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	<title>aaron smyth | Berks Ballet Theatre</title>
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		<title>Berks Weekly: Go behind the scenes of this year&#8217;s &#8220;Nutcracker&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://berksballettheatre.com/berks-weekly-nutcracker-2024/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=berks-weekly-nutcracker-2024</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Berks Ballet Theatre]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:09:52 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Berks Weekly&#8217;s, Jason Hugg stopped by Berk&#8217;s Ballet Theatre&#8217;s studio as they rehearsed for their upcoming performances of &#8220;The Nutcracker.&#8221; Berks Ballet Theater will bring the magic of the holiday season to life beginning December 21. Watch the video below to hear from Berks Ballet Theatre Artistic Director, Nathan Bland, company dancer, Collette Jordan, and Reading Pops Orchestra Conductor, Dr.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/berks-weekly-nutcracker-2024/">Berks Weekly: Go behind the scenes of this year’s “Nutcracker”</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Berks Weekly&#8217;s, Jason Hugg stopped by Berk&#8217;s Ballet Theatre&#8217;s studio as they rehearsed for their upcoming performances of &#8220;The Nutcracker.&#8221; Berks Ballet Theater will bring the magic of the holiday season to life beginning December 21. Watch the video below to hear from Berks Ballet Theatre Artistic Director, Nathan Bland, company dancer, Collette Jordan, and Reading Pops Orchestra Conductor, Dr. Willis M. Rapp. </span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q7toog0gFxk?si=Jpc7h1UyktqiUuWx" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://berksweekly.com/news/entertainment/new-artistic-vision-set-for-berks-ballet-theatres-the-nutcracker-happening-dec-21-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> </strong>to continue reading on BerksWeekly.com</span></p>
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<div class="media-options"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/tickets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get your tickets</strong></a> “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 21 at 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium.</span></div>
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</div><p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/berks-weekly-nutcracker-2024/">Berks Weekly: Go behind the scenes of this year’s “Nutcracker”</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
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		<title>Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theater to present ‘The Nutcracker’ [Spotlight]</title>
		<link>https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-nutcracker-spotlight-2024/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=reading-eagle-nutcracker-spotlight-2024</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Berks Ballet Theatre]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Dec 2024 03:50:43 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://berksballettheatre.com/?p=6240</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Berks Ballet Theater (BBT) will bring the magic of the holiday season to life with its annual production of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 21 at 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium. This year’s production incorporates fresh elements under the direction of the company’s new artistic director, Nathan Bland. Bland formerly served</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-nutcracker-spotlight-2024/">Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theater to present ‘The Nutcracker’ [Spotlight]</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Berks Ballet Theater (BBT) will bring the magic of the holiday season to life with its annual production of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 21 at 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This year’s production incorporates fresh elements under the direction of the company’s new artistic director, Nathan Bland. Bland formerly served as BBT’s ballet master for 12 years, recently taking the helm to breathe new life into the beloved holiday classic.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“This year, we’ve introduced an exciting new character, Hans, Drosselmyer’s Nephew, who adds depth to the overall story,” Bland said. “The relationship between Hans and Clara will unfold in a beautiful new pas de deux.”</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This character addition promises to bring a new dimension to the company’s 49th season, along with intricate choreography danced by Hans (Ethan Schweitzer-Gaslin, a New York City-based freelance dance artist) and Clara (Collette Jordan, an Exeter Junior High eighth-grader).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.readingeagle.com/2023/11/12/berks-ballet-theater-presents-the-nutcracker-at-kutztown-university-dec-16-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> </strong>to continue reading on ReadingEagle.com</span></p>
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</div><p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-nutcracker-spotlight-2024/">Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theater to present ‘The Nutcracker’ [Spotlight]</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
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		<title>“La Fille Mal Gardée” Past and Present: Q&#038;A with BBT Founder, Carol Ennis.</title>
		<link>https://berksballettheatre.com/la-fille-q-a/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=la-fille-q-a</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Berks Ballet Theatre]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 12:16:53 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>When the ballet La Fille Mal Gardée is mentioned outside of the ballet world, most people will tell you they&#8217;ve never heard of it. They know Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and even Giselle, but this particular ballet, one of the earliest created, is not as widely known. However, it is a feast for the eyes with its sets, costumes, and</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/la-fille-q-a/">“La Fille Mal Gardée” Past and Present: Q&A with BBT Founder, Carol Ennis.</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When the ballet <em>La Fille Mal Gardée</em> is mentioned outside of the ballet world, most people will tell you they&#8217;ve never heard of it. They know <em>Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty</em>, and even <em>Giselle</em>, but this particular ballet, one of the earliest created, is not as widely known. However, it is a feast for the eyes with its sets, costumes, and props, and it is a comedic ballet that gives the audience a non-formal experience at the ballet. The first known performance of &#8220;La Fille&#8221; was in Bordeaux, France at the Grand Theatre, Paris on July 1, 1789, and then it came to the United States in 1794.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>La Fille Mal Gardée,</em> which is roughly translated to &#8220;the wayward daughter,&#8221; is not unknown to Reading, Pennsylvania-area theatregoers as it has somewhat of a legacy at Berks Ballet Theatre (BBT). In fact, BBT first mounted the ballet in the fall of 1988. Current BBT Artistic Director, <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/noo-trainer/miss-kelly/"><strong>Kelly Barber</strong></a>, recently spoke with the ballet company’s Founding Director <strong>Carol Ennis</strong> about the ballet and its history with the company. Here&#8217;s what she had to say:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Q: What made you decide to first set &#8220;La Fille Mal Gardee&#8221; and have it become a big part of BBT&#8217;s repertoire in the late &#8217;80s and early &#8217;90s?</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: &#8220;We had a semi-professional company for the &#8217;88-&#8217;89 season and were invited to be the opening performance at the new Scottish Rite Cathedral in West Reading. So, in September of 1988, we mounted the full-length &#8216;La Fille&#8217; for the first time. We had all new sets created and new costumes made, based on Frederick Ashton&#8217;s version choreographed for the Royal Ballet in London in 1960.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">&#8220;There was a big gala to celebrate the opening of the new theater, and it was a really big event for the community. We then did the ballet in the spring of 1990 in collaboration with Repertory Dance Theatre in Allentown because I was a good friend of their director. We were able to get a group of male dancers from the School of American Ballet in NYC since RDT had a connection to the school.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">&#8220;In 1994, I decided to set the ballet again, this time calling it &#8216;The Farmer&#8217;s Daughter&#8217; since I knew the title wasn&#8217;t very well known. It was a shortened version of the ballet but still showcasing all of the main scenes and dances. Traditionally, the role of Widow Simone is danced by a male performer, and that adds to the comedy in the ballet, especially during the clog dance. My Associate Director, the late Bob Sheridan, danced the role in 1988 &amp; 1990 and was hysterical. He had everyone in the audience laughing.&#8221;</span></p></blockquote>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">See The Latest Iteration of <em>La Fille Mal Gardée</em> on May 11!</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Ballet features two acts danced by the company’s 21 company dancers along with world-renowned professional dancer, Aaron Smyth. Set in a picturesque French countryside village, the ballet tells the story of a young woman named Lise (danced by Kaitlyn Staskel, a Junior at Warwick High School in Lititz, Pa.) who falls in love with a young farmer named Colas (Smyth). Lise is an only child to Simone, and overbearing mother and farm owner, who has other ambitious plans for her daughter.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There’s just one chance to see the show on Saturday May 11th at 7:30pm at the Miller Center for the Arts in Reading, Pa. <a href="https://bbt.ticketleap.com/lafille/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Click here for tickets</strong></a>. </span></p><p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/la-fille-q-a/">“La Fille Mal Gardée” Past and Present: Q&A with BBT Founder, Carol Ennis.</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
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		<title>Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theatre’s ‘Nutcracker’ brings magic to holiday season for families across Berks</title>
		<link>https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-nutcracker-2023/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=reading-eagle-nutcracker-2023</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Berks Ballet Theatre]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Dec 2023 03:14:20 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Berks Ballet Theatre added magic to the holiday season for Berks families during its 48th rendition of the “The Nutcracker” at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17. (Photo Credit: Dennis Krumanocker, D.K. Photography) Ballet features dancers from across Berks County at KU’s Schaeffer Auditorium Berks Ballet Theatre added magic to the holiday season for</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-nutcracker-2023/">Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theatre’s ‘Nutcracker’ brings magic to holiday season for families across Berks</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Berks Ballet Theatre added magic to the holiday season for Berks families during its 48th rendition of the “The Nutcracker” at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17. (Photo Credit: Dennis Krumanocker, D.K. Photography)</span></em></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ballet features dancers from across Berks County at KU’s Schaeffer Auditorium</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Berks Ballet Theatre added magic to the holiday season for Berks families during its 48th rendition of the “The Nutcracker” at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is the company’s second year performing at KU’s Schaeffer Auditorium and the sixth year that the Reading Pops Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Willis Rapp, performed Tchaikovsky’s memorable score.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“The Nutcracker is such a holiday tradition,” BBT Artistic Director Kelly Barber said. “Every year we hear people say they’ve been coming for years, maybe bringing their children, and now their grandchildren. The hope is that our audiences come to the ballet, taking a couple of hours out of their busy lives to relax, enjoy the sights and sounds of ‘The Nutcracker’ and then leave the theater feeling happy and excited to come back the next year.”</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Everyone needs a bit of holiday cheer, and this ballet provides that,” added Barber.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.readingeagle.com/2023/11/12/berks-ballet-theater-presents-the-nutcracker-at-kutztown-university-dec-16-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> </strong>to continue reading on ReadingEagle.com</span></p>
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</div><p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-nutcracker-2023/">Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theatre’s ‘Nutcracker’ brings magic to holiday season for families across Berks</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
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		<title>Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theater presents ‘The Nutcracker’ at Kutztown University Dec. 16-17</title>
		<link>https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-preview-2023/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=reading-eagle-preview-2023</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Berks Ballet Theatre]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Dec 2023 03:19:05 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Berks Ballet Theatre will presents its 48th rendition of “The Nutcracker,” with accompaniment by the Reading Pops Orchestra, on Dec. 16 at 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 17 at 1 and 5 p.m. at Schaeffer Auditorium on the campus of Kutztown University. Of the upcoming show, BBT Artistic Director, Kelly Barber said: “The goal is to give the attendees</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-preview-2023/">Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theater presents ‘The Nutcracker’ at Kutztown University Dec. 16-17</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-6026 size-full" src="https://berksballettheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/aaron-smyth-nutcracker.png" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://berksballettheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/aaron-smyth-nutcracker.png 1920w, https://berksballettheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/aaron-smyth-nutcracker-300x169.png 300w, https://berksballettheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/aaron-smyth-nutcracker-1024x576.png 1024w, https://berksballettheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/aaron-smyth-nutcracker-768x432.png 768w, https://berksballettheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/aaron-smyth-nutcracker-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Berks Ballet Theatre will presents its 48th rendition of “The Nutcracker,” with accompaniment by the Reading Pops Orchestra, on Dec. 16 at 1 and 6 p.m. and Dec. 17 at 1 and 5 p.m. at Schaeffer Auditorium on the campus of Kutztown University.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Of the upcoming show, BBT Artistic Director, Kelly Barber said: </span></p>
<blockquote>
<h2><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“The goal is to give the attendees the most opulent experience so that they return year after year. The performance will dazzle and mesmerize audiences and from the moment the curtain opens, everyone knows they are in for a sumptuous treat.”</span></strong></h2>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Barber along with BBT’s Ballet Master and Resident Choreographer, Nathan Bland, have co-choreographed the ballet featuring 21 company dancers and 29 students from the company’s namesake, Berks Ballet Theatre Conservatory of Dance.</span></p>
<blockquote>
<h2><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>“Our dancers have all learned new roles and take great pride in making them their own,”</strong> said Bland, adding, “The real joy comes in seeing the younger dancers take on ‘core’ roles for the first time, newly on pointe, and eager to perform.”</span></h2>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.readingeagle.com/2023/11/12/berks-ballet-theater-presents-the-nutcracker-at-kutztown-university-dec-16-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> </strong>to continue reading on ReadingEagle.com</span></p>
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</div><p>The post <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com/reading-eagle-preview-2023/">Reading Eagle: Berks Ballet Theater presents ‘The Nutcracker’ at Kutztown University Dec. 16-17</a> first appeared on <a href="https://berksballettheatre.com">Berks Ballet Theatre</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
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