A Perfect Holiday Gift

Nutcracker Suite at the Henry Mello Center in Watsonville

Dec 16, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. – Dec 17, 1:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.

What could be a more perfect Holiday gift to yourself, your friends, and your family then to devote a crisp December day to seeing the exquisite local production of The Nutcracker Suite and to join the professional dancers and students in making a difference in the lives of others at the this special time of the year.

This year Agape Dance Academy is combining with Jacob’s Heart Cancer services for Children, and Hospice Santa Cruz County share the gift of this high caliber, superb production of the Nutcracker Suite at the Henry Mello Center for the performing Arts in Watsonville.

Graced with professional dancers from the San Francisco Ballet in the Roles of sugar plum fairy and her cavalier, our students have the opportunity to share the stage and watch from the wings as professional dancers execute with perfection the Sugar plum pas-de-deux. These dancers are some of the best in the world as they have danced with both San Francisco Ballet and American Ballet Theater, both companies among the elite companies in the world of which only the best dancers ever receive a professional contract with!

Guest artist Kimberly Marie Olivier and Artistic director Melanie Useldinger share the same heart for combining the beauty of classical ballet with outreach to our community. As an adjunct to the Music in May program Olivier offered to teach a master class at Agape Dance Academy. The students were thrilled and a match was made.

Students, parents, community members, are joining forces all over the world to bring beautiful Nutcracker Ballets to almost every region in the world. As early as August and September auditions begin to cast the beloved roles to students training five and six days a week with rigorous discipline to achieve the amazing goals that ballet has for them.

As artistic director Melanie Useldinger knows, achieving a high caliber classical ballet training means saying no to most everything a typical teen is doing In their formative years, however to have a rare skill combined with focus and determination at that level will serve these dancers as they go forward in most every future field of work, study or worthy endeavor.

The Vision of Agape Dance Academy has always been for the students to know that all their devoted hours will not only benefit themselves, but will bless the lives of others around them.

Hospice Santa Cruz had this to say of their expertise of our nutcracker in the past.

I wanted to thank you and your dance company for bringing so much light into the lives our Hospice employees and our families of grieving children that we serve. The ones that you blessed with your generosity are the women and men that aid our dying patients at bedside and the children from our community that have lost a mother, father or sibling.

I can’t tell you how excited they all were to attend your stunning performance. I spoke with a mother of two children that have lost their dad, and she told me that her son and daughter had never seen the Nutcracker and they were in awe of the costumes and talent of your dancers. The daughter was inspired to become a ballerina just watching the beauty that you offered this family. The mother’s face just lit up talking about it.

May you and your talented team of dancers and costume designers know that you all made a profound impact on the community that you serve.

Add this Nutcracker to your perfect Holiday Season and be part of making a difference in the lives of others in Santa Cruz County and beyond!

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Nutcracker Suite at the Henry Mello Performing Arts Center – Dec 16, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. – Dec 17, 1:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.

Tickets available at santacruznutcracker.com