Dance Arts Los Alamos To Present RATcracker On ‘The Hill’ Dec. 6-8, 2024
Dance Arts Los Alamos will present RATcracker on "The Hill": Part 2, The Search for Gwen Groves from Dec. 6-8, 2024 at the Duane Smith Auditorium! This original ballet is the second installment of DALA Artistic Director Jonathan Guise's Nutcracker on "The Hill" trilogy, which gives a beloved classic ballet a unique twist honoring the history of Los Alamos, New Mexico. In this ballet, the Rat Queen has taken over the Land of Sweets, and the heroes must find the magical Nutcracker doll in order to rescue the Spy and Gwen Groves before it is too late! This will be the second time RATcracker on "The Hill" has been performed, originally premiering here in Los Alamos in December, 2021. The ballet will feature performers as young as age three through adult, and will include guest appearances by Los Alamos community figures Dr. Ben Neal, David Izraelevitz, and Senator Leo Jaramillo. Choreography and staging for the 2024 production is by Jonathan Guise, Allison Beaux, Lucilene de Geus, Isabella Jimenez, Audrey Roman, Natalie Smith, and Rachel Zervakos. Shows: Friday, Dec. 6 at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m; Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets available online now, or at the door. General Admission: $25 / Seniors: $15 / Students: $10 / Children 3 and under are free For more information please visit www.danceartslosalamos.org or call us at (505)-672-9462 SPECIAL EVENT: On Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 join us for a special screening of DALA's original film, "The Dark Year" at Duane Smith Auditorium. This film was produced in spring 2021, and tells the story after Nutcracker On "The Hill": Part 1, before RATcracker on "The Hill": Part 2. Don't miss any details of the first ever Nutcracker trilogy in the history of classical ballet! Tickets for the movie screening will be available at the door. Dance Arts Los Alamos is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization that has been operating in Los Alamos County since 1995. DALA is dedicated to promoting dance in Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico by providing safe, professional instruction and high-quality performances. DALA offers classes for ages 18 months through Adult, with over 80 classes per week in Dance Exploration, Pre-Ballet, Classical Ballet & Pointe, Boys Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, Flamenco, Classical Spanish, Tap, Musical Theatre, and our NEW Adaptive Dance, a class for dancers with disabilities to practice motor skills, rhythm, and movement discovery in a safe, paced, and professional environment. DALA presents multiple productions per year, including the beloved Nutcracker on "The Hill" trilogy at WinterFest, a full-length ballet in the spring, the annual Mixed Repertory and Young Children's Showcases, plus additional performances throughout New Mexico. Selected advanced dancers compete annually at the Youth America Grand Prix international ballet competition, and in 2024, received a Top 12 Score for Large Ensemble. All DALA instructors come from an incredible background of professional dance and/or dance in higher education. DALA has locations in White Rock and Los Alamos, reaching over 300 students. After RATcracker on "The Hill," audiences are invited to DALA's Winter Mixed Repertoire Showcase on Dec. 21, 2024 at Duane Smith Auditorium, 7:00 p.m., featuring the diverse genres of dance DALA has to offer. In spring 2025, DALA will present the annual Young Children's Showcase featuring our youngest dancers, and a Spring Mixed Repertoire. In 2025, Los Alamos audiences will be treated to the world-premiere of La Lune de Bleu, an all-new, original ballet in three acts written by Jonathan Guise. Patrons of the arts can also look forward to the annual DALA Spring Gala! Visit www.danceartslosalamos.org or email for more information, and follow DALA on Instagram and Facebook!
