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Community Corner

Nutcracker Ballet

2012 Performance Dates:
December 13, 7:00 pm
December 14, 7:00 pm
December 15, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
December 16, 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm

PROFESSIONAL GUEST ARTIST SERIES
Laguna Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER
McKinney Theatre
$24 general; $22 students/seniors/Angels
$20 children 12 & under and Saddleback College students with current ASB card

The holiday tradition just wouldn’t be complete without joining Clara and her Nutcracker prince to experience the enchanting Nutcracker Ballet presented by the Laguna Ballet in its fourth season at Saddleback College. Over 75 Orange County students come together each year, under the direction of Artistic Director Shery Gilbert, to present this full-length Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky’s most famous composition and the most popular ballet in the world.


Laguna Ballet is a non profit junior ballet company founded by Shery Gilbert, and is comprised of students ages 5 and up. For the past 27 years over 90 children from Orange County participate in Laguna Ballet’s full length Nutcracker. Participants in the production are given the opportunity to dance with professional guest artists from companies such as New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Moscow Classical Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. 

Laguna Ballet is thrilled to host our 2012 Nutcracker Cavalier Antonio Carmena, Soloist with NYCB!

Antonio Carmena was born and raised in Madrid, Spain. He began his dance training at the Royal Conservatory of Professional Dance in Madrid. Antonio won the Prix de Lausanne and received a scholarship to study at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. He was invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet in October 1998 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in October 1999. In March of 2006 he was promoted to soloist. Since joining New York City Ballet, Mr. Carmena has danced featured roles in Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, David Allen and Bourneville ballets. He has also had the pleasure of originating feature roles for many different choreographers.

Mr. Carmena is the recipient of numerous awards. In 1996, he was awarded the Gold Medal at the Third International Competition in Havana, Cuba. In 1997, he received top honors at the Prix de Lausanne, as well as at the "Prix des Telespectateurs," which was voted on by the television viewers of the Prix de Lausanne. He was awarded Grand Prix in the Seventh Eurovision Competition for Young Dancers, and in 1997, Mr. Carmena was named the "Most Outstanding Young Dancer" in the First International Dance Competition in Zaragoza, Spain.

Tickets are available:

Online: http://saddleback.edu/arts/
Saddleback College Box Office order page.

Charge your order by phone to VISA or MasterCard by calling (949) 582-4656 (noon-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday)

FAX your order to (949) 347-8653

In Person : Tickets are available at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, located in the central quad of the Fine Arts Complex at Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Pkwy., Mission Viejo. Hours are noon until 4 p.m. weekdays.

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