

PERFORMANCES IN

DECEMBER

The Park Pigeon Occasional Vol. 15 No. 9: Christmas Time is Here!

If anyone would like to put up a poster, or just see the posters, I have posters for all of the Sisters of Swing Christmas Shows.  I don't want to plug up your inbox with a lot of files, so send me an email madameshartel@cox.com and I'll send you back a poster.  Let me know if you want the poster for Performing Arts Studio (December 15th) or Oklahoma City (December 21st.)

We have a lot of shows this month, and we hope you can pause in the Holiday Crush and spend some time with us! 

Friday, December 13th:  Zannotti's Wine Bar in Stillwater!  We play from 8 to 11.  

Sunday, December 15th:  The First of the Sisters of Swing Christmas Shows:  2:30 & 7:30 at Performing Arts Studio in Norman.  That's at 200 S. Jones Street, in the Santa Fe Train Depot.  The price is $10 for adults and $7 for students.  You can buy advance tickets at the Depot from Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.  The phone number there is 405-307-9320 if you want to call.  We are encouraging folks to also bring a can of food, or some other non perishable food item or soap, shampoo or toothpaste, which we'll donate to The Mission, in Norman.  Our Special Guest for the Norman shows will be the Twang-O-Master, Terry 'Buffalo' Ware.

Saturday, December 21st:  The Rest of the Sisters of Swing Christmas Shows: 2:00 & 7:00 at The Most Gracious and Accommodating Saint John's Episcopal Church, 5401 N. Brookline in Oklahoma City.  The price is $10 for adults and $2 for children, which will be donated to The Guild of Saint George, a food pantry and assistance ministry of the Episcopal Churches of Oklahoma City.  If you need any more info about the Oklahoma City shows, call me: 204-4884.  Our Special Guests for these two shows will be the Always Entertaining Back Row.

Please note carefully the dates and times - Norman shows on Sunday, December 15th at 2:30 & 7:30, OKC on Saturday, December 21st at 2 & 7.  In a perfect world, we'd just have one weekday and set of times for you to keep track of but - well, it is what it is.  That's Show Business!  We have so much fun at these shows, I hope you'll join us.

And we're not done yet!  There's a Miss Brown to You show in Perkins, Oklahoma on Friday, December 27th.  I haven't confirmed the details yet, but I'll get that up on the website soon.

Then on Saturday, December 28th, we're back at UCO with Armando & Roger!  If you have out of town visitors, bring 'em!  That would be fun.  We start at 8:00, $7 at the door.  

We don't have a New Year's gig, but we're going to go hear Armando's group, The Salsa Shakers, at Opening Night festivities at Devon Tower.  Maybe we'll see you on the dance floor!

In the meantime, Merry Christmas to All, and to all a Good Night!

love,

mary

Review:
THE NUTCRACKER 
SPARKLES

By Nancy Condit

The fiftieth anniversary of  Oklahoma City's professional ballet company performing The Nutcracker, OKC Ballet opened Friday night to a sparkling evening with some very good performances and rousing applause. The performances continue through December 21, with curtain times Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. The following weekend will include performances Friday, December 20 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday December 21 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and close Sunday, December 21 at 2:00 p.m.

Instantly notable about the performance were the extended lines, excellent partnering, and embracing performance space by the four leading dancers, Dajung Jung as Clara, Yui Sato as the Nutcracker Prince, Miki Kawamura as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Alvin Tovtogray as the Cavalier. The rest of the company carried on the expanded gestures.

Dajung Jung's fluid and effortless moves with her expressive acting made her really extraordinary throughout the ballet.

The company as a whole, the children, the staging, the lighting, the costumes and the music made for a very enjoyable evening.

The press release says that the ballet "stays true to the original libretto inspired by the E.T.A. Hoffman story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." While the libretto is clear, the performance history is not, performed first in 1892, while the now Christmas classic most Americans have become familiar with the  becoming popular ballet since the '60's.  Balancine's first performance of the entire ballet, with Maria Tallchief, who died recently, first performed Balanchine's role of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Wikipedia, "The Nutcracker").

OKC Ballet's artistic director and choreographer of The Nutcracker Robert Mills also has the choice of  to whether to use the change in society's perception of young adults, who are 12 to 15, roughly the age of Romeo and Juliet. Mills had changed to using company ballerinas to dance Clara instead of children last year, on the brink of adolescence, because he told me in an interview that he had a number of ballerinas the size of such a character. He also introduced a new male character as an apprentice to Drosselmeyer, who turned out to be the Nutcracker Prince and let Clara dance with her "crush." This year, Yui Sato danced the Nutcracker Prince and DaYoung performed as Clara, Mills choreographed Clara's probable first love, in the Land of Sweets, completely changing the ballet to one of young love in her fantasy on Christmas Eve, which was part of  her grandfather Drosselmyer's gift to her.
   
Mills also changed the choreography of "The Waltz of the Flowers," which split the ensemble's dance, usually performed in rows, with multiples of  four, etc, which he had also done last year changing the ballet to one of young love or fantasy in a Christmas Eve dream as they danced in the middle of the "Waltz of the Flowers," with the flowers gathered around them.. The change was a little rough opening night, Friday the 13th, with the company in "Waltz of the Flowers," but Jung and Sato performed quite well. He returned  the lovely "Snowflakes" at the end of the first act to uninterrupted ensemble work.

The French Marzipan dance is still the most delicate and exquisite one. It was beautifully performed by soloist Callye Crespo, with Daina Gingras and Giovanna Kaufman. Seth Bradley, in Spanish Chocolate, was notable for his ferociousness and alien quality of a gypsy, as well as his dancing. The brass from the Oklahoma City Philharmonic accented the dance particularly well.

The children were lovely, especially the tumbling Jesters Adair Maxwell, Harriet Oglesby, Anna Schuelein and Emily Sullivan as they flipped backwards over the stage.

I'm retracting a statement I made last year, that Tchaikovsky's score was pompous. As the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, led by music director and conductor Joel Levine, played for the ballet, I realized this year that the music was designed to be seen as well as heard. As the parents led the promenade and the grand ball, the music fit the choreography. I had heard the music too frequently without seeing the ballet. For me, I think this may be true of many other grand story ballets.

Children's activities include "Letters to Santa" in the South Lobby beginning one hour prior to all performances where children will be able to prepare a letter for Santa and mail to the North Pole. Santa Claus will be in the main lobby one hour prior to all matinée performances. Families will have the opportunity to take their own photos with him as a holiday keepsake. Following each 2:00 p.m. matinée performance, a Dancer Meet and Greet will occur in the main lobby where children can meet, get autographs, and take pictures with dancers from The Nutcracker including Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and her Cavalier.

Reposted: The Oklahoma City Ballet Brings The Nutcracker Back to the Civic Center

Posted December 10, 2013
Reposted for technical reasons

 THE OKLAHOMA CITY BALLET

BRINGS THE NUTCRACKER

BACK TO THE CIVIC CENTER

DaYoung Jung poses in costume for the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Alvin Tovstogray is in costume as the Cavalier for The Nutcracker. Courtesy of the OKC Ballet

 Oklahoma City Ballet returns to the Civic Center stage with Robert Mills' adaptation of the holiday classic The Nutcracker. Oklahoma City Ballet's version of the holiday classic stays true to the original libretto inspired by the E.T.A. Hoffman story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Tchaikovsky's enduring score is performed live at every performance by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. OKC Ballet performs this time-honored ballet December 13-15 and 20-22 at the Civic Center Music Hall in downtown Oklahoma City.

A favorite for the entire family, this classic fairytale tells the story of Clara who receives a beautiful wooden Nutcracker doll from the quirky Heir Drosselmeyer at a Christmas Eve party. That night Clara sneaks downstairs at midnight to play with her new Nutcracker doll where she is swept away to a fantasy land of toy soldiers, giant mice, and dancing snowflakes. After saving her beloved Nutcracker from the King of the Rats, she is whisked away to the enchanted Kingdom of Sweets where she is treated to performances by fanciful, dancing confections including the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The Nutcracker opens Friday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m., with additional performances: Saturday December 14 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. The following weekend will include performances Friday, December 20 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday December 21 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and close Sunday, December 21 at 2:00 p.m.

Children's activities will include "Letters to Santa" held in the South Lobby beginning one hour prior to all performances where children will be able to prepare a letter for Santa and mail to the North Pole. Santa Claus will be in the main lobby one hour prior to all matinée performances. Families will have the opportunity to take their own photos with him as a holiday keepsake. Following each 2:00 p.m. matinée performance, a Dancer Meet and Greet with refreshments courtesy of Braum's will occur in the main lobby where children can meet, get autographs, and take pictures with dancers from The Nutcracker including Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and her Cavalier. The holidays are not complete without this beautiful production for the whole family. The Nutcracker brings visions of sugar plums, dancing snowflakes and a host of other fanciful characters to the child in us all.

Single tickets start at $25 which are now on sale and can be purchased in person at OKC Ballet offices, 7421 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, by phone at (405) 848-8637 or online at okcballet.com/nutcracker. Three performance Season Subscriptions are also available for the remainder of 2013-14 season "From the Page to the Stage."

Tickets may also be purchased at T.H.E. Box Office at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker, OKC, (405) 297-2264.

About Oklahoma City Ballet:  Founded in 1972 by Ballet Russe dancers Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov, Oklahoma City Ballet has been the city's professional ballet company for over 40 years.  It is the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall and currently boasts 29 dancers from around the world.  Led by Artistic Director Robert Mills, the company produces 4 main stage productions per season in Oklahoma City and tours across Oklahoma and the surrounding states.  It is the only ballet company of its size to regularly debut world premiere story ballets with original commissioned scores and also commissions new works from the industry's leading choreographers. 

Review:
OCU'S "HOME FOR THE
HOLIDAYS" TRADITIONAL
YET NEW BROADWAY

By Nancy Condit

Oklahoma City University's dancers heated up the stage in their annual holiday show "Home for the Holidays: A Gift of Dance" at last Saturday's matinee. The audience started out half-full, I'm sure because of the icy weather, but was filled at the show's end. The rousing Broadway-style show, with the American Spirit Dancers and directed by Jo Rowan, included tap, demi-pointe ballet for lyrical and liturgical dance, jazz, and harmony with good choreography.

"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," choreographed by Brian Marcum to Irving Berlin's song, was a funny role reversal with a very tall jazz female dancer, in a very short red with white fur trimmed costume, spinning a much shorter tap dancing male in a tux. She spun him and supported him in a side lift as they proved that a woman could be as strong as a man, and a man could be as agile as a woman.

In something new for the American Spirit Dancers, Marcum choreographed and Brian Hamilton was the vocal coach in the singing and dancing a cappella "That's What Christmas Is All About (Doo Woop)" by M. Rutherford. The half a dozen guys in Lawrence Welk show style blazers and pants were mobbed and joined by six fans '50's costumes girls, as the guys leaned far into the mike, and far away, with cross your legs and turn moves as they sang. The Ann Lacy School of Dance also prepares the students for musical theater.

Two of the best dances were the military Rockettes style "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers," choreographed by Paige Porter, and restaged by Kari Shaw and Diana Brooks, music by L. Jessel, arranged by Gould, with women in blue uniforms with brilliantly spangled belts, and "March of the Toy Soldiers," choreographed by Diana Brooks, with music after Victor Herbert's "March of the Toys" from Babes in Toyland, with half a dozen men tap dancing in black similar costumes. The women danced in a soft shoe tap in a Busby Berkely
type of lines of dancers joining hands in the center and dancing as rotating wheel spokes. At the end they were in a close formation line as they fell sequentially into side splits. The men tapped both in unison and individually, leaping onto their hands or performing backwards spread eagled jumps.

Also notable was the new "String of Pearls," choreographed by Diana Brooks to M. Gray and E. Delange's music. The women dancers entered holding glowing balls, which turned into a graduated necklace of pearls.
"Snowfall," choreographed by Rowan and Veronica Wilcox, was a lovely dance with women in crystalline blue and white tulle as snow fell. The full suited characters Frosty the Snowman and Kitty Cat were very agile, especially Frosty who had to take Japanese geta shoe tiny steps without arms for balance.

Sound designer John Bedford, who with Rowan came up with the idea for the long-running annual show,
did some excellent remixing, including including combining classics with more contemporary pieces, and using recordings of singers like Pavoretti singing "Adeste Fideles," and "You've Got Talent" competitor Jackie Evancho during the last four lyrical pageant and nativity enactment dances of the evening, choreographed by basically the whole department. The sound quality was also very good this year. Perhaps a new sound system?

c. Nancy Condit  

OCU'S "HOME FOR THE
HOLIDAYS" DANCE
PERFORMANCES
ARE OPEN

Two and eight p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. 
 

PERPETUAL MOTION
REQUEST FOR SUPPORT

Links PM Homepage Contact  Support Become a patron today and support dance in Oklahoma! Student               $10 - $25 Professional      $25  - $49    Bronze                $50 - $99 One free ticket to any Perpetual Motion event Silver              $100 - $499 Two free tickets to any Perpetual Motion event. Listing in concert program and on website Gold               $500 - $999  Three free tickets to any Perpetual Motion event. Listing in concert programs and website Platinum     $1000 and up Four free tickets to any Perpetual Motion event.  Listing on posters, advertisements, programs and website *To become a supporting member of Perpetual Motion Dance, send a check with your name, address and phone number to: Perpetual Motion Modern Dance P.O. Box 1916 Oklahoma City, OK 73101 Donate   Support Perpetual Motion Dance!     Giving Tuesday is a national initiative that began in 2013 as a way to promote philanthropy during the holiday season.  Please consider giving an end of year, tax-deductible donation to Perpetual Motion Dance or another worthy organization!   . Donate Now! Perpetual Motion's 2013 original concert Water Won't Wait was our most successful concert to date.  We had record attendance and were awarded the Mid-America Arts Alliance Artistic Innovations grant for this inventive and collaborative concert. In addition, our 2012-2013 season was packed with touring performances and teaching residencies including: A ten-show tour of the Metropolitan Library System in October 2012.   Performance at the Girlie Show A workshop for 7th and 8th grade at Haworth Public Schools.   Performance at the Emerge Dance Festival in April  Hosted the 7th Annual Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival  Performed with Oklahoma City Ballet, Hartel Dance Group and Race Dance at the "Dance United" tornado benefit concert.   Toured "Water Won't Wait" to Little Rock, AR in June. Performed a full-length concert in Kansas City for "Live at the Crossroads" through the Mid-America Arts Alliance.    Performance in the OKC Philharmonic Discovery Concert "Phil Phone Home"

www.perpetualmotiondance.org This email was sent to nancond4@aol.com by director@perpetualmotiondance.org |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. perpetual motion Dance | P.O. Box 1916 | Oklahoma City | OK | 73120

OCU DANCERS TAKE THE STAGE
FOR CHRISTMAS

Photo courtesy of Oklahoma City University

Nearly 150 Oklahoma City University dancers will jump into Christmas with “Home for the Holidays” from Dec. 5 to 8 at OCU’s Kirkpatrick Auditorium. The American Spirit Dance Company, under the direction of Jo Rowan, will perform a sensational array of new dances intertwined with perennial audience favorites for the show, which is as lavish and fun-filled as anything on Broadway. The show is recommended for ages 6 and up. 

Show times are 8 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6, 2 and 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 2 p.m. Dec. 8. Tickets are $28.15 and can be purchased by calling (405) 208-5227 or visiting www.okcu.edu/tickets.

From the press release 

RACE DANCE COMPANY'S
HIP HOP NUTCRACKER
FLIPS INTO DECEMBER

Race Dance Company and Local High Schools to Perform

Hip Hop Nutcracker at Bishop McGuinness High School

Tickets available at racedance.com or before showtime on

 Friday, December 6th or Saturday, December 7^th at 7:30pm

Dancers with Race Dance Company have joined forces with local Oklahoma City Public High School dance programs, for the return of Oklahoma City's Hip Hop Nutcracker performance on December 6 and 7 at Bishop McGuinness High School. The performance is similar to the classic Nutcracker but with even more impressive twists & flips. The Hip Hop Nutcracker (HNN) has updated its original music by Bennix, a new story line, and even more styles of Hip Hop. This performance will be centered in an urban setting, with real world issues. 

 

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is an inspiring story about a young man who seeks to find a missing piece in his life, but discovers it already exists within himself.  The story is about perseverance, family and the holiday spirit. The audience once again joins Carlos on his journey to follow his heart and find himself.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker returns this Christmas season, in what continues to be a new family tradition for the Oklahoma City community.

Dancers of Race Dance mentor students from dance programs at Millwood High School, Capitol Hill High School, Northwest Classen High School, Putnam City West, U.S. Grant, and Putnam City North High School to prepare for this performance.

About Race Dance Company

Race Dance was created by Hui Cha Poos in 2008. Over the years, Race Dance Company has produced and participated in over 50 performances throughout the city. In 2010, the company was selected as one of the Gazette’s top 5 performance companies in Oklahoma.  In 2011, they received the Great Inspirations Award from Creative Oklahoma. Race is the abbreviation for Radical Application of Creative Energy and is Oklahoma’s first professional Jazz/Hip Hop/Contemporary Company.  In 2011, Race became an official 501(c) (3) Non-Profit Organization.  In the 2012-2013 season, Race performed for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Dance United Benefit Show, Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival, OKC or Oklahoma City Arts Festival, Arts Moves, World Neighbors Association, Dancers Against Cancer, Oklahoma Gazette Halloween Parade, Creativity Forum, Multicultural Festival, Better Block OKC, Choctaw Extreme Leadership Summit, as well as its original shows Circle, E-race, Amazing Race, Race-Ed, Hip Hop Nutcracker, Racey and Raceless.                                   

Director and Producer of HHN: Hui Cha Poos

Music for HHN:  Original compositions by Bennix of The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma

Race Dancers:  Allison High, Christine Soileau, Sheri Hayden, Ashley Brown, Melissa Sluice, Amanda Williams, Emma Clarke, Amanda Beard, Chanel Roland, Tasha Hinex, Sarah Henry, Katelyn Perkins, Audrey Johnston

Men of Race: Dominick Brown, Giangelo Peterson, Shandrick Griffin, James Mayfield, Stephen Wafer, Christopher Lester, Asarra Smith, Jeremiah Walton, Zachary Aman, Bryan Beaver, Bg Graves, Christopher Shepard

Jr. Race:  Abbigail Baird, Amity Bevard, Lacy Allstat, Charee Haron, Allie Peterson, Danielle Nickell, Jasmine Fuentes, Monica Blackwell, Cara Clear, Stormi Luney, Alex Jury, Stephanie Dudley, Shelby Bailey, Jesus Martinez, Ana Dominguez, Josie Hodges, Sophie Thiebaut, Madison Crider, Torre Randel, Raven Luehring, Chloe Stevenson, Nancy Rance, Abbigail Baird, Samantha Weaver, Genna Ille, Taylor Foster, Tristan Brewer, Nathaniel Tylor, Billy Fallon