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Behind the Scenes at Nutmeg Ballet's The Nutcracker

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:51:29 GMT

In the days leading up to opening night of The Nutcracker, the music of Tchaikovsky flows out of the third-floor studio at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservancy in Torrington during dress rehearsals. It’s time to make costume adjustments, finesse dancer movements, and remind performers to smile at appropriate times.

Read the full article https://litchfieldmagazine.com/onourradar/behind-the-scenes-at-nutmeg-ballets-the-nutcracker

"Artistry, Quality, Legacy: The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s Pre-Professional Program"

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:06:27 GMT

"Golden reputation" is key to recruiting Nutmeg Ballet students

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 18:25:50 GMT

How valuable is a reputation?

After 50 years of building a reputation for professionalism in dance instruction, Nutmeg Ballet was forced to put that reputation to the test this year. Audition tour director Joan Kunsch injured her arm and was unable to go on her annual 18-city nationwide recruiting tour. But, “Nothing will be canceled,” she promised in early December.

“It was up to me to solve it,” said Kunsch. “I thought, ‘Who better to represent Nutmeg than the former students who are making professional company careers around the country?’”

She compiled a list of about a dozen Nutmeg alumni around the country and called them. They eagerly accepted the challenge.

For example, Kunsch said, “We have a Nutmeg graduate, Amy Potter, who is a principal dancer in the Oklahoma City Ballet, and I called her and she’s ecstatic to do it. She said, ‘Proudly, I would do it. Proudly.’”

Another former student, Thel Moore, trained at Nutmeg from 2012 to 2015. He agreed to cover three of Kunsch’s scheduled cities, including Richmond, Va., where he is a danseur at the Richmond Ballet Company. Moore said in an email, “What I typically look for in an audition is a base in classical ballet but also a love for ballet as well. I’m looking for a spark that you usually can’t teach but mold into something beautiful.”

He said students are nervous at first, but “when they see the brochure [and] how beautiful the building is and how incredibly professional the staff is, they usually lighten up and get really excited for the audition.”

The far-flung team of Nutmeg-trained dancers are directing auditions in January and February in nearly 40 cities in the United States and Canada. Some of these cities are on Tim Melady’s usual itinerary as audition tour co-director. Melady, Nutmeg’s principal ballet master, is also standing in for Kunsch in several cities. Speaking by phone from an airport near St. Louis, Mo., Melady said, “I have been to the West Coast. Seattle had a good turnout. Portland had a good turnout. San Francisco had a good turnout, and they are all so interested in Nutmeg and Torrington!”

He said, “We’re so lucky that we have such a respected reputation.” When an auditioning dancer asks about Nutmeg, he refers them to former Nutmeg students in the area, who are happy to talk about their experiences.

Melady said the constant influx of students from thousands of miles away is enriching for them, for Nutmeg and for Torrington. “People come to Nutmeg and say, ‘Oh my God, we’re meeting people from Wyoming! From California! This is crazy.’ Everybody knows about Nutmeg Ballet. It’s wonderful!”

Kunsch said that when she has gone on the audition tour – which she has done every year since 1993 – she tells dancers, “Not only are you auditioning for Nutmeg; Nutmeg’s auditioning for you.”

She tells them, “We’re not looking for perfection. If you were perfect, would you need us? We’re looking for trainability.”

Moore said, “Bringing talent from all over is very important because it keeps Nutmeg as one of the best schools to train at in the United States.”

Melady said, “[The auditioners] have heard of us, and they’ve heard of our reputation. And that’s a real advantage. Our reputation is golden. There are more and more schools just vying for this slice of talent. And there is always talent.”

Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director, said Torrington auditions at the Nutmeg Conservatory attract not only local aspirants but dancers from New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for both the summer and year-round programs. Remaining auditions at the Conservatory at 58 Main Street are Feb. 1, 15, 29 and March 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. And by the way, said Mazzarelli, locals are most welcome!

“During these next few months, our year-round students and faculty are rehearsing and preparing for our Spring Studio Series that will be held on March 18, 19, 20 and 21,” she said.

Tradition-minded Mom, Daughter Welcome New 'Nutcracker"

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 19:58:02 GMT

By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – The first time Shelley Gallo and her mother, Rosemarie Meyer, attended Nutmeg Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” in 1975, they thought it was a musical play. Shelley was four years old. “When are they going to start talking?” she asked her mother.

They had never been to a ballet before! But, since that night 44 years ago at Torrington High School’s Little Theatre, they have attended Nutmeg’s “Nutcracker” almost every year, missing it only once due to illness.

“I’ll bet we hold the record,” Shelley said.

Nutmeg’s “Nutcracker” has since outgrown the high school auditorium, of course, and now is performed yearly at the 1,750-seat Warner Theatre and the 900-seat Belding Theatre at The Bushnell in Hartford. It opens Dec. 7 at the Warner.

“I remember going that first time with my mother,” Shelley said, “but I don’t really remember how I felt when I left. I do remember all the pretty ballerinas and the pretty costumes, but I can’t say I ran out of there saying I want to be a ballerina.”

Rosemarie said she had taken Shelley to Christmas Village and was looking for something new to share with her. She saw an advertisement for “The Nutcracker” in what was then The Torrington Register. “I thought that was something that I’d like to start with her as a tradition,” she said.

“We realized at some point in the performance that it was not going to be a play,” she said. “There was not going to be singing, or any kind of dialogue, but we just watched it in awe because the dancers were so talented and the costumes were so beautiful and the scenery was beautiful. And as the years have gone by, it’s gotten better and better.”

Costumes and scenery have evolved, and this year the mother-daughter duo are looking forward to revolutionary changes. To mark Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary, hundreds of the 1,200 costumes will be new, designed by Janessa Urwin and Susan Aziz and hand-finished at Nutmeg’s own costume shop. And the 22-year-old set by Campbell Baird will be replaced by spectacular scenery by Boston’s theatrical designer Roger LaVoie. Artistic director Victoria Mazzarelli has reimagined the choreography, and Brian Sciarra has designed new lighting. There will be some delightful surprises.

“There have been little tweaks every year,” Shelley said. “Maybe the lighting is a little different, or the choreography is different, or maybe there’s a sash on a costume that’s a different color. My mother and I would bump elbows and whisper, ‘Did you see that?’ This is the first year that we can’t compare our notes.”

When they heard that things would look very different this year, Shelley said she and her mom were at first nervous. “But I’m sure it will be beautiful.”

Rosemarie said, “I can’t wait to see this year’s new scenery and costumes. We’re both really excited about it.”

Rosemarie and Shelley both love family traditions, especially around Christmastime. Since Shelley was a child, she helped her mother every year bake cookies. Now, though she lives in New Hartford and her mom lives in Torrington, Shelley says she still bakes more than 1,000 cookies every Christmas and gives them to co-workers, family and friends.

“The Nutcracker” is perfect for tradition-minded people, she believes. “I love the story because it’s the whole Christmas Eve party, and I come from an Italian family,” she said. “Christmas Eve is the biggest celebration in my family. It’s such a magical time, even for me now. I carry on the cookie-baking traditions my mother and my two Italian grandmothers carried throughout the years.”

Nutmeg’s new 2019 “Nutcracker” ushers in a brand-new tradition as Nutmeg Ballet enters its second half-century. Tickets can be ordered through Nutmeg’s website – also reimagined and redesigned for the occasion – at www.nutmegconservatory.org. Warner Theatre performances are Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. Performances at The Bushnell in Hartford are Dec. 14 and 15 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Nutmeg Artistic Director Mazzarelli Looks Back, Looks Ahead

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 19:47:58 GMT

By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – Gentle horns and tentative woodwinds filled the Warner Theatre, followed by an arpeggio of harp strings rising and falling – the ethereal music of “Waltz of the Flowers” from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.”

It was a dozen days before the opening on Dec. 7, and this was the first rehearsal at the Warner for dancers from the Nutmeg Ballet. They glided across the wide stage, leaping and pirouetting to the dreamy music, as dance instructor Denise Warner Limoli directed and corrected them. Behind the dancers was a colorful, 20-foot-wide theater-within-a-theater, a brand-new set piece that had never been on any stage before – built exclusively for the Nutmeg to mark its 50 years of existence.

“This is so spectacular,” said Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director, seated near the middle of the 1,750-seat theater. “This is the little theater, and that’s a piece of Clara’s home on the stage,” she said, referring to parts of the set created by Boston theatrical designer Roger LaVoie. “There’s a really beautiful Christmas tree, too, backstage,” she said. “It’s an evergreen, with candles on it.”

As Brian Sciarra began setting up and testing lights, Victoria’s husband Thomas Evertz studied the set’s dimensions so he could figure out his movements onstage as Dr. Drosselmeyer. Victoria was reminiscing about her early years as a dancer and how her illustrious career has led to these final few days before a completely re-imagined “Nutcracker.”

“I’ve been involved in many different versions of ‘The Nutcracker,’” she said. “I remember my first time, being a shepherd with a little candy cane. It was maybe 1979 or 1980.”

That was before she became one of the brightest stars in Nutmeg’s history, a willowy teen with fluid movements, a 1984 gold medal winner in the New York International Ballet Competition at age 17. That award propelled her to a shining ballet career abroad, starting with Basel Ballet in Switzerland, where she was quickly promoted to principal dancer. She worked with some of the best choreographers in the world, including Hans van Manen, Jiri Kylian and William Forsythe, whose influence led her to join the Frankfurt Ballet in 1990 as principal dancer. She also toured extensively and worked with Alonzo King, Ohad Naharin, Jan Fabre and Saburo Teshigawara before returning to Switzerland in 1996 to join the Zurich Ballet – again as principal dancer.

She recalled a production of “The Nutcracker” she was in in Dusseldorf, Germany, that departed from tradition. “It was not done at Christmastime,” she said. “It was not about Christmas. It was somehow –”

She paused in mid-thought, because on the Warner stage a dancer had just made a spectacular grand jeté. “Isn’t that beautiful!” she said. Then she resumed her story.

“It was a party and festivities. It was Clara’s birthday, and she actually runs away from home and she goes on a fantastic journey.”

In traditional productions, it is Christmas Eve, and Clara receives a wooden nutcracker in shape of a man, which a rowdy partygoer breaks. Clara’s godfather, Drosselmeyer, repairs it. When guests leave, Clara gets up at midnight to check on her nutcracker. Drosselmeyer uses his magician skills to propel her on a journey to the Land of Sweets with her nutcracker, which has been transformed into a young man.

“It’s a fantastic story. She is growing up, and it’s all in the music,” Victoria said.

As dancers whirled on the Warner stage, deep notes of a bassoon vied with a bright, high-pitched flute. “The music is so beautiful, so inspirational,” she said. “I never get sick of it.”

She said she is glad the young dancers get to take part in seven performances – three at the Warner and four this year at The Bushnell in Hartford. “Some of them have three or four roles. I always want to give them as many opportunities as I can,” she said.

Because the set is radically different from the one Campbell Baird designed more than 20 years ago, Victoria has had to rework much of the choreography and staging. Other added details include lights to the wings and halos of angels. “And the mice are different,” she said.

The mice, in fact, have all new costumes, as do many other characters.

“You forget sometimes that these are students, because they do so well,” she said. “And it’s all about the details. I know I drive them crazy sometimes, going over it, doing it again, doing it again, making sure they understand how they have to stand in relationship with their partner, or bowing or timing.”

Like founding director Sharon Dante, under whom she studied, Victoria is concerned with details – a word that is on prominent display in the Nutmeg’s Premiere Studio. “When you watch a performance and you don’t know so much about everything, you don’t notice little mistakes. But you notice it as a professional. You see how the show runs with a certain timing. It’s smooth. It should be seamless. There should be a certain flow to it. But you do notice when it runs well. It’s pleasing to the eye.”

Although she faces many technical problems this year, in addition to managing 100 dancers ranging in age from about 5 to 18, she takes everything in stride. “The dancing has to be organized and rehearsed,” she said. “It doesn’t just happen. It’s hard to be the one who has to drive that, but I like it. When they’re successful, I’m happy, and then we’re all successful. When we get a great reception, it means we’ve all done our best. We’re here because we love it. And I just think the instructors bring in all the things that we know. You see it through the students.”

The music’s tempo and volume increased, and timpani, trumpets, trombones and more filled the room, building to a resounding climax, as the rehearsing students bowed.

“Sometimes I think it would be such a great feeling to be out there onstage, but now it’s a different time for me,” Victoria said. “I love to watch our students succeed. It’s their time now.”

Tickets for the 2019 production of Nutmeg Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” are now available through Nutmeg’s newly designed website, www.Nutmegconservatory.org. Warner Theatre performances are Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. Performances at The Bushnell in Hartford are Dec. 14 and 15 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Hundreds of New "Nutcracker" Costumes for Nutmeg's 50th Birthday

DMattiello@nutmegconservatory.org — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 17:17:36 GMT

By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – A soothing, rhythmic hum of sewing machines fills the air in a brightly lit, spacious room of the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. Towering wooden shelves hold large plastic bins of fabric, smaller bins of buttons, snaps, hooks & eyes, scissors, measuring tape and much more. Head seamstress and wardrobe supervisor Pat Eldredge is sewing bejeweled gold lace onto the sleeve of a turquoise costume for “The Nutcracker.” Costume shop director Sue Fazzino is just finishing up the fitting of a new costume to a Nutmeg student, who will wear it on the Warner or Bushnell stage in just two or three weeks. And among all the activity, a squat, copper-colored spaniel named Penny wanders from person to person, as if admiring their work.

“She’s been with us for six years,” says Fazzino, scratching behind Penny’s floppy ears. “She keeps us company.”

Fazzino designed this sewing space herself 18 years ago, working with Nutmeg Conservatory architect Tommy Thompson. “I was able to build it the way I wanted it,” she said. “Before we moved here, the dance shop was on Water Street, and it was literally a closet.”

The dance shop is always busy this time of year, as the calendar counts down to the opening of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 7, but this year the sewing machines are getting an even greater workout. To mark Nutmeg’s 50 years of existence, colorful new scenery has been created, and more than half of the production’s 1,200 costumes have been modified or redesigned and built from scratch.

“It was a huge project,” Fazzino said. “It was really more than we could handle by ourselves here and so we hired two designers, Susan Aziz and Janessa Cornell Urwin. In house, we created 11 new costumes for the Arabian scene, and we made a new gown for the Prologue. And we are in the process now of doing fittings and alterations on the older costumes that we didn’t replace.”

All costumes, whether sewn on-site or elsewhere, are finished at the Nutmeg site. “Starting at the beginning of September when they came in, we had to put on hooks and elastics and hems and do a hundred other tasks,” Fazzino said. “And it has to be fitted on the body. It has to be altered.”

The new set, created by Boston theatrical designer Roger LaVoie, includes a panel showing a girl in a turquoise costume and pants, which do not match last year’s Arabian costumes of red tops and gold skirts, Fazzino said. “So we really felt that we had to modify Arabian to kind of go with the panel that would be front and center on the stage,” she said.

Fazzino designed the patterns on the Arabian costumes, as well as on tutus stacked high on a table like fluffy pancakes. “Each tutu is layers and layers and layers of tulle of different lengths,” she said. “There is a four-inch layer, a six-inch layer, a seven-inch layer, an eight-inch layer, and then you put them on a panty that you build out of stretch material, and then you sew the layers on the panty and then you have a tutu.”

It takes five seconds to explain, but each tutu takes at least two weeks to make from scratch. In her 30 years with Nutmeg, she has made more than 50 of them. “They are expensive and they are the most time-consuming. You start with the tutu, the netting underneath, and then you put a basque on that. That fits her tightly, and that’s what keeps the tutu from moving when she spins. And then you build the bodice, and get the bodice to fit her perfectly, and then you put it all together.”

In “The Nutcracker,” tutus are worn by the Snow Queen and the Sugarplum Fairy, but they do not appear onstage together. “If we did ‘Swan Lake,’ there could be 25 tutus out there at one time,” she said.

She said things will quiet down in January, but only briefly. In February, the shop will be working on costumes for two spring performances that may have excerpts from classical and modern works. She finally gets vacation and gardening time starting in June, she said.

But these days, “We are just humming along here,” she said, as Penny the spaniel looks up at her in apparent admiration. Luckily, Fazzino is not alone: Besides Penny, she has help from Pat Eldredge and seamstress/crafters Louise Porto, Barbara Zordan and Nicole Bittner, who make sure that seams are straight and hems are perfect.

Nutmeg Dance Shop Happily Serves Local Dance Community

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 15:29:02 GMT

By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – When the Nutmeg Ballet stepped boldly into its “première position” at a Migeon Avenue studio 50 years ago, founder Sharon Dante knew that some day she would have to provide a convenient way for her students to acquire proper dancewear.

A “petit jeté,” occurred when Dante opened a dance shop in 1992, about 15 years after moving Nutmeg to Water Street in 1977. And when the “grand jeté” occurred – the “great leap” to moving the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts to its grand location on Main Street in 2001 – it was time for the dance shop to come into its own.

Holly Watson, Nutmeg’s operations director and former manager of the Nutmeg Dance Shop, said that before the shop existed, Marge Dante, Sharon’s mother, used to drive to New Haven to buy Pointe shoes for students. Marge was a driving force behind the opening of the shop on Water Street and continued her involvement after the move to Main Street. Housed in the former Tunick Jewelers building at 62 Main Street, it is now managed by Carianne Riley, a former student at Australian Ballet School. She and Lori Pagano, a liaison between the children’s Torrington School of Ballet and the Nutmeg Ballet, help with fitting ballet slippers at the shop.

Watson said, “The entity is structured to donate all its profits back to support the Nutmeg. The Dance Shop does not keep those funds. They go back to our students, back to our organization after expenses.”

The shop specializes in Pointe shoes and ballet slippers, but Watson said it also carries tap, jazz, lyrical and more. There are leotards, tights and other apparel for men and women, as well as a wide array of nonessential (but fun!) items. Books about dance by local authors – including many by Nutmeg employees – are available.

Retail director Kim McAllister, like many Nutmeg employees, is a former Nutmeg student, starting when she was 4 years old and graduating in 2001. She pursued a career in photography before returning to Nutmeg this year. “Nutmeg has always been a part of me,” she said.

McAllister said, “I love fitting a little girl’s first ballet slippers and watching her walk over to the barre and mirror we have with excitement in her face. It’s exciting to also fit a dancer for her first pair of Pointe shoes. They are nervous and excited at the same time.”

She said there is a buzz of excitement and energy that goes through the building. Students are now in rehearsal for “The Nutcracker,” the annual Christmastime production at the Warner Theatre and The Bushnell. “I hear the music that I’ve heard a million times before, but yet I’m never sick of it because I can feel the movements of the dances I danced many times myself. I get the same excitement as the dancers!” she said.

And every year she looks forward to the shipment of nutcracker dolls that are holiday gift-giving favorites – not only among students and their parents but anyone who walks in the door. There are the traditional wooden-soldier nutcracker dolls, much like the one used onstage in “The Nutcracker”; and then there are variations such as mermaids, sea turtles, unicorns, wizards, lamas, and even Darth Vader (but without the heavy breathing!). Watson said, “We’ll be selling these at the performances, and all proceeds support Nutmeg.”

It is the only local outlet for dancewear, but because it is a part of the nonprofit Nutmeg Ballet, the staff are conscious of its commitment to the community, Watson said. “For example, we have supported local nonprofit fund-raisers such as the Warner Theater’s wine-tasting event and partnership initiatives such as Newspapers in Education. We work with anonymous donors to get Pointe shoes onto the feet of people who can’t afford them. We try to give local discounts to students at every dance school in the area. If they tell us they’re in a dance school, they get a 10 percent discount on required apparel.”

McAllister added, “We’ve helped the dancers at The Taft School be fitted for their Pointe shoes and also get them the items they need for their dance classes. We’ve also helped company dancers from Momix to get items they need for performances. If anyone is looking for a shoe, leotard or dancewear items, we are there to help them get what they need.”

Suzan Scott, the shop’s business and communications manager, looks to the future with ideas on marketing and promotional efforts. Her ideas include updating and managing the website (www.danceshopatnutmeg.com), email blasts, tracking marketing results, implementing a rewards program and more. “We need to be responsive, but responsive in an organized, planned way and then track results,” she said in a recent email.

The Nutmeg Dance Shop is open Monday through Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After hours, call 860-482-4413, and someone can usually let you in and assist you, Watson said.

Performances of the all-new “Nutcracker,” with new scenery and costumes, are Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at the Warner Theatre. Performances at The Bushnell in Hartford are Dec. 14 and 15 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available through www.nutmegconservatory.org/nutcracker.

Nutmeg's Thomas Evertz prepares for 11th Season Playing Drosselmeyer

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 16:57:01 GMT

By Jack Sheedy for the Register citizen

TORRINGTON - Who has appeared in more performances of Nutmeg Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” than anyone, but has never taken a ballet lesson in his life?

It’s not a trick question, even though the character Thomas Evertz portrays, Dr. Drosselmeyer, has performed many tricks during his nearly 80 appearances since 2009. As the mysterious uncle of young Clara at a Christmas party at her home, Drosselmeyer produces bouquets of flowers seemingly from thin air, brings mechanical dolls magically to life and entertains guests with a puppet show. Later, he launches Clara on a fantastical coming-of-age ride to the Land of the Snow and the Land of the Sweets.

German-born Evertz said he is eagerly anticipating this, his 11th season, when Nutmeg is celebrating its 50th anniversary and “The Nutcracker” will raise the curtain on spectacular new scenery and costumes. Scenic designer Roger LaVoie of Boston designed the new set and the new Drosselmeyer costume.

“I have seen generations of dancers coming and going,” Evertz said in a recent interview. “Each performance is different because I have constantly different partners. When we do a matinee and an evening show, I have four different Claras over the two days.”

Evertz is married to Nutmeg’s artistic director, Victoria Mazzarelli. They met in Switzerland when Mazzarelli was dancing with Basel Ballet in 1985. He saw her dancing in George Balanchine’s “Concerto Barocco,” and he was so taken with her performance that he thought, “Who is this? I have to give this person a nice bouquet of flowers.”

Mazzarelli studied with Nutmeg Ballet under founder Sharon Dante and launched a professional career abroad after winning a gold medal at the New York International Ballet Competition in 1984. She and Evertz have been married 27 years and have two grown children, Adam and Alma.

Evertz studied acting at the National Conservatory for Music and Theatre in Hanover, Germany. He has appeared in German productions of “West Side Story,” “Kiss Me Kate,” and many others. This past summer, he had a singing role in Johann Strauss II’s operetta “Die Fledermaus” (“The Bat”) in Switzerland.

Mazzarelli returned to Connecticut in 2003 to become Nutmeg’s associate artistic director, bringing her family with her. In 2009, she said to her husband, “I think you could play Drosselmeyer.” He has been playing the part ever since.

“I have not done any other part in my life more often than that,” he said. “For me, the whole thing is the music. Everything I have to do and the attitude in which I do it, everything is in the music. We stage it every year with new dancers, young performers, and of course we have to solve a lot of problems, just like in professional theater. My advice to everyone onstage is to just listen to the music. Everything you are looking for, all the information, it’s all in the music.”

Evertz said Drosselmeyer is the oldest character in this 1892 ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, based on a tale by E. T. A. Hoffman. “But somehow he is still a child,” Evertz said. “He is childish in his joy, in his humor, in his fantasy. So he is close to Clara. He understands her, her hopes, her fantasies, her fears, and he tries to gently lead her through the night.”

Clara’s toy nutcracker doll symbolizes her childhood. When it breaks, her childhood shatters. It takes the magic of Drosselmeyer to repair the doll, which, in her fantasy, grows to life size and then comes to life. “She falls in love with the wooden nutcracker, and in her mind the wooden nutcracker turns into a very lively young man who is just as adorable as she is,” Evertz said.

The story can be understood on many levels, but Evertz said it’s not necessary to focus on all aspects of it. “It’s sweet and beautiful for everybody who sees it and listens to it. Music is so unbelievable. When we help the audience to see the music - they hear it anyway, but to see the music - then we do a great job.”

Tickets for the 2019 production of Nutmeg Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” are now available through Nutmeg’s newly designed website, Nutmegconservatory.org. Warner Theatre performances are Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. Performances at The Bushnell in Hartford are Dec. 14 and 15 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

"Nutmeg Conservatory teams up with local school for intro to ballet series"

Fri, 18 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Litchfield County Times

Students from St. John Paul the Great Academy practice stretching exercises at Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, part of a 10-week collaborative outreach program between the two organizations.

TORRINGTON – Students from St. John Paul the Great Academy, formerly St. Peter/St. Francis School, are learning a few things about ballet they probably never knew.

“When you put words together, you can tell a story,” said Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director at Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. She told the group of 25 students, from grades 5 through 8, that learning ballet is like putting letters together to form words, then sentences, then stories.

“In ballet, you combine a sequence of steps to create a dance. Dancers use their bodies to tell the story,” she said.

The introductory program came about through a conversation among Father Emmanuel Ihemedu, Pastor of St. John Paul the Great Parish in Torrington; Joan Kunsch, Nutmeg’s associate artistic director and national audition tour co-director; and Dr. Nancy Testa, principal of St. John Paul the Great Academy.

When Father Ihemedu was assigned to the parish in 2018, he was faced with the prospect of closing the school. He feared that would be bad for the parish and bad for the community. He found creative ways to keep it open, including implementing a sliding tuition scale and expanding the curriculum.

Father Ihemedu and Kunsch spoke with Dr. Testa, who approved the program. Nutmeg then designed a 10-week curriculum for novice dancers, many with no previous ballet experience. Sessions include gentle limbering and strengthening exercises, posture, basic ballet combinations, jumps and other lessons.

“The series of classes is intended to improve balance, musicality, coordination, quick learning skills, muscular engagement, changes of dynamic, core strength, and arm control. All exercises are intended to increase focus and attention span,” a program description states.

Alexandria Propfe, a junior high and intermediate teacher at the school, said, “They come to school the next day and tell us how sore they are. It’s good for them. It’s designed so the kids can become aware of everything that ballet is. It’s not just what they think it is. There’s a lot more to it. They’re really enjoying it.”

“The kids are loving it,” Testa agreed. She said it brings life back into learning and brings out each child’s creativity. She said when she greets them on their return each week and asks how it went, they say, “Oh, it was great! We get to have fun, but at the same time we’re stretching. We know it’s helping us to build our core.”

“Not only does it open up the kids’ eyes, but it also starts putting them in a mind frame, let’s say, of what they think they want to do later in life,” Testa said.

Kunsch, one of the instructors of the class, said, “When they understood and could do what was asked of them, the students’ faces lit up with joy. This sort of self confidence-building achievement and fulfillment of talent can provide an impetus for a healthy and productive future. Victoria Mazzarelli and I are so happy to be a part of this new initiative.”

Mia Mastrogiovanni, an eighth-grade student in the program, said that when she first heard of the program, “I thought that was the coolest thing ever, because when I was younger I always dreamed of dancing up here.”

Conal Toland, a sixth-grader, said he had two reasons for volunteering to take the program.

“Number one, it would take time off from school,” he said with a laugh, but quickly added, “and number two, I’m always riding by here and see people in here so I thought, hey, maybe I can go inside there.”

Mia said, “I just love everything about it. The room is cool. The teachers are great. I just love it all.”

Conal said that he loves even the things he’s bad at. Asked what those might be, he laughed, “Most of it. When we do that skip and gallop, I always fall down on my knees.”

The program is one of many ways Nutmeg reaches out to the community to instruct or entertain in free or low-cost ways, according to Donna Mattiello, director of academics. In addition to offering this program, Nutmeg routinely asks its students to perform at civic events, schools, business openings, fund-raising events, festivals, nursing homes, libraries and more.

Mazzarelli said, “The discipline and focus that it takes to be a dancer is something that can be transferred to the students’ everyday life. We hope they walk away from each class feeling uplifted and energized!”

For information on other programs Nutmeg offers, and to learn of upcoming events celebrating Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary, call 860-482-4413 or go to nutmegconservatory.org .

"Nutmeg Nuggets: New banners grace Nutmeg Ballet façade in Torrington, as family weekend approaches"

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Register Citizen

Chris Baldino, high in the bucket of his Oakbrook Electric truck, installs a 12-foot vertical banner on the facade of the Nutmeg Conservatory on Main Street, proclaiming Nutmeg's 'Fifty years of artistic excellence.' The banner will greet visitors to this weekend's Family Observation Weekend and will remain in place during this anniversary year.

TORRINGTON — When families of Nutmeg Ballet’s dancers come to town this weekend, they will be greeted by new, colorful banners on the façade of the Nutmeg Conservatory — including a spectacular vertical banner about 12-feet-tall, announcing the Nutmeg’s “Fifty years of artistic excellence.”

The wind-resistant composite vinyl banner was designed by Patricia Kelly of Anderson Kelly Studio of West Hartford. It was printed by Write Way Signs & Design Inc. of Torrington and installed courtesy of Chris Baldino of Oakbrook Electric of Torrington.

Four smaller banners on the façade show photos of Nutmeg dancers in various dance positions. Holly Watson, operations director, said these smaller banners may be changed from time to time to spotlight other Nutmeg students.

“Nutmeg is definitely a cultural anchor for the town,” said Jeremy Schaller, owner of Write Way. “I’ve been dealing with (Founding Director) Sharon Dante for years. She’s very important to the town.”

Baldino, who attached the large banner to the building, said, “It’s just good to do stuff for everything down on Main Street and try to keep everything alive down here.”

Family Observation Weekend, often called Parents’ Weekend, is a longtime tradition at the Nutmeg, allowing students’ families to tour the facilities, talk with faculty, attend classes, enjoy meals, watch performances and more. The four-day series of events begins Friday, Oct. 11, with breakfast, followed by a chance to sit in on classes and rehearsals at the Conservatory and at Coe Park. A late-afternoon lecture, “Psychology for Dancers,” will be presented by Dr. Brian Magna and Dr. Brianne M. Dwyer of Magna Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center in Avon.

Columbus Day weekend observances, as always, will be held at Coe Park, in conjunction with the Torrington chapter of UNICO National, with Nutmeg students performing at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

A welcome reception will be held Saturday noon in the community room of the Conservatory.

A family brunch will be held on Sunday. On Monday, family members can sit in on classes taught by Artistic Director Victoria Mazzarelli, Senior Ballet Mistress Denise Warner Limoli, Musical Accompanist Michael Limoli, Principal Ballet Master Tim Melady and Associate Artistic Director Joan Kunsch.

A gallery of playbills, costumes, photos and other museum-quality artifacts from Nutmeg’s 50-year history will be on display in the Conservatory for family members during the weekend.

Mazzarelli said, “We are very excited that our new banners are up just in time to welcome our parents for Family Observation Weekend. We have been working hard to coordinate the installation of the banners and the gallery.”

"Nutmeg Nuggets: Former Nutmeg women create new ‘Nutcracker’ costumes"

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Register Citizen

Designs for Snowflakes costumes by Nutmeg alum Janessa Cornell Urwin. Janessa is also creating costumes for Dew Drops, Flowers, Marzipan, Jesters and more for Nutmeg Ballet’s newly imagined, 50th-anniversary ‘Nutcracker,’ opening in December.

TORRINGTON — When Nutmeg Ballet’s all-new “Nutcracker” opens at the Warner Theatre and The Bushnell in December, much of what you will see on stage will be the work of two women with important connections to Nutmeg.

Susan Aziz has three daughters who studied at Nutmeg Ballet. Janessa Cornell Urwin is a former student at the Nutmeg. Now, to help celebrate the Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary, these two women are creating new masks and costumes for the 2019 production of “The Nutcracker.”

Both women have drawn on their Nutmeg experiences in their current theatrical professions. Susan has built costumes and masks for Hartford Stage Company, the Paul Winter Consort, several private schools and more. Janessa is wardrobe supervisor at the American Repertory Ballet in Princeton and New Brunswick, N.J., and has worked with Princeton Ballet School, ModArts Dance, Nacre Dance and more.

“My task for ‘The Nutcracker’ this year is some masks and some full costumes,” said Susan, a Litchfield resident. “My biggest assignment is the battle scene.” She said her work will include 12 soldiers, nine mice and more.

“I’m just one of those really lucky people who gets to play for my job. Most of my work is with students,” Susan said. “But truly, one of the first adventurous costumes I ever made was for Nutmeg. In one production a few years ago, Drosselmeyer brings three bears on stage that I helped create. So that was the first time I ever did anything that involved a mask.”

This past spring she helped create puppets for the Paul Winter Consort’s performance at First Church in West Hartford. “The big thing I made for them was a flock of seagulls, five seagull puppets. I made a condor. And I made a humpback whale, because in Paul Winter the whale is sort of the iconic sound. The whale was 12-feet-long and took five people to swim, so to speak. So that’s the kind of thing that I do,” she said.

“To make dance costumes is like the most fun thing ever, because it looks like one thing when it’s standing still and it looks like another thing when it’s moving, and from a design point of view that’s really fun,” she said.

How can a dancer see through an oversized mask? Where are the eye holes?

“Some of the material is thermal plastic, and you can see through it after it’s molded into the shape that you need,” she said. “They have to be able to see, that’s another thing about dancing. I mean, if you’re just walking down the street in a parade and you’re wearing a mascot head, that’s one thing. But these dancers have to be dancers first and then the character, so you have to make sure that they can do all this stuff.”

Susan said, “I like working on this project because of my family connection, but also I really like their dedication, their excellence. It’s really a thrill to be part of a project of that caliber. I’m 10 minutes away from this international dance academy. I drive into town and think, ‘Oh my gosh, this is right here!’”

Janessa Cornell Urwin is working on another aspect of the new costumes: she is designing many of them. Janessa danced at Nutmeg from 2005 to 2007, then danced with Roxey Ballet Company in Lambertville, N.J. She moved to American Repertory Ballet, where she also worked in the costume shop. She became a full-time assistant there and later retired from dancing and became wardrobe supervisor.

“I loved what I was doing, so I ended up deciding that my dance career wasn’t going to be that much longer anyway. I sort of cut my dance career short in order to go into costuming, which turned out to be a really great decision,” she said.

She earned a certificate in costume design from Fashion Institute of Technology and began designing new ballets. This past spring, while designing a new “Beauty and the Beast” for Kirk Peterson at ARB, she found herself in the right place at the right time.

“In the middle of that project, Kirk was teaching at Nutmeg, and they were mentioning that they were looking into getting a new ‘Nutcracker,’ and he said [to Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director], ‘Oh, Janessa just designed “Beauty and the Beast” for me, you should call her. She’s an alum here.’”

When Victoria asked if she was interested, Janessa said, “Absolutely, I haven’t done a ‘Nutcracker’ yet. I would love to do one!”

She is designing new Snowflake costumes and new Flower costumes, as well as the Marzipan and Jesters. “I think we have 14 Snowflakes made, 14 Flowers made, four principal Snowflakes, two Dew Drops and more,” she said.

“I have two costume shops working for me: One of them is Class Act Tutu in Seattle, Washington; they do really great work for ballet,” she said. “I’m also working with Travis Halsey Costume Shop in Chicago, and he’s doing the Marzipan and the Jesters. I am also working with an independent stitcher, Lisa Dietrich of Texas.”

Like Susan Aziz, Janessa Cornell Urwin feels a special bond with the Nutmeg. “Just being able to go back and work with the school I graduated from, I still can’t wrap my mind around it,” she said. “I know most of the staff. It’s so much fun working with them in a professional capacity as opposed to being a student. I’m coming back as a costume designer, in a slightly different field although it’s related, so that’s really cool for me.”

Victoria said, “I am thrilled to be working with such incredibly creative women. Their history with Nutmeg is very special to all of us. Once a Nutmegger, always a Nutmegger.”

Nutmeg Ballet has produced “The Nutcracker” more than 40 times since Sharon Dante founded Nutmeg in 1969. In celebration of Nutmeg’s first 50 years, “The Nutcracker” this year will feature a completely redesigned set and new costumes when it is performed at the Warner Theatre Dec. 7 and 8 and at the Bushnell Dec. 14 and 15. For ticket information, go to www.nutmegconservatory.org/nutcracker.

"Nutmeg Nuggets: Young dancers audition for all new ‘Nutcracker"

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Register Citizen

From left, Ainsley Kinsella, 6; Maeve Kinsella, 8; and Rowan Kinsella, 10, pose next to their mother, Britton Kinsella, all of Goshen, moments before auditioning for roles in Nutmeg Ballet’s all-new “Nutcracker” last week at the Nutmeg Conservatory. Britton appeared in previous productions and said she is excited that her daughters will be part of Nutmeg’s 50th-anniversary celebration by dancing in the first production to feature new scenery and costumes at the Warner Theatre and The Bushnell in December.

TORRINGTON — Does number 51 look good next to number 61? How about 48 next to 63? Are they close enough in height? Can they concentrate during the long rehearsal process?

This was the kind of discussion that dance instructors at The Nutmeg Ballet had as they evaluated more than 70 students auditioning for “The Nutcracker” this month.

“We like to put people in the best roles that fit them and the roles that fit for the whole group,” said Susan Szabo, Nutmeg’s children’s ballet mistress. She told the assembled auditioners, who ranged in age from about 4 to 14, “If you were in last year’s ‘Nutcracker,’ you may play a different role this year, because this is a whole new ‘Nutcracker.’ ”

It’s new because in celebration of Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary, an entirely new set and hundreds of new costumes have been created. This will mean that choreography, and perhaps a few plot details, will change to accommodate different dimensions of the brilliant new set and props.

Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director, didn’t want to give away surprises but said she has lots of new ideas. “We will have many news surprises for the audience without veering too far from the beautiful and traditional ‘Nutcracker’ story. Our production belongs to everyone!” she said. “We train our students to focus and concentrate from their very first class with Nutmeg. It is all a work in progress and we love it.”

She told the auditioning students, “The new set is exciting and a little scary, but it will be great. We will have to be doing things a little differently. But every single role in ‘The Nutcracker’ is important. We couldn’t do it without you and without the parents. Everybody does their part and it all comes together, and it’s magic.”

Tim Melady, principal ballet master, told the auditioners, “I think it’s going to be an exciting year. You’re going to be a part of a brand new ‘Nutcracker.’ I think it’s incredible. We used the old set for 24 years, and that was your parents’. Now it’s your turn. You all are a part of a new legacy, so congratulations already!”

Nearly 70 students pre-registered for the auditions, and 46 older Nutmeg Ballet students are expected to perform as well. Not every student will be in every one of the seven performances scheduled in December at The Bushnell and The Warner.

Before auditions began, Britton Kinsella of Goshen was helping her three daughters get ready. She said her daughter Rowan is 10 and has been in four previous “Nutcracker” productions. Daughter Maeve, 8, will this year be in her third production, while 6-year-old Ainsley will experience the magic for the first time.

“I went to TSOB (Torrington School of Ballet) at the Nutmeg as a child,” Britton said. “I was in some of the earlier productions, so it’s kind of cool to see my daughters now dance the same production years later.”

She said she was excited to learn of the new set and new costumes. “I have not seen anything, but I’ve heard a lot about it. It’s going to be a big surprise,” she said.

Performances at the Warner Theatre will be Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. Performances at The Bushnell will be Dec. 14 and 15 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available through www.nutmegconservatory.org/nutcracker.

"Nutmeg Nuggets: Young dancers can be part of Torrington history"

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Register Citizen

Dance instructor Cassie Sprance helps a young student achieve a desired position.

TORRINGTON — Does your young child love to dance? Maybe he or she can be part of Torrington history this year.

Registration is in full swing now for all ages (about 4 to12) and all levels of dance students at Torrington School of Ballet, for classes beginning in September, said Susan Szabo, TSOB director and children’s ballet mistress.

“There will be open house registration sessions August 19 and 26 and Sept. 5, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.,” she said. “Come meet the teachers of Torrington School of Ballet and get a tour of the building. Plus, receive 15 percent off of all your dance wear needs when you register at an open house.”

And what about being part of Torrington history?

“Our main performance during the year is ‘The Nutcracker,’” Szabo said. “We will be having ‘Nutcracker’ auditions Sept. 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. And this year it’s an all-new ‘Nutcracker,’ with a new set and new costumes. That’s exciting. Students 7 to 14 can audition to be a part of the very first, 50th anniversary performance with brand new scenery and costumes.”

Pre-ballet classes for ages about 4 to 5 teach students about developing listening skills and discipline, she said. Four levels above that, accommodating ages 6 to 12, build on each other and prepare students to enter Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory classes.

TSOB class size is usually between 12 and 15 students, but no more than 20, Szabo said. “The artistic staff decides where to place students — Cassie Sprance and myself. Lori Pagano, business manager, gets us last year’s roster, and we will go through and give them all their placement levels.”

The Dance Shop, located in the Conservatory with an entrance at 62 Main St., has everything a student needs to wear, she said. “And don’t forget the 15 percent discount for students who register at the open house,” she said.

Szabo took her first dance lesson as a child from a dance school in Torrington. “I knew I wanted to be a teacher from the first day I went to a dance school when I was six,” she said. “My mother said, ‘How was it?’ and I said, ‘I’m going to be a dance teacher.’ I was six years old. Never changed my mind. Never.”

Later, as a teenager, she took lessons from Nutmeg Ballet founder Sharon Dante, who had just returned to Torrington after studying classical ballet in New York City. “It was thrilling for me to find that,” Szabo said.

She said the earlier a child starts, the better the chances are that they can become a professional dancer, if that is the goal. “There are other values to taking ballet as a young child, such as learning listening skills and learning a sense of their bodies,” she said. “For many preschool kids, we are their introduction to life outside the home.”

She said, “The discipline and the training and the detail take young people in a direction where they could be involved in dance — or maybe not. A lot of them stay in the field and a lot of them don’t, but it never leaves them. You can take the dancer out of Nutmeg, but you can’t take Nutmeg out of the dancer.”

Whatever lifetime goals your child ultimately chooses, she or he has a chance now, to be part of Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary celebration, including being among the first dancers to appear in “The Nutcracker” with a brand new set and new costumes.

Contact Lori Pagano at Torrington School of Ballet, 860-482-7375, or go to www.nutmegconservatory.org, then click on “Ballet Programs” and then “TSOB at the Nutmeg” for more information.

"Nutmeg Nuggets: Torrington Elks lodge serves Nutmeg dancers"

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Register Citizen

Summer residency students from Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory join staff members from Nutmeg and Torrington Elks Lodge 372 after a recent lunch at the Elks.

TORRINGTON — Maybe you’ve seen them — dozens of young people walking across the bridge in downtown Torrington three times a day.

Who are these kids and where are they going?

They are students at Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. And, if they are walking south across the Naugatuck River, they’re on their way to the Torrington Elks Lodge 372 at 70 Litchfield St. for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If they’re walking north, they’re on their way back to the Conservatory at 58 Main St. to hone their skills in classical ballet technique, pointe, partnering and more.

“The Elks reached out to us last fall to offer their food services,” said Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director at the Nutmeg. “Our chef, Denis Frauenhofer, at St. Peter/St. Francis School, where the dancers had been eating, retired and we needed help. The Elks have really come through for us.”

Three times a day in the summertime, between 80 and 90 summer students from Nutmeg’s pre-professional training programs walk from the Conservatory to the Elks Lodge, about two-tenths of a mile. After Labor Day, resident students in the regular programs will enjoy lunch and dinner at the Elks, Monday through Friday.

Karen Tuck, housing director at Nutmeg, said, “The meal program is great. They serve healthy meals and cater to special dietary needs. They are very accommodating to kids with special diets.”

Kelly Kampartus, head chef for all events at the Elks Lodge and at Elks Pond on Guerdat Road, said she and her staff take extra care to cater to special dietary needs. “We have 14 vegetarians and 12 students who cannot eat gluten,” she said of the current summer enrollment.

Several students also have allergies, and so there are separate containers in the buffet for nuts, dairy products and even peaches.

Kelly said she is impressed with the orderliness and politeness of the students, who came to Torrington from all over the globe. “It’s such a pleasure to serve them. Their manners are just impeccable, and all the groups have been just absolutely wonderful. It’s a neat experience,” she said.

Sharon Dante, founding director of the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, said, “When we needed to find a way to feed our young students, the Elks stepped up to the plate big time, and I can’t thank them enough. Well, I also want to personally thank Denis Frauenhofer, the former chef at St. Peter/St. Francis School, who took excellent care of our students’ dietary needs for many years before he retired last year. It is great to be embraced by a local organization such as the Elks. Kelly and her team of assistants at the Elks have been magnificent to the point that our students are loving the program and their residency here in Torrington.”

The students in the summer program will take part in a demonstration performance at noon August 10, in the Premiere Studio at the Nutmeg Conservatory. The younger students will perform variations they learned during their time at Nutmeg, and all students will present a final presentation of scenes from “Coppélia,” choreographed by Victoria Mazzarelli.

For tickets, go to www.warnertheatre.org or call 860-489-7180.

"Nutmeg Nuggets: Dress a snowflake, put a mask on a mouse"

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 04:00:00 GMT

By Jack Sheedy | The Register Citizen

Averie Brooks, 12, and her mom, Amy Brooks, of New Hartford, pose at the Nutmeg Conservatory June 15 during orientation for the 2019 Professional Summer Programs. Averie has studied with Nutmeg for six years and will take part in two summer sessions totaling six weeks. A total of 260 students have signed up for the three summer sessions, running now through Aug. 10. For information, call the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory at 860-482-4413.

TORRINGTON - Have you ever wanted to dress a snowflake?

Seriously, you can. Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” features a “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” when dancers in white represent snowflakes. When the Nutmeg Ballet presents that annual performance this coming Christmas season, they will dress the stage with a new set and their dancers with new costumes.

“‘Nutcracker’ is such an important part of Torrington. I mean it’s a tradition for a lot of families,” said Vicky Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director. “And this is a big deal that we’re doing a new one. You know, we’re putting ourselves out there, so if the community could be a part of that, it would be so wonderful.”

She said it’s easy to support the building of a new set - which is already designed and under construction - and the purchase of new costumes by calling the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory or donating on their secure website.

“And they could even contact us if they wanted to donate to a particular piece of the set,” Mazzarelli said. “Call the Conservatory if you’d like to donate the star drop or the little pieces of the set or in honor of someone. Maybe someone would say, ‘Wow, I’d love to do that in honor of my mom!’ Or the snowflakes’ costumes ... or the costumes of the mice.”

Since 1996, Nutmeg has used a set designed by Campbell Baird.

The new set was designed by Roger LaVoie, a renowned scenic designer from Boston. The public got a sneak peek at it during a Business After Hours networking event sponsored by Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce in November 2018. Now it is being built by the scenic shop at American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass.

“We are looking to the future,” said founder Sharon E. Dante. “The ‘NEW Nutcracker 2019’ brings in fresh new and breathtaking scenery, lighting and special stage effects that could not have been realized back in 1996. This new production will carry Victoria’s artistic vision into the ’20s and ’30s and maybe even up to the 75th-year celebration of Nutmeg. And, by the way, I fully intend to be here cheering the current and future staff and students on.”

“By the time Thanksgiving rolls around and we move into the Warner Theatre, and then The Bushnell, the set will be done,” Mazzarelli said. “It will be really great to have a big reveal.”

Dress a snowflake, or dress a mouse, or point to that colorful new backdrop when you attend “The Nutcracker” this year and say, “I helped make that happen.”

To donate from the secure website, go to www.nutmegconservatory.org/support-us, or call the Nutmeg at 860-482-4413.

‘Dance Jubilee’ set for Warner’s main stage

Thu, 16 May 2019 16:30:29 GMT

May 16, 2019 9:08 am

By JACK SHEEDY for The Register Citizen

TORRINGTON – “Dance, ballerina, dance!”

That is what dozens of ballerinas and danseurs will be doing May 16, 17 and 18 on the main stage of the Warner Theatre, as they present Nutmeg’s Dance Jubilee.

But, unlike the Carl Sigman/Bob Russell song made famous by Vaughn Monroe, the Nutmeg Ballet dancers hope there will be no “chair that’s empty in the second row” of the 1,770-seat theater. As Nutmeg begins to celebrate its first 50 years, they are hoping to fill the theater.

The Nutmeg Dance Jubilee is the culminating event of the 2018-2019 dance season and of the Nutmeg’s first 49 seasons.

“Time flies when you’re having such fun,” said Sharon Dante, Nutmeg Conservatory’s founding director. “The first 49 years have seen growth not only for Nutmeg and its students and staff but certainly for our entire arts community in Torrington. Nutmeg has become a significant economic driver for our unique little city nestled in the northwest Connecticut foothills. It is only right that we should celebrate this milestone on the Warner main stage since we were so involved with re-opening the Warner in 1983.”

She added that Nutmeg plans to maintain the same intimate and personal approach from the main stage as from the Warner’s smaller Nancy Marine stage or Nutmeg’s Premiere Studio, where these spring performances had traditionally been held. Early ticket holders will fill seats nearest the stage.

Donna Mattiello, academic dean, said, “The event takes place during graduation weekend, when the entire student body, friends and invited guests to gather along with the 12 graduating dancers taking part in commencement exercises as part of the May 18 program.”

The performances feature excerpts from “Paquita,” staged by Eleanor D’Antuono and Denise Limoli, and including 38 young students from the Torrington School of Ballet.

Nutmeg dancers will also perform original works by Momix, Kirk Peterson, and Kate St. Amand; as well as an encore presentation of last year’s “Jazz with Charlie,” a collaboration between artistic director Victoria Mazzarelli and Charlie Patterson, featuring live music performed by the local jazz ensemble JINQS.

“Our evening is a wonderful mix of classical ballet and modern dance,” Mazzarelli said. “I am thrilled to be collaborating with Charlie Patterson and JINQS again. Having live music really takes the performance to another level.”

Performances are May 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. and May 18 at 2 p.m. on the main stage of the Warner Theatre, 68 Main St., Torrington. For tickets, call the Warner box office at 860-489-7180 or go to Nutmegconservatory.org, choose Performances from the top menu, then click on Dance Jubilee.

Order early. You may be the one to fill that empty seat in the second row.

"Our evening is a wonderful mix of classical ballet and modern dance,” Mazzarelli said. “I am thrilled to be collaborating with Charlie Patterson and JINQS again. Having live music really takes the performance to another level.”

Nutmeg Nuggets: Spring Studio Series

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 19:29:58 GMT

By Jack Sheedy

for the Register Citizen

TORRINGTON — Spring is in the air — and it’s in the dance steps of the talented students at Nutmeg Ballet and Torrington School of Ballet. The Spring Studio Series of dance and music performances begins March 20, the first day of spring.

Formerly called Impact, the new name emphasizes the season as well as the venue, which is the Premiere Studio of the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts at 58 Main Street. Every year it features excerpts from a wide assortment of traditional and modern works, as well as original choreography and staging by Nutmeg’s and TSOB’s accomplished faculty.

“We managed to have a combination of classical and modern pieces, because when students go to a ballet company, they have to be very versatile,” Victoria said. “This year’s Spring Studio Series promises to be very exciting.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.warnertheatre.org or by calling the Warner Theatre at 860-489-7180.

Spring into dance with Nutmeg’s Studio Series

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 16:48:25 GMT

by Jack Sheedy

Litchfield County Times

This year’s show starts with excerpts from “Paquita,” a mid-19th century ballet by French composer Édouard Deldevez and Paris Opéra ballet master Joseph Mazilier. It tells the story of a girl who is abducted by gypsies and later learns she is of noble birth and therefore eligible to marry the French officer whose life she saved.

“We have done ‘Paquita,’ but it’s been a while,” said Nutmeg’s artistic director Victoria Mazzarelli. “We did it in the summer some years ago and I love it. I love to have the Nutmeg and TSOB students get an understanding of classical ballet. It is so important for them as well as doing contemporary work.”

Excerpts from “Paquita,” staged by Eleanor D’Antuono, Denise Limoli and Victoria Mazzarelli will comprise the first act in performances on March 20, 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. and March 23 at 2 p.m. Also appearing will be students of the Torrington School of Ballet as coached by children’s ballet mistress Cassie Sprance.

“It’s great to have Denise here in residence,” said Victoria. “She is a great help with staging, and her work with our students complements everything we are doing. Kate St. Amand will be back as a choreographer in the second act, as well as Kirk Peterson.” Kate will choreograph “Ad Astra Per Aspera,” with music by Christopher Berg. Kirk will choreograph “La Source,” with music by Leo Delibes and Ludwig Minkus; and “Laurencia,” to music by Alexander Krein.

In addition, ballet master Tim Melady will stage “Solar Flares” (music by Brent Lewis) and “Hornets” (music by Eastern Dub Tactik), popular creations of MOMIX, choreographed by its founder Moses Pendleton.

Victoria will also choreograph Gabriel Fauré’s meditative piece “After a Dream,” as well as a reprise of last year’s popular “Jazz with Charlie,” live music of Thelonius Monk as arranged by Charlie Patterson and performed by the local quintet JINQS.

“We managed to have a combination of classical and modern pieces because when students go to a ballet company, they have to be very versatile,” Victoria said. “This year’s Spring Studio Series promises to be very exciting.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.warnertheatre.org or by calling the Warner Theatre at 860-489-7180.

Acclaimed dance, music duo join Nutmeg for its 50th year

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 17:54:26 GMT

by Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON — Quick quiz: What do Russian dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev, Russian ballerina Natalia Makarova and American ballerina Gelsey Kirkland all have in common with Torrington?

Answer: They have all worked with Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s newest faculty members Michael Limoli and Denise Warner Limoli.

“In the course of my career as a pianist and classical clarinetist, I’ve played for Baryshnikov,” Michael said during an interview that included his wife, Denise, and Nutmeg founder Sharon Dante. “I’ve played for Gelsey Kirkland and many of the biggest stars in the ballet world, and I am so lucky,” he said.

Denise has been with the Nutmeg Ballet since its beginning 49 years ago, first as a dancer, then a teacher, then staging repertoire and coaching the Nutmeg dancers. But until recently, both Michael and Denise helped out at Nutmeg intermittently while pursuing dance- and music-related careers in other parts of the country. They both retired a few months ago, and thanks to Torrington Savings Bank and Nutmeg they bought a new home in Torrington and joined the permanent faculty of Nutmeg Ballet.

“Denise was the first star of Nutmeg,” Sharon said. “Actually, she was the first guest artist of the Nutmeg.”

“I met Sharon when I was at the Hartford Ballet,” Denise said. It was the mid-’60s. They formed a close friendship. In 1969, Denise was living in Hartford and came to Torrington to see her friend Sharon’s new dance school, Nutmeg Ballet, then located on Migeon Ave.

“She was doing an extraordinary job after having studied the Vaganova syllabus,” Denise said. “I could see that this school and its training was going to be something pretty wonderful. We started working together. I helped teach a little bit, but my first contribution to the Nutmeg organization was as a dancer, as a performer. Students were young and Sharon wanted to show a professional level of training to her students and the audience.”

Sharon added, “We wanted to show our young students where we were going. We weren’t there yet.” As the dance students matured and gained skills, Denise began performing less and teaching repertoire more. “And she’s been doing it ever since,” Sharon said.

In the early ’80s, Denise Warner met Michael Limoli, an accomplished classical clarinetist and pianist. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and at Lincoln Center. He was also trained in classical ballet in the Indiana University Ballet Theatre. Denise and Michael married in 1982.

“I graduated from Indiana University with degrees in music and ballet and went to New York City and was offered a contract at Harkness Ballet,” Michael said. He later returned to Indiana University and earned a doctorate in music and ballet.

One year he accompanied Denise on one of her trips to Nutmeg. He said, “I started talking to Sharon, and the wheels in her mind are always turning. She said, ‘I always wanted to have live music in my ballet studio.’” Sharon had her Wurlitzer piano moved to her studio, then on Water Street, and Michael began playing during lessons. “Sharon and I became kind of a duo. We understood exactly what we wanted,” he said.

Michael’s musical skills were an important catalyst — along with generous benefactors — for transforming Sharon’s dance school into the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts almost 20 years ago.

Michael is also an author. His book, “Marina Svetlova: A Tribute,” just released in January by Authorhouse, celebrates the career of one of the most influential ballerinas of the twentieth century. The book is available on Amazon.

In 1984, Denise was one of several coaches for Victoria Mazzarelli, a Nutmeg student who was about to compete in the New York International Ballet Competition. Victoria — who is now Nutmeg’s artistic director — won the only gold medal in that competition and was presented with the award by Tony Randall and Gwen Verdon.

“When she won we just screamed and yelled like everybody else,” Denise said. “It was very exciting. It was the culminating point of many years that Sharon and I worked together.”

“It was wonderful,” Victoria said later by phone. “I mean, she taught us so much. It was a pretty amazing time and it worked out well for me.”

Fast forward! Now, Denise, Victoria and other Nutmeg choreographers are working on the 2019 Spring Studio Series, a showcase for the talented Nutmeg students, to be held at the Conservatory in March.

“Every year we would try to get Denise here anyway, but now that she lives nearby she has time to do more coaching,” Victoria said. “There’s some real quality work going on with all the teachers, and Denise brings a knowledge of traditional, classical ballet, which is so important for the kids.”

Denise is working with Nutmeg’s resident coach Eleanor D’Antuono to stage excerpts from “Paquita,” a 19th century ballet by French composer Édouard Deldevez and Paris Opéra ballet master Joseph Mazilier. “There’s a corps de ballet of eight women,” Denise said. “I have six demi-soloists, women, a principal ballerina and a principal man.” Eleanor is staging the pas de trois from a different act of “Paquita,” which will be inserted, Denise said.

“I love ‘Paquita’,” Victoria said. “The music is beautiful, and it’s very styled. There’s a certain style to it and Denise is a great help with that.”

For Sharon, having Denise and Michael back with Nutmeg on a more permanent basis is the realization of yet another of her many goals. “We are feeling good that we are here at this time of our lives,” she said. “We are the senior group now, as I step back, and Vicky is center stage. We are a little upstage left or right or something, just watching over. We are just there to be the guardian angels.”

“As it should be,” Denise and Michael said, almost in unison.

“As it should be,” Sharon said.

The Spring Studio Series will be performed March 20, 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. and March 23 at 2 p.m. Performances will also feature students from the Torrington School of Ballet, works by MOMIX, live music by local jazz ensemble JINQS and more. All performances will be in the Premiere Studio of the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, 58 Main St., Torrington. For information and tickets, call the Warner Theatre at 860-489-7180 or go to warnertheatre.org.

“As it should be,” Denise and Michael said, almost in unison.

“As it should be,” Sharon said.

Nutmeg Nuggets: Students give special performances for local students

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 18:04:16 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – Nearly 1,500 Torrington school children were treated to Nutmeg Ballet’s kid-friendly version of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 14 at the Warner Theatre, thanks to a Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation grant provided by the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny R. Fyler Fund.

Torrington residents Carlton D. Fyler, a chauffeur, and Jenny R. Fyler, an educator, established the endowed fund in 1988 through their estate planning. Donna Labbe, project grant writer for the school system, said, “The Fund continues their lifelong interest in supporting the moral, artistic, intellectual, and physical development of children.” The Fund is managed through the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, a repository for charitable giving established in 1969.

Victoria Mazzarelli, Artistic Director at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, said the grant to the Torrington Public Schools enabled Nutmeg to rent the Warner Theatre one extra day for the special, abridged “Nutcracker” during its 2018 performance run that ended Dec. 16.

Donna Mattiello, Director of Academics at Nutmeg, said, “We’re very grateful to be partnering with the Torrington Public Schools in this endeavor and are thankful that both the school district and the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation believe, as we do, in the power of the arts to transform lives and enrich communities.”

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, an educational leadership organization with 160,000 members in 148 countries, said in a report that “studies also show that participating in the arts can actually boost student achievement in other academic areas.”

Joanne LoBrutto, Development Associate at Nutmeg, acted as a liaison with Labbe. LoBrutto said she hopes the kid-friendly “Nutcracker” will become an annual event that will enrich young people’s appreciation for the arts in the Torrington area.

Sharon Dante, Founding Director, said, “We at Nutmeg are thrilled that so many loyal lovers of the dance showed up at both the Bushnell and the Warner to support these talented students. We bid a fond farewell to the scenery designed by Campbell Baird and look forward to unveiling a new set next year, created by Boston’s renowned set designer Roger LaVoie.”

Students from the Torrington Public School system nearly filled the Warner Theatre on Dec. 14 for a special performance of “The Nutcracker,” thanks to a grant from the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation provided by the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny R. Fyler Fund.

Nutmeg Nuggets: Conservatory to honor Chuck Lautz

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 18:07:39 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – Special recognition will be given to longtime Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory volunteer Chuck Lautz at Nutmeg’s final 2018 performance of “The Nutcracker” Sunday at the Warner Theatre.

Friends, family, Nutmeg students and their parents are invited backstage after the performance to celebrate Chuck’s more than 20 years of service. He will be honored with a gift of a nutcracker in celebration of his faithful care of the 22-year-old “Nutcracker” scenery, which will be retired after this season.

The set was designed by Campbell Baird and was first used in 1996. A new set designed by Roger LaVoie will be unveiled for the 2019 season.

Chuck was a driving force behind the renovation of the building at 58 Main Street that is now Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. He was chair of the building committee and owner of New Milford Window Cleaning, which cleaned not only the windows, but polished the floors of the new space prior to its ribbon-cutting in June 2001.

Donna Mattiello, academic dean at Nutmeg Conservatory, said, “Chuck began hanging around the studios when his daughter, Stephanie, was a student in the late 80s and 90s.”

He began volunteering backstage at “Nutcracker” performances and even played a cameo role as the Grandfather in one performance. After his on-stage appearance, he returned to his backstage duties.

“Chuck has always been a mainstay at Nutmeg whether it had to do with the ‘Nutcracker’ set or any part of the performance,” said Joan Kunsch, associate artistic director. “Chuck has always been there, always helping, totally selfless, generous in everything that he has done for Nutmeg.”

Sharon Dante, Nutmeg founder and executive director, said, “We give him credit for this production, but more so, I give him credit for our building, because as chair of the building committee, he was with me and he was able to go and talk to the construction people many times in a way that I would not be able to do.”

Joe Fazzino, treasurer of Nutmeg’s board of directors, has volunteered with Chuck for many years. “You build up a relationship with people over the years as you load in the set and unload it at night,” he said. “You learn a lot about the people and you stay in touch throughout the year, not just ‘Nutcracker’ season. You bond over a shared work that you’re doing and have a lot of laughs.”

“He’s invulnerable,” said Tim Melady, principal ballet master and national audition tour co-director. Melady also stage manages “Nutcracker” performances. “Chuck knows every single part of this set in his head. He operates the crank that makes the Christmas tree grow. He has often been in charge of making the snow fall during performances. He always has the best snow bag technique. He makes the snow fall beautifully.”

Except for one year, Fazzino said. “One year the snow bag was installed improperly, and Chuck was pulling down on the cord and it was very light. He pulled harder and emptied the entire snow bag.”

“It was a blizzard!” Chuck said in a phone interview. “One of the ropes broke and it just dropped all of the snow.”

Chuck said he got involved with volunteering when his daughter Stephanie was a Nutmeg student. He quickly took a keen interest in the inner workings of Nutmeg, which then occupied a small space on Water Street. He was one of a group of people who saw a need for a bigger studio.

“I was on the building committee with Joe Fazzino and Kent Humphrey,” he said. “I was like the on-hand supervisor, checking to make sure everything was all right. Clerk of the works, they called it. I did all the construction cleanup, which I’ve been doing for years with my New Milford Window Cleaning company.”

Looking back on more than 20 years of volunteering, Chuck said, “We have more fun and memories. We’ll see what happens next year. We’ll do some more.”

Final performances of this season’s “The Nutcracker” are Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Warner Theatre. For ticket information, call the Warner box office at 860-482-7180 or go online at warnertheatre.org.

Nutmeg Nuggets: Litchfield restaurant picks Nutmeg Conservatory as December charity

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 18:12:23 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – December is a month of giving, and Litchfield’s Saltwater Grille is giving diners a chance to help them give to Torrington’s noted dance academy, Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory.

Make a reservation to dine at Saltwater Grille during December, Fridays and Saturdays lunch only, and the restaurant will donate 10 percent of your check to support Nutmeg’s programs.

Owners Andy Stowers and Brook Noel Stowers inaugurated the Charity of the Month program in February to give back to the community that supports them.

The Litchfield and East Litchfield volunteer fire departments and the Warner Theatre are among past participants in the program.

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory was founded as a small dance studio in Torrington in 1969 by Sharon E. Dante and has grown to become an internationally renowned academy of dance with students from all parts of the United States and other countries.

The conservatory’s mission is to provide professional-level training, education and performance experience in classical ballet and other dance forms for young students dedicated to the art of dance.

The Saltwater Grille was founded in 2007. The Stowers have owned it since 2013. It is known for a diverse menu featuring fine seafood, a raw bar, and a coveted location in the historic district of iconic Litchfield.

To participate, call the Saltwater Grille at 860-567-4900 and make a reservation for any day during the month of December and mention the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. The Saltwater Grille is located at 26 Commons Drive in Litchfield.

Nutmeg Nuggets: Chamber event to highlight new ‘Nutcracker’ design

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 17:15:01 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON – “We built everything,” said Roger LaVoie, designer of a brand-new set for Nutmeg Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” Lavoie, who has been designing for more than four decades, previewed his new design before staff and board members at the Nutmeg Conservatory in October. A full reveal will take place Nov. 13 during a Business After Hours session at the Conservatory, sponsored by the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve done ‘The Nutcracker’ many times,” LaVoie said. His past “Nutcracker” clients include Alberta Ballet, Springfield (Missouri) Ballet, Northeast Youth Ballet, Tucson Ballet and more. “So I’ve done a lot of ‘Nutcrackers,’” he said. “They’re all completely different.”

The new set will debut in 2019 as part of Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary celebration, said Sharon Dante, who founded Nutmeg in 1969.

“I’m a seasoned designer,” LaVoie said in a recent interview. “I know the questions to ask. I know how things work. And so I think my strength is that I’ve been doing it for many years,” he said with a chuckle.

One of the challenges he faced while designing the set over the past year was how to make the same set fit two stages of different dimensions – the Warner Theatre in Torrington and the Bushnell in Hartford. The Warner stage is about eight feet wider than the Bushnell’s, he said. To accommodate both venues, the portals through which the audience views the set can expand, as can many elements of the set itself.

Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director, said, “I was immediately drawn to Roger’s color palette, creativity, and beautifully painted designs. I am honored to have the opportunity to work closely with him during the creative process and to bring what I am sure will be a visually stunning production to our audiences.”

Donna Mattiello, academic dean at the Nutmeg Conservatory, said, “It’s so exciting to see imagination and vision come together and the result is a set design that stacks right up there with those of professional companies in much bigger cities. Truly spectacular!”

The full reveal of the new set will be a highlight of the Nov. 13 Business After Hours at the Conservatory, Dante said. Business After Hours is a monthly networking event the Chamber sponsors. It is held at a different member location each month. “We really want to share the wonderful experiences that Nutmeg is creating for this community, this region and well beyond,” said JoAnn Ryan, president and CEO of the

Chamber. The event will be from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Nutmeg Conservatory, 58 Main St., Torrington. For information on how to register to attend, call the Chamber at 860-482-6586.

Nutmeg Nuggets: Nutmeg prepares for Columbus Day, networking event

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 17:18:14 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy TORRINGTON –

What’s coming up on Nutmeg Ballet’s calendar? Here are three events of interest to you.

Oct. 12: Are you ready for Columbus Day? Nutmeg is all set to help the Torrington chapter of UNICO National celebrate Columbus Day with a program of entertainment at Coe Memorial Park.

UNICO’s annual celebration begins with a ceremony at Columbus Square at 8:30 a.m., followed by entertainment at Coe Memorial Park beginning at 9 a.m. In keeping with the day’s Italian theme, Nutmeg students will dance the tarantella, choreographed by artistic director Victoria Mazzarelli.

Peggy Hotchkiss, a UNICO member, said Nutmeg has been a part of the annual Columbus Day celebration since 2005.

Nov. 13: Nutmeg will host its first-ever Business After Hours event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, 58 Main St. Business After Hours is a monthly networking event presented by Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. It is held at a different chamber member site each month.

JoAnn Ryan, president and CEO of the chamber, said, “We really want to share the wonderful experiences that Nutmeg is creating for this community, this region and well beyond. People will be amazed when they see some of the dancers, and when they learn of the extensiveness and the experience and excellence of Nutmeg. It really is incredible what they’ve done over the years, and we just want to show them off to everybody.”

Anita Rosa, vice president of finance and operations at the chamber, said, “One of the things the Business After Hours event provides is really the exposure of the business or organization to let people in. Unless you have a child that goes to Nutmeg, or you’ve gone to a special event, you may not have ever seen the inside of the conservatory. We invite all of the chamber membership, and we invite our potential members and guests.”

Potential guests are asked to register in advance with the chamber by calling 860-482-6586.

Dec. 14: About 1,200 Torrington Public School students in grades 2-5 will be treated to a free, abbreviated performance of “The Nutcracker,” thanks to a Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation grant provided by the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny R. Fyler Fund. Just before the curtain goes up on this kid-friendly performance at the Warner Theatre, students will listen to a synopsis of the story and interact with the performers.

“We’re very grateful to be partnering with the Torrington Public Schools in this endeavor and are thankful that both the school district and the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation believe, as we do, in the power of the arts to transform lives and enrich communities,” said Donna Mattiello, director of academics at Nutmeg.

This season, Nutmeg for the last time will use the exquisite “Nutcracker” set designed by Campbell Baird. A thrilling new set by Roger Lavoie will be unveiled in November and used next season for the first time, as part of Nutmeg’s upcoming 50th anniversary celebration in 2019.

Nutmeg Nuggets: ‘Nutcracker” sets to change after 2018 shows

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 17:20:52 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy TORRINGTON —

While the story of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet “The Nutcracker” never changes, this year’s production by Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory will be unique in many ways.

As Nutmeg gears up for its 50th anniversary in 2019, the set that has been used since 1996 has been showing signs of wear. If all goes as planned, this will be the final year that set will be used, both at the Warner and at the Bushnell. The design of a brand new, professionally designed “Nutcracker” set will be revealed in November and put to use in 2019, said Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director.

“Our patrons are encouraged to attend this year’s ‘Nutcracker’ to see Campbell Baird’s exquisite set one last time,” said Sharon Dante, founder.

PHOTO CUTLINE: Kim Shanks, left rear, and Ashley LaBonte, both of Litchfield, help Kim’s daughter Jemima (51), friend Lillian Perkel (56), and Ashley’s daughter Addison (54) register to audition for “The Nutcracker” Sept. 22 at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. (Photo by Jack Sheedy)

“Our audience has seen this set for so many years, and we’re pretty excited to present a new set, and we’re looking forward to revealing it,” Mazzarelli said.

More information about the new set, designed by Roger Lavoie, will be announced in future “Nutmeg Nuggets” columns.

This past Saturday, Sept. 22, almost 100 young dance students from around the area auditioned for Nutmeg’s 2018 “Nutcracker,” said Sharon Dante, founder.

Donna Mattiello, academic dean, said, “It’s one of the few times in the year that youngsters interact with Nutmeg proper. It’s very exciting for the little kids to come and dance with the bigger dancers. They have stars in their eyes, you know, they’re looking at the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum, and sometimes it’s the beginning of a young child’s performance experience. For many dancers, it’s really the performing that’s the real thing. It’s that adrenaline that they feel. When they do perform, that tends to be the start of their addiction.”

Kim Shanks, of Litchfield, said she was excited that her daughter Jemima, 10, was trying out. “Dancing develops a respect for teachers and offers a way of expressing themselves and building character. They love it,” she said.

Performances of “The Nutcracker” at the Bushnell in Hartford are Dec. 8 and 9 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 860-987-5900 or online at bushnell.org/thenutcracker. Regular performances at the Warner Theatre in Torrington are Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. For tickets, call 860-482-7180 or order online at warnertheatre.org.

‘Ballet & Broadway’ raises cash for Nutmeg, Warner

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 17:28:19 GMT

Press Release By Jack Sheedy

LITCHFIELD – More than 100 people attended a magical evening on the spacious grounds at the home of Adrian and Maggie Selby July 20 to enjoy performances by the Warner Stage Company and the Nutmeg Ballet. “Ballet & Broadway in the Garden” was a lavish fund-raising event that raised about $13,000 for the Warner and the Nutmeg.

Lynn Gelormino, executive director of the Warner, said, “Maggie and Adrian have been incredibly generous not only to the arts in northwest Connecticut, but to the northwest area in general. It’s wonderful to be here with the Nutmeg Ballet and present ourselves as neighbors and collaborators, and we’re very thankful for the opportunity.”

Before introducing her Warner Stage Company performers, who presented music from the February production of “Once,” Gelormino told the gathering that the 87-year-old, 1,700-seat Art Deco theater and the 300-seat black box Nancy Marine Studio Theater bring 100,000 people to the area annually. “We are the largest performing arts center in northwest Connecticut,” she said.

Cast members then mesmerized the crowd with four musical numbers from “Once,” under the baton of musical director Dan Ringuette. Nutmeg students followed with four dance numbers, choreographed by Kirk Peterson, Eleanor D’Antuono, Brian Reeder and Victoria Mazzarelli.

Mazzarelli, artistic director of the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, reminded attendees that the Nutmeg reopened the Warner in 1983 with a production of “Coppélia.” She said, “We cleaned, as teenagers, the dirty, moldy Warner Theatre, and we were excited with our buckets and little vacuum cleaners, and we got out there and we did it. We put on that production, and it was really special for us to perform on that beautiful space. It’s such a gem.”

Tim Melady, Nutmeg’s principal ballet master and national audition tour co-director, told the attendees, “We have students from all over the United States coming to train here for the summer intensive workshops, and you will see 26 of them tonight. I see board members from both the Warner and the Nutmeg coming together and talking together tonight, and it’s a great collaboration that we can have going forward. That’s who we are. We’re artists and dancers, and they’re singers and performers. What a great night.”

Nancy R. Wadhams, of Goshen, a member of the Warner board of directors, said the arts are important because “Arts feed the soul. They keep our spirits up and to keep us thinking about other people and other ideas, I think it’s really important.”

Attending the event was Dr. Frank Vanoni, a retired physician from Torrington. “When Sharon Dante started [the Nutmeg] many years ago, I was excited,” he said. “I knew some of the people on the board. I had three daughters, and all of them came down and took dance lessons.” He said he watched the small dance school blossom into an internationally renowned training ground. “In a few years, it was like a miracle. Suddenly, we had a full-fledged ballet school and company. Every year, Christmas wasn’t Christmas without ‘The Nutcracker.’ It’s come such a long way.”

Maggie Selby, co-host with her husband Adrian, said they held a similar event two years ago, at which Nutmeg students performed. “This year we added the Warner Stage Company as part of the program. Last year we did a benefit here for the Oliver Wolcott Library [in Litchfiel].”

Adrian Selby said, “The Warner and the Nutmeg are really important to Torrington and in fact to Litchfield County, as are KidsPlay Museum and Five Points Gallery. Supporting the arts is a really important thing to do for everybody.”

Nutmeg Nuggets: Male dancers take part in intensive workshop

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 04:00:00 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy TORRINGTON —

Typically, Nutmeg Conservatory’s “summer intensive” workshops attract dozens of females and several male dance students. This summer particularly, Nutmeg is where the boys are.

“Normally, in June when the youngest dancers come, we see two or three or four (male students),” said Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s artistic director. “This is the first time in our June program (ages 11-14) that we’ve had so many young boys here as well. It seems like there’s a big jump in the amount of younger men, younger boys, coming to ballet, and it also seems that they are hearing about Nutmeg’s program.”

The just-completed two-week June program, for girls and boys, included 17 boys out of a total enrollment of 82 – a welcome and surprising change from previous years, Mazzarelli said.

In addition, the four-week second session, which began July 1, has an enrollment of 21 males and 59 females, she said. This is an older group, ages 14 to 21. The final workshop, from July 29 – Aug. 11, will have a higher percentage of females, she said, but they have all heard about Nutmeg’s training and that they will get the opportunity to study partnering, or pas de deux.

All three intensives focus on classical ballet technique, Pointe, men’s technique, partnering, male and female solo variations, repertoire, modern dance and ballet theory. The current group, for older students looking to become professional dancers, adds yoga to the mix.

The final group in August has a similar curriculum and is focused on students wishing to be in optimum condition for fall training or professional company positions.

“It may be close to being our highest male enrollment,” said Tim Melady, principal ballet master and one of two national audition tour directors. “They often come from smaller schools where there aren’t as many boys in the program.”

The males in the summer programs are from New York, Massachusetts, Delaware, Virginia, Maine, Connecticut, Missouri, Oregon, Wisconsin, Washington and Maryland, he said. Melady personally recruited many of these dancers during an audition tour of 35 major cities in the USA and Canada earlier this year.

“We offer a lot of pas de deux classes, something small schools can’t do because they don’t have enough boys in the classes,” Melady said. “This time, in all three levels, we’re all doing a lot of partnering, and it’s a whole new world for them and it is what Nutmeg has become known for, having graduated so many young men in the last five decades.”

Partnering can be difficult, he said.

“You have to be instructed how to hold onto your partner, offer your hand, look them in the eye, and make them feel as comfortable as possible,” Melady said. “You have to communicate verbally to get what you want, and they have to critique each other to understand how each other’s dancing works in sync with the other.”

Some of the older males will stay for one or both remaining summer sessions, he said, and two of them are resident assistants.

“They know our teaching, so they can reinforce our teaching. They say, ‘Try this trick,’ or ‘Try it this way.’ I love it. You learn a sport the same way. If you’re playing on a team, you have to coordinate and work together, and at the same time you’re trying to be the best,” Melady said.

Mazzarelli said many graduates of the summer intensives have gone on to other training programs or dance companies, including such companies as The Louisville Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Boulder Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Atlanta Ballet, MOMIX and many more.

“That’s the whole point, to really help them get to where they want to go,” Melady said. “These kids are deciding early that this is the profession they want to be in.”

Mazzarelli said, “If they want to have a serious career in dance, they have to start young and find a training facility, such as Nutmeg, in which they can really excel.”

She said summer is often the best time for the training. “It’s really a camp, doing what you love all day. It’s pretty cool,” she said.

To showcase what students have learned, the Nutmeg Summer Dance Festival features an eclectic performance of classical and contemporary dance on July 27 at 7 p.m. and July 28 at noon. Performanes will be held in the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre.

For tickets, call the Warner at 860-482-7180 or go to www.warnertheatre.org . Local students wishing to enroll in the upcoming children’s programs may call TSOB at the Nutmeg at 860-482-7375. There is still time to enroll in the July children’s’ programs.

Nutmeg Nuggets: Philanthropic group is ‘Foundation’ for Nutmeg, other nonprofits

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 04:00:00 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy

TORRINGTON — Two now-legendary entities began in Torrington at almost the same instant in 1969 and have evolved into major institutions with important ties to each other. While Sharon Dante was launching a dance school called Nutmeg Ballet, members of the Torrington Club were starting a philanthropic group called the Torrington Area Foundation for Public Giving. Both began modestly and grew up together just a few blocks apart, changing their names over the years to become the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts and the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation. “We do an awful lot more than just grant making,” said Guy Rovezzi, president and CEO of the foundation. “Really, what we’re here for is to encourage local philanthropy with the goal of keeping that philanthropy focused on giving back to our communities.” When a potential donor wants to fund a specific kind of charity or nonprofit group, Rovezzi’s investment committee will work with that donor to find the most appropriate ways to do so, he said.

The staff of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, from left, back row: Bradford Hoar, vice president of philanthropic services; Leslie Friscia, finance director; Julia Scharnberg, grants and program director; Lorraine Haddock, assistant to the president; Guy Rovezzi, president and CEO. Front, Nicole Easley, communications director; Christina Tranquillo, program and communications associate.

“You may come to us and say, ‘Something really important to me is mental health issues, but I’m really not sure which of the organizations I should support — what they are doing and how they are doing it and which is more effective than others,’” Rovezzi said. His team offers “intellectual capital” in terms of a wide knowledge of community organizations involved in that concern. The goal is to find the investment strategy that offers the greatest impact and outcome for the donor’s charitable dollars, he said.

Over the years, more than 275 separate philanthropic funds have been created under the foundation’s management. The initial investment in 1969 of $15,000 has grown to more than $110 million as of the end of 2017, Rovezzi said.

When the foundation is involved in facilitating a grant to a nonprofit like the Nutmeg Conservatory, the grant is disbursed through one of those 275 funds, Rovezzi explained. For example, a grant of $8,700 to the Torrington Public Schools to allow students to view this year’s Nutmeg production of “The Nutcracker” at the Warner Theatre actually came from the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny R. Fyler Fund. Torrington residents Carlton D. Fyler, a chauffeur, and Jenny R. Fyler, an educator, established the endowed fund in 1988 through their estate planning.

During the first months of 2018, the foundation has facilitated grants totaling more than $100,000, according to its website. These include $10,000 to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, through the Edward W. Diskavich Fund; $4,000 to the Connecticut Credit Union Charitable Foundation, through the Keroden Endowed Fund; $7,500 to Food Rescue US, through the Robert V. Carr Fund; and more than 20 more.

Over the years, the foundation’s funds have also supported the Warner Theatre, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, the Torrington Historical Society and many others, he said.

“There was a $100,000 grant made to the hospital,” he said. “Those are large grants for us. Our average grant size is between $3,000 and $8,000, and we make something in the neighborhood of 350 grants a year.”

In 2017, according to a fact sheet he provided, 262 grants totaled over $3.8 million, and 149 scholarships totaled more than $154,000.

A few of the other grants to the Nutmeg Conservatory over the last five decades include:

From the Carlton D. and Jenny R. Fyler Fund: $15,000 for motorized shades on the studio windows, $20,000 for construction and improvements to the community room, $9,907 to replace the sound system, $6,500 for activities related to the production of “Cinderella” and $5,000 to set staging for “The Nutcracker”;

From the Eva M. Coty Fund: $5,892 for marley dance flooring in years past and $37,500 for all new floors for the dance studios installed in 2017; and

From the Richard M. Gilman Memorial Fund: $950 for Wings, a male scholarship program for former students.

According to Sharon Dante, Nutmeg’s founder and executive director, “Many of these grants made from our local foundation have made dreams possible for dancers and have made quality performances possible for our citizens to enjoy. We are most grateful for the gracious generosity that the foundation shows to the entire community, and we are confident that they will continue to grow and thrive in Northwest Connecticut.”

Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation is important, Rovezzi said, because it strengthens organizations that improve community welfare. “It’s about helping people who are the most vulnerable, the most disadvantaged, as well as bringing opportunities for life improvement to the general population,” he said.

The foundation recently relocated to 33 East Main Street, its rear parking lot abutting that of the Nutmeg Conservatory — perhaps a fitting juxtaposition of two entities that were conceived at the same time and impact each other and the community so profoundly. For information on how to contribute to or benefit from the funds the foundation manages, go to www.northwestcf.org / or call 860-626-1245.

Nutmeg Ballet Featured in Torrington’s Arts and Culture Tour

Fri, 25 May 2018 04:00:00 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Leslie Hutchison TORRINGTON

Every dollar spent by the state tourism program generates $8 in revenue for local communities, according to state officials.

In those economic terms, the city stands to benefit by the flourishing art scene that is centered around Main and Water streets.

To help to connect the city to state programs, representatives from the Connecticut Office of Tourism visited the area this week to tour six art and cultural establishments.

“We’re doing regional outreach… to educate towns about our marketing package,” said Jennifer Bove of the tourism office.

She said the program is offered at no cost to municipalities.

“There are ways to leverage tourism that garners 40 or 50 times” the original outreach, she said.

The Five Points Gallery and the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory for the Arts are anchors for what has become a downtown art district at Main and Water streets.

“We have 500 artists waiting to show,” said gallery Executive Director Judith McElhone, during the tour.

Since it opened in 2015, the gallery has expanded to include seven buildings, which house the permanent gallery, pop-up galleries, the Five Points Annex, a space for graduate art students called the Launchpad, and soon a Launchpad extension that will offer a print shop and will give artists access to large presses.

Across the street at the conservatory, the ballet school just held its graduation for 11 students. A total of 40 high school students study there, said ballet master Tim Melady. International students who attend the school are able to live on the premises, he said.

The Noelke Gallery sits in the middle of the expanding Five Points Gallery space. Owner John Noelke told the tour group about the power of a small audiences.

“Artists get stimulated by the size of an (art) opening,” he said.

“Arts and culture bring folks downtown and attract businesses which complement the arts,” said Erin Wilson, the city’s director of economic development, who attended the tour. “This is one of the largest art scenes in Litchfield County.”

Other stops on the tour included the Torrington Historical Society , The Warner Theatre , and the public art area on Franklin Street.

Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg Conservatory artistic director, and Tim Melady, ballet master, provide information about the conservatory on Tuesday during a tour by members of the Connecticut Office of Tourism.

Brooks, Todd & McNeill – Sponsor of the Month

Thu, 10 May 2018 04:00:00 GMT

For the Register Citizen By Jack Sheedy TORRINGTON-

Stephen G. Todd, president and CEO of Brooks, Todd & McNeil insurance agency, believes the agency has a responsibility to support artistic and other nonprofit endeavors here and in surrounding towns.

“To whom much is given much is expected,” he said during an interview in his Water Street office.

To that end, the nearly two-century-old agency is a major supporter of the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s graduation ceremonies set for May 16 – 19 at the Nutmeg Premiere Studio at 58 Main St. in Torrington. Performances feature excerpts from Acts 2 and 3 from “Swan Lake,” excerpts from “Carmen,” a new modern work by Kate St. Amand, and original choreography to the music of John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk and performed by the local quartet JINQS.

Todd’s agency – he claims it is the oldest in the country, with roots extending back to 1839 and possibly 1833 – gives back half its net proceeds every year to charities and the arts, he said. That includes the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, the Warner Theatre, Five Points Gallery – of which he is vice president – and more.

“The arts are a real outlet, an encouragement in a state where, from the financial standpoint, there are a lot of challenges,” he said. “It’s a wonderful way to cope and handle life’s stresses and to cultivate a talent or skill in a constructive manner that can ground you as a person and can bring joy, not only to yourself but to others.”

Todd has both business and personal dealings with members of the arts community. Asked why he supports the Nutmeg, for example, he said, “It’s Sharon [Dante, founding director], whom I think the world of, and Marc Trivella, who is a 30-year friend and longtime vice president of [Nutmeg’s] board.”

The arts have become an engine for commerce in Torrington, he said. He cited Five Points and the Nutmeg as examples of artistic entities that attract young people from outside of Torrington. Five Points brings in recent Hartford School of Art graduates “to live and work and practice their craft here in Torrington” in the Five Points’ “Launchpad” program, he said. “It gives them a chance to see Torrington and be in Torrington and have dinner and enjoy what we have here,” he added.

“And the Nutmeg is similarly doing that, [attracting] not only people in the state but in the country and in the international community to Torrington,” he said. He noted that Nutmeg’s recruiters Joan Kunsch and Tim Melady crisscross the country and parts of Canada every year, auditioning hopeful young dancers and bringing them to Torrington to study.

“We’ve got a really good engine going,” he said. “We’re drawing young people to Torrington, and we’ve got to make sure we support that.”

Until about five years ago, the agency was known as Burns, Brooks & McNeil. In 1980, Gordon C. Todd, Stephen’s father, and his partner purchased it from John H.

Brooks and Harold J. Burns. As part of a 175th-anniversary celebration, Stephen Todd surprised his father by announcing in front of 450 people that the name had been changed to Brooks, Todd & McNeil, in honor of Gordon C. Todd, who is still chairman of the board.

The agency is successful because of its employees and how they treat their clients, Todd said. “Each and every day, [we are] doing the right thing, striving for that, and it has a way of playing out as it should. It’s something that is increasingly rare today.”

He noted that many employees have been with the company for decades. “My longest-termed tenured employee is 50 years, Janet Iffland,” he said. Another recent employee, Betty Brown, served the company for 48 years. Betsy Quartiero, who still works one day a week, joined the company about 46 years ago, he said.

“Integrity, quality of our employees, a caring attitude, and the fact that we – I know it sounds a bit clichéd – but we really are a big family,” he said. “We’re very involved in the community.”

Nutmeg’s graduation performances will be May 16, 17 and 18 from 7 – 9 p.m. and May 19 from 2 – 4 p.m. For ticket information, call the Warner Theatre at 860-489-7180 or go to tickets.warnertheatre.org .

Torrington Savings Bank – Sponsor of the Month (April 2018)

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 04:00:00 GMT

TORRINGTON – When the first dance students were putting on ballet slippers in a new dance school called Nutmeg Ballet in 1969, Torrington Savings Bank was looking ahead to its second century. Now the Nutmeg is approaching its 50th anniversary, and Torrington Savings Bank, a longtime supporter of Nutmeg for five decades, turns 150 this year.

“We both have a long history in the city of Torrington, which is the main reason that Torrington Savings Bank likes to support the Nutmeg,” said Kathleen Katrenya, senior vice president of retail banking and marketing at TSB. “Part of our mission statement is to demonstrate commitment to the communities we serve and participate both financially and through donating our time to deserving organizations, and the Nutmeg is definitely one of those,” she said.

Since 2013, TSB has donated over $20,000 to the Nutmeg to aid in Nutmeg’s facade and flooring replacement projects as well as The Conservatory’s scholarship program.

Katrenya is excited about TSB’s plans to celebrate their 150th, including:

* an “Out for Business” event on May 30 at their Torringford branch, sponsored by the Northwest Chamber;

* celebrations in all branches during the week of June 17, when the actual anniversary occurs, featuring refreshments, raffles for gift cards, fun trivia and more;

* increased advertising during June;

* developing a brochure highlighting important milestones in the bank’s history.

Torrington Savings Bank is a mutual bank, not owned by outside shareholders. “Maintaining our mutuality allows us to serve our customers. We don’t have to worry about shareholders,” Katrenya said. “We’re here to support our customers. We’re here to support our communities and our customers.”

In addition to supporting the Nutmeg, TSB was a major donor to the Torrington Library, contributing $150,000 in March 2018 for the Torrington Savings Bank Community Room at the newly renovated library.

“As Torrington Savings Bank celebrates our 150th year, we are very proud to offer our continued support to The Nutmeg Conservatory,” Katrenya said. “The Nutmeg has an outstanding reputation and near 50-year history in Torrington. As one of the leading professional ballet training programs in the country, Nutmeg has much to be proud of.”

Sharon E. Dante, founding director of Nutmeg Ballet, said, “Torrington Savings Bank has proven to be a community-minded institution and a great friend to the Nutmeg Ballet over the years. Thanks to them and other generous donors, our young students now enjoy dancing on newly installed, safe flooring in our Nutmeg Ballet Studios and the entire community enjoys our continuously changing outside lighting on the outside of The Nutmeg Tower in downtown Torrington.”

For more information about Torrington Savings Bank’s services and community involvement, go to https://www.torringtonsavings.com/

Nutmeg Ballet presents IMPACT 2018

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 04:00:00 GMT

TORRINGTON – When the lights come up this weekend on IMPACT 2018, the Nutmeg Ballet’s annual showcase of talent, you will see more than talented aspiring dancers. You will also see fine classical and modern choreography and hear captivating live jazz at the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre.

Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director at Nutmeg Ballet, said, “Our talented students will be performing not only classical ballets but new contemporary creations as well. This mixed repertoire is valuable in the training of young dancers today.”

She said she will also include young dancers from the Torrington School of Ballet (TSOB), which trains dancers up to about age 14 at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. They are “the next generation of Nutmeg students,” she said.

IMPACT 2018 will include excerpts from Acts 2 and 3 of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved “Swan Lake,” staged by Eleanor D’Antuono, Alexei Tchernichov, and Denise Warner Limoli.

D’Antuono is a resident coach and classical repertoire coordinator, a member of Nutmeg’s faculty since 1986. When she was just 14, she joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, which later became The Joffrey Ballet and then the American Ballet Theatre. She was prima ballerina there for more than 25 years. She was the first American ballerina invited to appear as a guest artist at Kirov Ballet in Leningrad. At Nutmeg, she is responsible for the group and private coaching in the classical ballet repertoire for the year-round residency program.

Senior ballet master Tchernichov trained at the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow and graduated from the Vaganova Choreographic Institute in St. Petersburg. He was a principal dancer with The Kuybeshev State Ballet. He shares his classical ballet background with Nutmeg Ballet students in technique class and repertoire rehearsal.

Limoli has been with Nutmeg Ballet since it began – first as a dancer, then a teacher, then staging repertoire and coaching the dancers. She is an associate professor of ballet at Skidmore College in Saratoga Spring, N.Y., and is on the board of directors of the National Museum of Dance. She teaches summer intensives at American Ballet Theatre.

IMPACT 2018 will also feature excerpts from Georges Bizet’s “Carmen,” with original choreography by resident coach and classical repertoire coordinator Kirk Peterson, currently associate artistic director of Canada’s Alberta Ballet. Peterson was a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. He has choreographed more than 55 ballets.

Kate St. Amand, modern dance choreographer, will present an original work that audience members are sure to enjoy. St. Amand trained at the Nutmeg Ballet (’98) and received her B.F.A. from SUNY Purchase, where she was inspired by works by Shen Wei, Lin Hwai-Min, and Mark Morris. She is a co-founder of SYREN Modern Dance of New York City.

Finally, the homegrown jazz ensemble JINQS, led by Charles Patterson, will present arrangements of works by Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane, with original choreography by Mazzarelli.

Patterson, a pianist, and composer/arranger graduated from the University of Hartford and is a student at Noteworthy Music in Torrington. His jazz ensemble JINQS features Drew Chadwick on guitar, Jeff Boratko on sax, Gavin Smart on drums and Andrew Muench on bass.

Mazzarelli was trained personally by Nutmeg Ballet’s founder, Sharon E. Dante, and Dante’s original faculty. In 1984, Mazzarelli was awarded the only gold medal in the New York International Ballet Competition at the age of 17. She was a principal dancer at the Basel Ballet in Switzerland and later at the Frankfurt Ballet. In 1996, she joined the Zurich Ballet in Switzerland. She joined the Nutmeg faculty in 2003 as associate artistic director and was appointed the artistic director in 2011.

“Nutmeg’s major annual spring production gives our students a giant step forward toward their professional careers,” said Joan Kunsch, associate director and national tour director at Nutmeg. “The student dancers are challenged to adapt to the different styles of both resident and guest choreographers.”

IMPACT 2018 opens Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre. A matinee performance will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday. For information on tickets, call the Warner Theatre at 860-489-7180 or visit www.warnertheatre.org .

Eastside Electric – Sponsor of the Month (February 2018)

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 05:00:00 GMT

Contributed by Jack Sheedy

Gregory L. Mele, founder of Eastside Electric, Inc., has always had a special place in his heart for Nutmeg Ballet. Not long after he founded Eastside in 1987, the company performed electrical services at Nutmeg’s old Water Street location, updating lighting, panels and more. Greg’s niece, Laura Mele, was a student at Nutmeg. And when the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts was established at 58 Main Street in 2001, Eastside Electric upgraded the entire electrical system for the building.

And it doesn’t stop there.

“Our affiliation now is that Lee Carter, my estimation project manager, has a daughter, Macy Carter, who dances for Nutmeg, so it’s still kind of near and dear to us,” he said in a telephone interview.

Greg Mele earned an associates degree in electrical engineering from Waterbury State Technical College and worked for an electrical contractor in Southington for five years before founding Eastside Electric. “Thirty-one years later we have 30 people and a new home improvement division that is part of the company also,” he said. Home improvement services include windows, siding, remodeling, additions and more.

Eastside Electric also sells and installs generators. The company is not too small for large projects at industrial sites, yet not too big to offer personalized service to residential homes, he said.

The company has been a longtime friend and sponsor of the Nutmeg and supports its plans to redesign the set for “The Nutcracker,” which is scheduled to be completed in time for Nutmeg’s 50th anniversary in 2019.

Eastside Electric has earned the Register Citizen award for Best Electrician four years in a row (2013-2016). They are located at 178 Birge Park Rd., Harwinton, CT 06791. Hours are M-F 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Phone 860-485-0700.

More Than Ballet

Sun, 30 Jul 2017 04:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory has been known for its classical ballet programs for half a century. The training program offers the very best of the fundamentals of Vaganova methodology with just the right infusion of neoclassical and contemporary training vital to a dancer’s future versatility and success. The beautifully appointed studios offer sweeping views of the Berkshires’ Litchfield Hills all set in the charming art district of historic downtown Torrington, Connecticut. Offering both residential, academic, and day-student programs, life at The Nutmeg Ballet brings together hard-working, like-minded students to focus on the details. But it’s so much more.

That beautiful Nutmeg Ballet building on North Main Street, with its neoclassical architecture, made up of bricks and steel and glass, has many wonderful stories to tell. Not only is it a cultural landmark in Torrington, but it also becomes a second home to students from near and far. These students sacrifice a traditional school life to dedicate hours upon hours of training to their art– a sacrifice they lovingly make to achieve their dreams.

Life at The Nutmeg is rich, fulfilling, and challenging. Each day is filled with ballet and enriching life experiences. It’s more than ballet!

In addition to offering supervised academics and ballet training, activities are planned throughout the session to enrich and engage these creative minds entrusted to our care. Our students benefit from multiple performance opportunities at the Warner Theatre and Bushnell Theater as well as collaborations with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and local arts organizations. Our partnership with Five Points Gallery exposes our students to other forms of art while drawing workshops bring together the very best of classical ballet and the visual arts. The Nutmeg Ballet’s outreach efforts throughout the year allow students to become part of the fabric of our local community and share their rare and unique gifts with others in a meaningful way. Only a two-hour drive to New York City or Boston, Torrington is within reach of cultural and dance-inspired wonders and some of the greatest ballet companies and performances in the world.

And because life is not all about work, our students have fun too. The Nutmeg Ballet has an active Yearbook Committee as well as a Student Council that organizes events and outings throughout the year including apple and pumpkin picking, movie nights, talent shows, picnics, outings to local fairs and amusement parks, and even a spring formal “prom-like” event. Our parent group, Parent Network at The Nutmeg, organizes field trips which this past year included the ballet inspired musical, An American in Paris, and Boston Ballet’s performance of William Forsythe’s Artifact, for example. Our Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, has a special connection to Forsythe having worked with him for six years as a principal dancer. (Just check out this amazing Forsythe rehearsal !) The possibilities are virtually endless as the creativity of our students has no bounds.

If you seek an artistic home, a place where creativity soars, where students are fiercely dedicated to their craft, and the details are the priority, then The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory may be what you’ve been looking for.

Where will your Nutmeg Ballet journey take you? Join us for the 2017-2018 season of dance and find out. Become part of The Nutmeg magic!

Torrington Savings Bank awards grant to The Nutmeg Ballet

Thu, 04 May 2017 04:00:00 GMT

Torrington >> Torrington Savings Bank has announced its contribution to The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory in the amount of $10,000. The donation is part of an ongoing capital campaign to fund the replacement of the essential dance flooring in Nutmeg’s historical downtown building, which will come to a total cost of approximately $88,000.

Sharon E. Dante, Founding Executive Director of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory explains, “Thousands of dancers who have trained at our studios over the last 16 years have left their marks, literally, on our floors and it has become a safety issue. The new floors will allow us to continue to offer high-quality training programs and bring people from all over the world to downtown Torrington. We at Nutmeg are so grateful for the ongoing help from TSB and others who value having an international organization such as the Nutmeg Ballet in our downtown cultural community.”

Torrington Savings Bank contribution is supplemented by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation’s grant of $37,500 procured by The Nutmeg Conservatory. Individual donors, alumnus, and parents have contributed to the project as well.

John E. Janco, President & CEO of Torrington Savings Bank said, “The Nutmeg Conservatory is a Torrington institution. We know this donation will be a solid start to their campaign in an effort to raise the necessary funds for a new floor for the Conservatory. I am confident other local businesses will follow our lead and give generously towards this cause.”

The mission of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is to provide professional-level training, education and performance experience in classical ballet and other dance forms for young students dedicated to the art of dance. Learn more at nutmegconservatory.org

Chartered in Connecticut in 1868, Torrington Savings Bank is one of the longest established banks in Connecticut with approximately $800 million in assets. As a mutual savings bank, TSB is conservatively guided, strongly capitalized, safe and secure; and managed according to the best interests of its local communities. Headquartered in Torrington, CT where it has three offices, the bank has additional offices in Burlington, Goshen, Falls Village, and New Hartford. Learn more at torringtonsavings.com

Story contributed by Torrington Savings Bank.

Torrington Savings Bank has announced its contribution to The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory in the amount of $10,000. The donation is part of an ongoing capital campaign to fund the replacement of the essential dance flooring in Nutmeg’s historical downtown building, which will come to a total cost of approximately $88,000.

Grow Where You’re Planted

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 04:00:00 GMT

It’s no secret that Sharon E. Dante, founding Executive Director of The Nutmeg Ballet in downtown Torrington, has very deep roots in the community. The arts organization she has built, with humble beginnings as a small dance studio on Migeon Avenue, is now a state-of-the-art facility in Torrington’s arts corridor fast approaching its fiftieth anniversary.

While Dante’s career has taken her to all corners of the world, Torrington will always be the place she calls home.

“No matter what I do, this is my hometown,” she said, and quoted the late former Gov. Ella T Grasso for inspiring her life mantra of “‘Grow where you are planted.”

“This is a town that is creating art, that is devoted to humanity,” Dante said.

And these deeply rooted ties to and love of the local community only begin with The Nutmeg Ballet’s Founding Executive Director. These roots are bearing fruit in many ways.

Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli and Academic Director, Donna Mattiello, proudly call themselves hometown girls. Both Mazzarelli and Mattiello were born and raised in Torrington, attending local schools and training with Sharon Dante at Torrington School of Ballet. After graduating from Torrington High School, both Mazzarelli and Mattiello embarked upon exciting chapters of their respective stories. Mazzarelli, after being awarded a gold medal, built a successful professional dance career in Europe while Mattiello went on to college and a law degree.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and these talented, intelligent, resourceful women find themselves back at The Nutmeg Ballet helping Sharon Dante continue to build a legacy right in the heart of downtown Torrington.

“I love Torrington and love being a part of what’s happening here. I always felt like I wanted to give back to this community in some way,” said Mazzarelli. “I am so fortunate and so thrilled to be able to take everything I learned from Sharon, and my 20 years of dancing, and give it back. I am thrilled at being able to pass this legacy on to the students at Nutmeg. I feel honored and privileged to have wonderful people around me and to work with these young artists.”

The Nutmeg Ballet’s year-round and summer programs bring a boost of tourism to Torrington’s Main Street and each year many returning students and their families have found that the arts corridor is one step closer to fulfilling its destiny as a mecca for the arts. With The Nutmeg Ballet and Warner Theatre as the anchors, little gems such as Five Points Gallery have become an attraction for the annual visitors as well.

This fairy tale is a story of commitment and devotion to a dream and the strong belief in building up and working with the local community to create art at a very high level.

Grow where you are planted is the perfect way to describe Nutmeg Ballet’s trajectory. Reaching a high caliber of recognition and results in the realm of classical ballet training has been no easy feat. But the strong roots and commitment to Torrington and what it means to be a part of such a community, are at the very heart of this wonderful story.

The Nutmeg Ballet: An Extraordinary Story

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 04:00:00 GMT

Right in the heart of downtown Torrington, in a building of brick and steel and glass, amazing things are happening.

The 50,000 square foot building that houses The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is not only an extraordinary example of downtown revitalization at its finest, but it also presents a seamless merging of traditional and modern architecture. The contrast and symmetry of the old and new aptly tell the story of what is happening inside those walls as well.

The building that is now home to The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory on North Main Street was not always the cultural icon it is today. James Mallette built the original three-story brick neoclassical building for the Torrington Chamber of Commerce back in 1916. Little did Malette know that one day the building would grow up to be the home of a leading professional ballet training organization founded by Torrington’s Sharon E. Dante and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is the oldest continuously operating performing arts organization in town providing professional level ballet training to aspiring local, national, and international artists who come from far and wide to share in The Nutmeg Ballet’s rich history, exciting present, and promising future.

This careful melding of the original architecture with the soaring glass and steel dance studios is the perfect setting for a ballet training program that not only trains classical ballet dancers well-versed in traditional technique, but who can also communicate a newer, freer quality of movement required in more modern choreography. The Nutmeg’s upcoming Graduation Performances set for May 10-13 will allow audiences to experience the graceful beauty of classical pieces from Giselle and Coppelia in addition to original choreography by Kinsun Chan, Brian Reeder, and Kate St. Amand that is as powerful as it is mesmerizing.

As with the contrast and dynamic melding of ideas that make the architecture of this building so compelling, the students of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory reach beyond the structure of their training in technique and their ability to shine on stage to bring depth and character to the organization. Not only do these students excel in their ballet training, academics, and outside interests, but so many of them go on to endeavors inspired by the long hours spent within these walls training their bodies to tell beautiful stories.

These are the tales of The Nutmeg Ballet. These are the stories now embedded in the walls of that beautiful building on North Main Street with its neoclassical architecture made up of bricks and steel and glass. It is a story built on Sharon Dante’s dream, nurtured by a talented staff, and supported by selfless volunteers and donors. It is a story being told today within those very walls every time a little Torrington School of Ballet dancer puts on her first pair of pointe shoes, each time a Nutmeg ballerina steps out onto that stage in a sparkly tutu, and when boys trade in their sports gear for dance shoes to transform into what Einstein believed to be “the athletes of God.”

Give where your heart is…. GIVE LOCAL 2017

The Nutmeg: More Than Ballet

Thu, 11 Aug 2016 04:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory has been known for its classical ballet programs for almost half a century. The training program offers the very best of the fundamentals of Vaganova methodology with just the right infusion of neo-classical and contemporary training vital to a dancer’s future versatility and success.

The beautifully appointed studios offer sweeping views of the Berkshires’ Litchfield Hills all set in the charming arts district of historic downtown Torrington, Connecticut. Offering both residential, academic, and day-student programs, life at The Nutmeg Ballet brings together hardworking, like-minded students to focus on the details. But it’s so much more.

That beautiful Nutmeg Ballet building on Main Street, with its neoclassical architecture made up of bricks and steel and glass, has many wonderful stories to tell. Not only is it a cultural landmark in Torrington, but it also becomes a second home to students from near and far. These students sacrifice a traditional school life to dedicate hours upon hours of training to their art– a sacrifice they lovingly make to achieve their dreams.

Life at The Nutmeg is rich, fulfilling, and challenging. Each day is filled with ballet and with so much more!

Our partnership with Five Points Gallery exposes our students to other art forms and artists while drawing workshops bring together the very best of classical ballet and the visual arts. The Nutmeg Ballet’s outreach efforts throughout the year allow students to become part of the fabric of our local community and share their rare and unique gifts.

Only a two hour drive to New York City or Boston, Torrington is within reach of cultural and dance-inspired wonders and some of the greatest ballet companies and performances in the world.

This year, our parent group, Parent Network at The Nutmeg, has already organized two field trips in the upcoming 2016-2017 session for our students including the ballet inspired musical, An American in Paris, and Boston Ballet’s performance of William Forsythe’s Artifact. Our Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, has a special connection to Forsythe having worked with him for six years as a principal dancer. (Just check out this amazing Forsythe rehearsal !) The possibilities are virtually endless as the creativity of our students has no bounds.

If you seek an artistic home, a place where creativity soars, where students are fiercely dedicated to their craft, and the details are the priority, a place that feels like home, then The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory may be what you’ve been looking for.

Where will your Nutmeg Ballet journey take you? Join us for the 2016-2017 season of dance and find out . Become part of The Nutmeg magic!

Creating an ‘IMPACT’

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 04:00:00 GMT

Creating an ‘Impact’

Nutmeg Ballet to perform at the Warner

BY CARRIE MACMILLAN | REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

Gripping a set of castanets in each hand, a dancer at Torrington’s Nutmeg Ballet practiced clicking the concave shells together. The 17-year-old ballerina, Jennifer Schwartz from Canada, is not used to wielding percussive instruments, or fans, another object she and other dancers must carry as they perform an excerpt from “Don Quixote,” a ballet based on a novel of the same name by Miguel de Cervantes.

“It’s just tricky to get the rhythm right, but I’m really excited to dance the lead,” said Schwartz during a recent rehearsal for the piece, which will be part of Nutmeg’s annual “Impact” weekend, with performances in the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

“Impact” features a mixed repertoire of classical ballet and original contemporary works, including excerpts from “La Bayadere” and new creations by guest choreographers Brian Reeder, Kate St. Amand and Kirk Peterson.

As he watched more than 20 Nutmeg dancers move through a scene from “Don Quixote,” complete with tambourines, red capes and black-heeled character shoes, Alexei Tshernichov, senior ballet master at Nutmeg, clapped his hands and called out instructions.

“Guys, it’s not laundry,” he said of their cape work. “It’s not about pirouettes. This is performing.”

Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director at Nutmeg, agreed.

“You really have to be actors for this piece. It’s nice to have this particular piece because ‘Nutcracker’ is the only full-length ballet that we put on now,” she said.

“Impact” highlights the work of Nutmeg students and graduates while exposing them to contemporary pieces and the chance to work with guest artists and choreographers.

“They will all perform, including children from the Torrington School of Ballet,” said Mazzarelli, as she took a break from helping lead the rehearsal and counted out the 58 current Nutmeg students from her paper roster.

Tshernichov, who is staging the work, said the education extends beyond learning the choreography for “Don Quixote,” which is set during the Spanish Golden Age in the early 17th century.

“I give them homework. I don’t give them the ‘Reader’s Digest’ version — or expect them to read Cervantes or the history of Spain, but I want them, at minimum, to Google the literature and spend some time with it,” said Tshernichov, who trained at the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow and is a third-generation dancer. His mother is the late Elena Tchernichova, a principal ballet mistress of American Ballet Theatre.

But at least one of the dancers has read the original Cervantes work. That would be Covington Pearson, a 17-year-old Nutmeg student from Colorado.

“I actually read the book last year for school. The ballet focuses on a minor part of the book,” said Covington, who was breathless after rehearsal and dances the role of Espada, the head of the Matadors. “I’m so excited because this is one of my favorite ballets. I’ve always been inspired by the traditional Spanish style and the explosive leaps.”

After the “Don Quixote” rehearsal wrapped, the teachers shifted gears and prepared to work on the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” Two couples from Nutmeg recently performed the scene with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford. It was the third year Nutmeg collaborated with the symphony.

During Impact, the scene will be staged by Mazzarelli and Eleanor D’Antuono, Nutmeg’s resident coach and a former prima ballerina with American Ballet Theatre.

“It’s a challenging, beautiful piece, with a lot of lifts. It’s hard for the guy, but it’s wonderful, because he gets to have a different experience,” D’Antuono said.

Contact Carrie MacMillan at cmacmillan@rep-am.com.

If you go

Impact performances will be Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre, 68 Main St., Torrington. Tickets are $30. To purchase, call 860.489.7180 or visit warnertheatre.org .

"I actually read the book last year for school. The ballet focuses on a minor part of the book," said Covington, who was breathless after rehearsal and dances the role of Espada, the head of the Matadors. "I'm so excited because this is one of my favorite ballets. I've always been inspired by the traditional Spanish style and the explosive leaps."

Nutmeg Ballet revisits ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with HSO for Valentine’s Day

Fri, 12 Feb 2016 05:00:00 GMT

By MIKE CHAIKEN

EDITIONS EDITOR

The Bristol Observer

Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory has been here before.

But Victoria Mazzarelli, the school’s artistic director, is more than happy to revisit Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”—especially considering the upcoming opportunity it presents her young dancers.

From Feb. 11 to 14, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra will present, “Love Notes,” a celebration of love. And as part of the evening, the symphony will be bringing in several guests to join them on stage. Maria Rud will paint live as the orchestra performs. The UConn Puppet Arts Program will perform as the symphony plays Debussy’s “Claire de Lune.” And dancers from the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory will perform the pas de deux from Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet” as played by HSO.

Mazzarelli said the ballet company, which is based in Torrington, has performed the piece, “Romeo and Juliet,” previously. In fact, she danced in it in the 1980s.

But, given the chance to perform with the HSO, she said Nutmeg Ballet was more than willing to revisit the piece again. Mazzarelli said in the weeks leading up to the performances Feb. 11 to 14, the choreography has been reworked to make it fresh.

“It’s a nice opportunity (for the dancers),” said Mazzarelli.

Mazzarelli said the works of Shakespeare are a natural fit for a transformation into a ballet. The works offer great opportunities for pantomime and for the dancers to convey the story solely through movement.

This particular piece portrays the balcony scene for the two young lovers, said Mazzarelli. It occurs just after the two teens—16, 17-years-old—have met for the first time at the ball, said Mazzarelli. And they both know because of the rivalry between their two families that their feelings are forbidden.

What’s attractive, said Mazzarelli, is the dancers for the HSO performance are the same ages as their characters. The emotions the characters perform on stage are quite near to what the dancers are feeling.

“And to kiss at the end (of the scene),” said Mazzarelli. “It’s a big deal.”

The music by Prokofiev goes a long way to conveying the story as well, said Mazzarelli. “You hear the tragedy in (the story), and the foreboding,” said Mazzarelli. But you also hear the romance. “It’s love. It’s true love.”

There are two sets of dancers from Nutmeg set to perform with the symphony. They will alternate nights. Alma Evertz and Alexsander Keeperman will perform Thursday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 14 and Demeri Sutula and Matanya Solomon will perform Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13. They were selected from a larger pool of dancers before they were tapped for the opportunity, said Mazzarelli.

The dancers were chosen not only for their technical skill, said Mazzarelli, but for their ability to make the movements look effortless.

The pairings were also determined by how well the dancers “fit” with each other, said Mazzarelli. “It just makes sense (the pairings).”

Performing with the symphony will pose a couple of challenges for the dancers, said Mazarelli. First of all, since they will be sharing the stage with the musicians, their performance area will be more confined. They have been preparing for that by taping off a smaller space in their rehearsal studio.

In addition, Mazzarelli said the dancers will have the challenge of performing with a live orchestra rather than just a CD.

With a CD, Mazzarelli said the dancers can anticipate what will happen next because the recording never waivers. But a live performance is different because it may change.

“They have to be musical and listen,” said Mazzarelli “That makes (the performance) that much more exciting.”

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory will be performing with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra Feb. 11 to 14 at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. Performances are Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets start at $35; $10 for students with ID. For tickets, call (860)987-5900 or visit www.hartfordsymphony.org

“And to kiss at the end (of the scene),” said Mazzarelli. “It’s a big deal.”

Litchfield Library to host Nutmeg’s Nutcracker Preview Performance

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:00:00 GMT

LITCHFIELD >> The Nutmeg Ballet will give a a preview performance and demonstration that tells the story of The Nutcracker, featuring Thomas Evertz as Dr. Drosselmeyer, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Oliver Wolcott Library, South Street, Litchfield. This special event will include several dances by Nutmeg ballet dancers. Victoria Mazzarelli will explain the process and training for a young ballet dancer, and Thomas Evertz will read and discuss the story of The Nutcracker.

There is something for everyone in this charming interpretation of ETA Hoffman’s story as narrated by the mysterious and engaging, Dr. Drosselmeyer. The Nutmeg’s Nutcracker is a holiday tradition; this special introduction will give you a glimpse of the magic that happens on the stage for a full performance.

Thomas Evertz was born and raised in Bocholt, Germany. A recipient of the Kainz Medal, Evertz trained at the National Conservatory for Musik and Theater in Hannover. Evertz performed with the Zurich Ballet in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in Romeo and Juliet.

Victoria Mazzarelli is Artistic Director of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. Awarded the only gold medal at the 1984 New York International Ballet Competition, Mazzarelli joined the Basel Ballet in Switzerland when she was only 17 years old and was quickly promoted to principal dancer. She joined Frankfurt Ballet as a principal dancer until joining Zurich Ballet and later Basel Ballet.

The Nutmeg Ballet presents a full-length version of the timeless classic, The Nutcracker, at the Bushnell’s Belding Theater on December 12 & 13, and at the Warner Theatre on December 19 & 20. For more information, visit their website: www.nutmegconservatory.org.

All library events are free and open to the public. Space is limited. Registration is required and can be done by calling 860-567-8030 or logging onto www.owlibrary.org and clicking on Programs/Adult Programs.

The Nutmeg Ballet will give a a preview performance and demonstration that tells the story of The Nutcracker, featuring Thomas Evertz as Dr. Drosselmeyer, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Oliver Wolcott Library, South Street, Litchfield. This special event will include several dances by Nutmeg ballet dancers. Victoria Mazzarelli will explain the process and training for a young ballet dancer, and Thomas Evertz will read and discuss the story of The Nutcracker.

Nutmeg Ballet prepares for the Summer Dance Festival July 24-25

Thu, 16 Jul 2015 04:00:00 GMT

“It’s so wonderful to see these students who have traveled to Torrington from schools across the country coming together to learn this exciting choreography. Not only have they developed friendships along the way, but the experience and technical growth they have gained will set them apart as dancers,” said Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli. “We’re looking forward to moving into the Nancy Marine Theatre next week for final rehearsals leading up the performances. These four weeks have been intense and the long hours of training and the commitment and passion of these young artists will definitely create a wonderful experience for the audience. That’s the beauty of it, really.”

The Nutmeg Class of 2015 takes a final bow

Thu, 14 May 2015 04:00:00 GMT

As The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory celebrates the final performances of the program’s 45th Anniversary season, on May 16th, the Class of 2015 will take their final bow and leap into a world of new adventures and endless possibilities.

This year’s class represents a shining example of what dedicated discipline, focused attention to detail, and meticulous training can accomplish. Whatever their point of origin and regardless of their relentless pursuit of individual goals, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory diploma program graduates and certificate program recipients share at least one significant thing in common. Their paths have converged to pursue a dream. For these fourteen students, training at The Nutmeg Ballet is the very first step in a wonderfully exciting journey to realizing it.

“I’m happy to say that we’ve had another wonderful year with many amazing performance opportunities,” said The Nutmeg’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli. “It’s bittersweet to see our graduates move on each year. We prepare them to go, but it’s always tough to say goodbye. They should know that they will always have a home at The Nutmeg.”

This year, all three of graduates of the 4-year Pre-Professional Program diploma hail from the state of Connecticut and began their early training at Torrington School of Ballet. Emma Davis (Avon), will attend University of Hartford as a Dance Performance major; Alexandra Lopez (Avon), will join the Richmond Ballet as a trainee; while Sarah Jimenez (West Simsbury), will attend Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business.

Graduating from the 2-Year Pre-Professional Program are Kasey Arvold (Cleveland, GA) headed to Louisville Ballet as a trainee, Emily Etchegary (Torrington, CT) attending Fairfield University’s nursing program, Nicholas Gray (Milwaukee, WI) attending Indiana University’s Jacob’s School of Music majoring in ballet.

Graduating from the 2-Year Post-High School Professional Program is Meagan Selinksy (Montreal, Quebec) who will be attending Alvin Ailey’s Certificate Program in the fall.

Honorees include Madeline Longwell (Cornwall, CT), attending Simmons College in Boston, Olivia Rose-Awsumb (River Falls, Wisconsin), attending Texas Ballet Theater summer program, Thel Moore (Baltimore, Maryland) who joins Charlotte Ballet II, Hope Friedman (Gansevoort, New York) attending University of Cincinnati, Katarina Gallagher (York, Pennsylvania), Taylor Gober (Oak Ridge, Tennessee), and Matanya Solomon (Morgantown, West Virginia).

When Emma Davis and Nicholas Gray step up to the podium to address their fellow graduates and trainees on Saturday, May 16th, they will remind those in attendance what it means to dream and then act upon that idea with a sense of commitment, passion, and relentless discipline. When Denise Warner-Limoli, associate professor of Skidmore College and Class of 2015 keynote speaker, captivates the audience with her vast knowledge of ballet history seen through the lens of the dancer, teacher, ballet mistress, and professor, she will remind the graduates of what it means to be part of The Nutmeg Ballet legacy.

Graduation performances, which take place May 13-16 in The Nutmeg’s Premiere Studio Theatre, will enchant, inspire, and awaken the senses to reveal a journey of many small steps in pursuit of very large dreams.

Limoli carries on The Nutmeg Ballet legacy

Thu, 14 May 2015 04:00:00 GMT

There are very few chapters of the Nutmeg Ballet story that can be written without mentioning this year’s keynote speaker, Denise Warner Limoli.

Ms. Limoli, who has staged Les Sylphides, a sublime one-act ballet blanc, for The Nutmeg graduation performances, is an associate professor of dance at Skidmore College, member of the board of directors at the National Museum of Dance, The Nutmeg Ballet’s Senior Classical Ballet Mistress, and is the author of “Dance in Saratoga Springs.”

Sharon Dante, Executive Director of The Nutmeg Ballet, met fellow Connecticut native, Denise Warner Limoli, at the Hartford Ballet back in 1967. Soon after their friendship began to flourish, their paths would diverge, with Denise Warner Limoli heading off to New York to dance with American Ballet Theater (ABT) while Sharon Dante returned to her hometown of Torrington, Connecticut to found what was then a small dance studio on Migeon Avenue.

“Sharon was a brilliant teacher. Attention to detail made such a difference.” As past and present students well know, the word “details” is a very important one at The Nutmeg Ballet. “As well it should be, because that attention to detail and careful training make all the difference. You must train the bodies and the mind,” said Warner Limoli.

“It takes years of extreme dedication to details and process. Ballet is an art form, not just a series of exercises or tricks. Dancers must experience the beauty of our traditional repertoire and continue to explore these ballets in order find and develop their own artistic sensibilities,” Warner Limoli elaborated.

Despite the miles and their busy lives, the two would maintain a close connection. Ms. Limoli frequently returned to Torrington during ABT’s off season to teach classes, stage repertoire, and to perform at the Torrington Arts Festival as a guest of The Nutmeg Ballet.

By the time the Nutmeg Ballet had moved to Water Street, Sharon Dante was inviting her long-time friend and colleague to teach. More than four decades later Denise Warner Limoli still returns to The Nutmeg Ballet to share her extensive knowledge and experience with a new generation of eager students. “Nutmeg is like home to me,” she said.

We are The Nutmeg Ballet!

Thu, 14 May 2015 04:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg Ballet trainees and apprentices pose for the traditional Premiere Studio Theater eagle-eye image. All of these beautiful faces will be seen in 2015 Graduation performances taking place Wednesday, May 13th at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 14th at 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 15th at 8:00 p.m., and a final performance taking place at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 16th. Graduation Ceremony takes place on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. It has certainly been an exciting year!

Eleanor D’Antuono’s ABT story

Tue, 12 May 2015 04:00:00 GMT

"Whatever role I was working on at that moment always became my favorite, because it's exciting to work on something. And of course, on the stage, you get a chance to fly! And I love that." ~Eleanor D'Antuono

Parent Network Newsletter – spring 2015

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 04:00:00 GMT

What a fantastic year it has been! While talking with Nutmeg Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, the words “so much” kept coming up, said often with smiles and an expression of awe at all that the students and faculty have accomplished.

This year has offered more performance opportunities which have enabled the students to flourish. Additionally, new guest artists graced the studios providing different approaches to their dance education. Here are a few of the many highlights. Nutcracker season began with an outreach performance at Litchfield Woods. This was followed by 2 sold out Sugar Plum Tea Parties in November. Weeks of preparation by students, parents, and staff resulted in guests commenting that they felt as if they were visiting Disneyland at The Nutmeg.

The Nutmeg’s artistic director reunites with William Forsythe

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 04:00:00 GMT

On April 15-19th, The Nutmeg’s artistic director, Victoria Mazzarelli, traveled to Frankfurt, Germany for a farewell performance and special reunion honoring world-renowned award-winning choreographer, William Forsythe.

“It’s an incredible honor to have worked so closely with such a gifted and intellectual choreographer. We didn’t fully realize it at the time, but Bill was changing the language of dance– pushing the limits of ballet,” said the Nutmeg’s Victoria Mazzarellli. Victoria spent six incredible years working closely with Forsythe as a principal dancer from 1990-1996 where she honed her creative abilities and toured extensively with the Frankfurt Ballet.

Victoria’s lovely daughter Alma accompanied her on this celebratory journey revisiting longtime friends and colleagues. The trip included a surprise visit to Basel Ballet where The Nutmeg’s artistic director accepted her first professional contract after being awarded the only gold medal at the 1984 New York International Ballet Competition at the age of 17. She spent the first six years of her professional career in Basel before joining Frankfurt Ballet.

Forsythe took over Frankfurt Ballet in 1984 and transformed it into the epicenter of the contemporary dance scene known as the Forsythe Company. After 30 years as artistic director, William Forsythe, will be leaving his position with the company and will be serving as artistic advisor to the Paris Opera Ballet as well as joining the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance faculty as a professor of dance in fall 2015. Jacopo Godani, a former dancer with Mr. Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt who is now a freelance choreographer, was named as the new artistic director.

"It's an incredible honor to have worked so closely with such a gifted and intellectual choreographer. We didn't fully realize it at the time, but Bill was changing the language of dance-- pushing the limits of ballet," said The Nutmeg's artistic director, Victoria Mazzarelli.

Thank you Hartford Symphony Orchestra!

Sun, 12 Apr 2015 04:00:00 GMT

Thank you to all our dancers who participated in the past four performances with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra ! A very special thank you to HSO music director, Carolyn Kuan, for this incredible opportunity! Also a heartfelt shout-out to the wonderful musicians of the HSO.

Shown here with Carolyn, today’s cast and The Nutmeg’s artistic director, Victoria Mazzarelli.

The Nutmeg shares the stage with HSO and Full Force Dance Theater!

Sat, 11 Apr 2015 04:00:00 GMT

Congratulations on another wonderful evening with Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Full Force Dance Theater.

Hartford Symphony Orchestra & Nutmeg Ballet Collaboration Creates Engaging Night Of Music

Fri, 10 Apr 2015 04:00:00 GMT

JEFFREY JOHNSON Special To The Courant

2:12 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2015

After intermission we heard the Sleeping Beauty Suite, Op. 66a, by Tchaikovsky with ballet dancers from the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. Prior to the performance we met artistic director Victoria Mazzarelli and principal ballet master Tim Melady, and they helped us understand how the dancers approached the challenges of this performance. The ballet dancers gave us a sneak preview of some elements of the ballet and this helped us connect with them. We also had the opportunity to hear from the dancers of the Full Force Ensemble, who returned to explain how their movements, inspired by the Modern Dance movement, differed from ballet motions. After seeing some of their steps in isolation, we heard a few brief passages of the Saint-Saëns a second time with dance and orchestral accompaniment. Then the evening closed with a performance of the Sleeping Beauty Suite.

The suite had five movements and three of them featured ballet dancers. The second movement became the “Rose Adagio,” the third movement pas de caractère became the fairy tale of “Puss-in-Boots and the White Cat,” and the final movement became the “Garland Waltz,” featuring the full ensemble of four male and eight female dancers.

The audience was blown away. The concept was refreshingly different from what symphonic concert audiences have come to expect, and it was great fun. All of the dancers were so professional, elegant and disciplined that it was easy to become inspired by their dedication and their art. Kuan excels at imagining, coordinating and actualizing collaborative programs, and this one was special.

All of the dancers were so professional, elegant and disciplined that it was easy to become inspired by their dedication and their art.

Nutmeg students a success at 2015 Connecticut Classic Competition

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 04:00:00 GMT

We are extremely proud of our Nutmeg students who competed in this weekend’s 2015 Connecticut Classic Scholarship Competition! They each represented The Nutmeg Ballet beautifully.

Special congratulations to our medal winners! Thel Moore brought home a silver medal in the senior division. Riley McGregor and Nicholas Gray shared the bronze medal in the senior division. Both Riley and Thel were granted scholarships to the Bolshoi Ballet summer intensive while Nicholas was granted a scholarship to Koltun Ballet Academy.

Well done!!

Nutmeg Ballet makes an IMPACT!

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 05:00:00 GMT

For lovers of traditional and contemporary ballet, the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s IMPACT 2015 had something for everyone in the program. On Saturday night the students of the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory assisted by the Torrington School of Ballet deftly performed their repertoire to a sold out Nancy Marine Studio Theater.

IMPACT 2015 a success!

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 05:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to our students and parents on a successful and beautiful IMPACT 2015 weekend!

Dancers, you worked diligently to create such a graceful, wonderful, and memorable performance for our audience. Many, many thanks to our Parent Network and our volunteers who make everything possible behind the scenes. We hope that you enjoy some well deserved rest and safe travels to wherever you call home.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in two weeks!

All the very best,

Victoria Mazzarelli and the entire Nutmeg Ballet faculty

Les Sylphides

Sat, 07 Mar 2015 05:00:00 GMT

Staged by Denise Warner Limoli

for The Nutmeg Ballet’s

IMPACT 2015

Image by Susan Marine Suhanovsky

The Nutmeg Ballet welcomes prospective students to Torrington

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 05:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory will be hosting auditions in the beautifully appointed Torrington studios this weekend! Join the artistic staff for an audition class and tour of The Nutmeg Ballet facility in Torrington, Connecticut, on Saturday, February 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration opens at 9:00 a.m.

Details? https://nutmegconservatory.org/admissions-auditions/2015-national-audition-tour/

PARKING for The Nutmeg Ballet Auditions in Torrington, CT: Please note that there is a Nutmeg Ballet designated parking lot off of the East Main Street Entrance. Also, keep in mind that there are alternate parking arrangements aside from our parking lot including street parking (some are metered), the City Hall public parking lot and the Torrington Library public parking lot, for example. Be sure to allocate sufficient time for parking arrangements so that the auditioning student arrives in a timely manner. HAPPY AUDITIONING!

Can’t get to one of our auditions? No worries! You may submit your video audition following The Nutmeg’s video/DVD guidelines:

https://nutmegconservatory.org/app/uploads/2013/09/DVD-audition1.pdf

Celebrating Sharon E. Dante’s Contributions to the Arts

Fri, 21 Nov 2014 05:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory celebrates our founder, Sharon Dante, this week as she receives the honor of the CultureMax award. Presented by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, the award seeks to honor those who have “elevated the stature of arts and/or heritage within the region of northwest Connecticut.” With that concept as our guide, we share our heartfelt thoughts on what Sharon Dante has meant to northwest Connecticut.

In 2014 there is no living person who has elevated Northwest Connecticut’s stature in today’s world of art and culture higher than Sharon Dante. In the course of being the guiding force behind 45 years of Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory dance instruction, Sharon Dante created not just a world class institution but a globally recognized phenomenon inextricably linked to the heart of Torrington, Connecticut.

She was born into a creative and industrious family. Her father James Dante was a tap dancer and trumpet player while by day he worked for the Torrington Company. Sharon’s mother ran a diaper service out of the home and it was here that a strong work ethic and business sense was forged alongside her creative spirit and talent. The athletic young Sharon Dante learned to dance locally before receiving her own professional training in New York.

In 1969, Sharon began to teach dance in a studio on Migeon Avenue in Torrington where once she herself had received training. Over time the number of students grew and Sharon required the larger space of 21 Water Street where she taught for 24 years. One of her first students was the young Victoria Mazzarelli.

Under Sharon Dante’s guidance and training, Torrington native Victoria Mazzarelli won the only gold medal awarded at the first New York International Ballet Competition which elevated the status of Northwest Connecticut in the eyes of those in the world of ballet.

Sharon Dante was instrumental in bringing world class dance instructors to northwest Connecticut. In 1985 in the midst of the cold war, she brought the Kozlovs, Bolshoi Ballet dancers and Russian defectors, to Torrington to be choreographers for two Nutmeg Ballet showcase performances. She brought prima ballerina Eleanor D’Antuono, the first American ballerina to dance a leading role at the Kirov Ballet, to Torrington to teach. The Nutmeg Ballet now oversees over 40 auditions for potential students, arranging them in nearly 30 states and the District of Columbia and internationally in Sweden, Norway and Canada. With every pupil who joins the world of dance after Nutmeg Ballet training, our community can proudly celebrate and share in that success thanks to the vision and commitment of Sharon Dante.

Sharon’s commitment to Main Street in Torrington is truly a life’s work.

Sharon took on the historic property on Main Street as the Nutmeg’s permanent home and then was instrumental in ensuring that the Warner Theatre would be renovated.

We would not have the Main Street we enjoy today without the dedication and drive of Sharon Dante.

As the status of northwest Connecticut begins to ascend to a recognized place in the global arts/culture community, it is vital that we recognize the time when it was not so and when we needed the strong, creative and industrious commitment of Sharon Dante to bring this time of success to fruition.

*****

We invite the community to share in our celebration of the 45th year of The Nutmeg. Come join us this season for our very special Nutmeg Ballet performances of “The Nutcracker.” These performances, during our historic 45th year, will be a treat for the young and the young at heart.

At the Warner Theatre in Torrington, performances are Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and at the Bushnell in Hartford, performances are Dec 13-14 at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. There can be only one 45th year and this is it!

J. Timothy Quirk

Catherine Witkop keeps acheiving her lofty goals

Sat, 23 Aug 2014 04:00:00 GMT

By Owen Canfield, Register Citizen

POSTED: 08/23/14, 12:57 PM EDT | UPDATED: ON 08/23/2014

Do you remember Catherine Takacs? You can be sure they remember her at Nutmeg Ballet and other area places where she made her marks in dancing and academics over two and one-half decades ago.

And Catherine, 42, certainly remembers the Nutmeg. She says the values and discipline she derived from her years there serve her still. “I miss dancing tremendously,” she said. She is now Lt. Col. Catherine Takacs Witkop, MD, MPH, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Erno Takacs of Torrington. She and her husband, Col. Jeffrey Witkos are visiting her folks from their home in Mclean, Va. this weekend. Both are officers in the U.S. Air Force. He is a pilot, flying DC-10s, although at the moment he is doing a non-flying job in Washington D. C.

Catherine said, “The DC-10 is the plane they use to refuel other planes in the air.”

Jeff Witkop, 44, has flown a variety of aircraft and missions during his Air Force career, including a period when he piloted “Air Force 2,’’ the plane used by the vice president of the United States and other high ranking officials and diplomats.

Her business card tells us Catherine is “Chief, Preventive Medicine” in the Air Force Medical Support Agency, and her email address is the Pentagon. She works at the Defense Health Headquarters in Falls Church, Va.

I have addressed the subject of the extraordinary Takacs family before, in 1995 in The Hartford Courant. Erno sent me a dossier on Catherine and included a copy of same. I scanned it and jarred loose some facts that had been stored way back in my poor old brain.

Reviewing it, I remember my thoughts some 19 years ago when I wrote it. Chief among these was, “what a terrific American family story!’’

Erno and Elizabeth Takacs are natives of Hungary and the way they came to America, Erno escaping from the Soviets during the uprising in the mid-1950s, is a tense adventure story I must save for another day.

Married in 1967, they settled in Torrington and had two children, Catherine and older brother Robert, a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical College in Daytona Beach, Fla. He is one of the top engineers at Sikorsky Aircraft.

With her mother’s guidance and encouragement, Catherine became a brilliant dancer at Nutmeg for 14 years. As a senior at Torrington High, where she was valedictorian, she spent three weeks training with the Hungarian State Ballet in Budapest.

Catherine went through Yale. When I spoke with Elizabeth in 1995, she said, “She danced with the Yale Dancers but then she had to make a decision. She stopped dancing and enrolled at Columbia Medical School.” While doing her residency at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, she told her mother, “Mother, even when I work from 6 a.m. to11 p.m. I don’t get tired, I like it (medicine) so much.”

After joining the Air Force, she was assigned to the David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in northern California. That was where she met Jeff Witkop.

They have two sons, Gabrial, 10, and Paul, 8, who accompanied them to Torrington for this visit. Gabrial is a musician. He plays the cello, and while I haven’t heard him play, I’m betting he does it well. It has to be in his genes.

Paul? He loves all sports and plays baseball and soccer. Again, I’m betting he’s an athlete of considerable skill. Striving, giving maximum effort and succeeding runs in the family, I’m thinking.

Do you remember Catherine Takacs? You can be sure they remember her at Nutmeg Ballet and other area places where she made her marks in dancing and academics over two and one-half decades ago.

Get ready for The Nutmeg’s 2014 Summer Dance Festival

Wed, 16 Jul 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Get ready for an eclectic dance extravaganza!

The 2014 Nutmeg Summer Dance Festival marks an important milestone for The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory as the international training program begins its 45th year of coaching, developing, and nurturing aspiring young artists.

Located in the very heart of downtown Torrington’s arts corridor, for nearly five decades dedicated students have converged upon The Nutmeg to train in classical and contemporary ballet. This anniversary season under the watchful eye of Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, and her gifted faculty, students of the 2014 International Training Program have begun the process of blossoming into the emerging performers of tomorrow.

On Friday, July 25th and Saturday, July 26th these extraordinary summer students and some very special guest artists will be presenting the Nutmeg Summer Dance Festival at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre and the enthusiasm is tangible.

The repertoire is as diverse as the students themselves with the choreography ranging from timeless classical ballet pieces to unique contemporary and modern dance. Resident Coach and Classical Repertoire Coordinator, Kirk Peterson, has staged the lovely “Waltz of the Hours” from the classical ballet, Coppelia. Children’s Ballet Mistress, Susan Szabo has staged the Scarf Dance from the exotic ballet, La Bayadere, while Resident Coach and Classical Repertoire Coordinator, Eleanor D’Antuono and the artistic staff have staged variations from timeless ballets such as Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda, Paquita and Swan Lake, for example.

Because excellent training in classical ballet is only part of the picture of the current competitive world of dance, these summer students have also had the benefit of contemporary and modern choreography. Special guest artist, Brian Reeder, has been working with the students on an original creation, “Hey,” set to the folk song “Kamarinskaya” from the film, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Donna Bonasera, who has deep roots in Torrington School of Ballet and was once associate director of The Nutmeg, has returned as guest faculty to stage the lively “Hoe-Down.”

Nutmeg alumnus, Kate St Amand, meanwhile, has worked with these young artists on original choreography that pushes their limits and frees their movement in new ways. Similarly, Meghan Dodd has been working with the youngest students who will present a demonstration of modern choreography based on Limon Technique.

The 2014 Nutmeg Summer Dance Festival promises to hold nothing back and audiences are in for a special treat. Cameo appearances by special guest artists featuring Nutmeg Ballet alumni will round out each show. Friday, July 25th at 8:00 pm, Rebecca Rasmussen and Nutmeg alumnus Steven Ezra Marshall will present “Tuu” courtesy of Moses Pendleton’s world renowned company, MOMIX. Brian Simerson’s new endeavor, Simerson & Company, which features a number of Nutmeg Ballet graduates, will continue a debut weekend with a very special contribution to the performance on Saturday, July 26th at noon.

Tonight, The Nutmeg Ballet summer program trainees will be performing for the public at 7 pm on Torrington’s Main Street as part of the Main Street Marketplace events. Tickets to the 2014 Summer Dance Festival are available via the Warner Theatre Box Office either in person, by phone 860.489.7180, or online at warnertheatre.org.

The Nutmeg Ballet welcomes summer students

Fri, 11 Jul 2014 04:00:00 GMT

It’s summertime at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory!

The first of three sessions of Summer Intensives, the Pre-Professional Training Program geared towards younger dancers ages 10-14, kicks off this Sunday afternoon with a welcoming Opening Ceremony and Orientation held in the scenic Premier Studio.

During this opening event, these young aspiring artists and their parents will learn details about the upcoming two weeks of training, meet The Nutmeg Ballet’s Artistic Staff led by Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, as well as have an opportunity to learn a little about each other. Perhaps one of the most anticipated moments is when the parents say their goodbyes and the students begin to take on a wonderful journey of growth that officially begins with a pizza party.

“Over 75 students are making their way to The Nutmeg this weekend and the excitement level is rising,” said Registrar, JoAnne Lavine. “We’ve been hearing from parents, double checking to make sure all of the enrollment paperwork is in, letting them know who their child’s roommate is, what the meals are like, and what time check-in is. This is always an exciting group due to their young age, especially because for some, this is the first time they have been way from home. These first days are filled with giggles, hugs, and beautiful new faces.”

On Monday morning, when those 75 students step into the bright and airy studios of The Nutmeg Ballet, many for the very first time, they will begin their day with the appropriate level of technique class taught by Timothy Melady, Ballet Master, Susan Szabo, Children’s Ballet Mistress, or Associate Director, Joan Kunsch. It is a challenging day to be certain, with daily classes going on until late in the summer evenings, and students spending up to 8 dance hours in the studio each day.

These dedicated students come from 20 of our nation’s states and as far away as Nova Scotia and Hong Kong. The majority of these students will be housed in Torrington, while others will make the daily commute from various points of Connecticut and even from bordering states such as New York and Massachusetts. One thing, however, is true for all the summer session students, whether resident-student or day-student, for the next two weeks they will learn to work together as a corps while they also work to improve individually.

They will learn to do their own laundry (with the help of Housing Director, Karen Tuck), adapt to a schedule that mirrors that of a professional dancer, make new friends, learn classical and contemporary repertoire, and most of all, they will improve their technique and expand their knowledge of ballet theory with an emphasis on what The Nutmeg likes to refer to as “Details”.

All that hard work has its rewards, of course. Aside from the tremendous leap in ability that will occur over the next weeks, not to mention personal growth from taking on such a rigorous program, these students will form bonds with their fellow students that will be maintained for years to come. Movie nights, an outing to Jacob’s Pillow to see a performance in that hallowed space dedicated to the art of dance, sharing meals with each other each day, and rehearsing for the end-of-program Demonstration will become, in time, treasured memories for these aspiring artists.

Every journey begins with a single step and for the 75 students spending their summer at The Nutmeg Ballet over the next two weeks, whether that step is a jeté, glissade, pas de bourre, or grand sissone, it’s going to be an unforgettable one.

Registration for the Children Summer Arts Workshop (ages 4 – 13) is underway. Classes begin the week of June 30th. For information call 860.482-4413 or register in person at The Nutmeg Ballet or online: http://goo.gl/5PKjGG .

Nutmeg’s Joan Kunsch wins prestigious literary award

Sun, 06 Jul 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to The Nutmeg’s Associate Director, Joan Kunsch!

Joan’s poem “Night Blizzard” has just won an International Publication Prize from The Atlanta Review, and will be featured in the fall 2014 issue. Her poem was chosen among thousands of submissions from across the globe and we couldn’t be prouder.

This is actually the second time Joan’s work has received this coveted award. The first was in 2006, with “Ballet Teacher’s Brief Bio.” This poem is featured in her book and CD, “Playing With Gravity,” available in the Dance Shop at The Nutmeg.

“Playing With Gravity” and accompanying CD will be featured in this week’sMain Street Market Place on Torrington’s Main Street, July 10th from 5-9 pm. She was selected for this honor by Jessica Hodorski, Director of the Torrington Public Library. Why not stop by and visit?

The Nutmeg Ballet’s June session draws to a close

Wed, 25 Jun 2014 04:00:00 GMT

What happens when you place 80 ballet students from 20 different states and at least two different countries in a beautiful building of bricks and glass and steel for two weeks? Well, you create some magical memories, of course.

These highly motivated aspiring young artists have been working diligently on honing their ballet technique, refining the “details” of the Vaganova-based curriculum, and learning new choreography both classical and contemporary. Under the watchful eye of The Nutmeg Ballet’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli and a cadre of dedicated, experienced, and nurturing instructors, these students of the timeless art of classical ballet have blossomed.

The path they have chosen is a challenging one, to be certain. They have sacrificed summer days spent pool-side or at the beach, for hours and hours of hard work spent in the studios every morning and late into the evenings. For many, it is the very first experience of being away from home, dancing in a studio other than the one than they’ve always known, and certainly working harder than they ever have. It is by all measures a test of their mettle.

The magic of these two weeks, nonetheless, goes beyond the leaps they have most certainly made in their training or even the personal growth they have developed by spreading their wings and taking on greater responsibility. What is arguably the most magical gift of these two weeks spent side by side during this rigorous training regimen are the friendships made along the way.

This Saturday the Pre-Professional Training Program will conclude with a demonstration for families and friends. With pride, these young artists will perform repertoire that they have learned, introduce their families to newly made friends and their wonderful teachers, and then tearfully say their goodbyes. These two weeks will have certainly gone by in what seems a blink of an eye to the students (perhaps an eternity to their parents), but will stay with them for years to come.

No matter where these students call home or how long they will spend within the walls of this wonderful building on Torrington’s Main Street, they will forever share a bond. They are now part of a family of Nutmeg Ballet students that goes back generations to the very founding of the program back in 1969. They are now Nutmeggers. Once a Nutmegger, always a Nutmegger.

Preparations for summer are in high gear at The Nutmeg Ballet

Thu, 29 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

The mild May weather still feels like spring, and yet at The Nutmeg Ballet, all thoughts are set on fast-forward to summer.

This summer marks the inauguration of the 45th anniversary season of a training program which has hosted aspiring young artists from east to west and across the oceans right in the very heart of Litchfield County’s downtown Torrington.

Even the youngest local students and their parents will be pleased to know that there are expanded options for summer training. Children ages 4-6 will have the opportunity to train once a week on Mondays from 9 to 10 a.m., June 30th to July 24th. Children ages 6-8 will meet on Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. throughout June 30th to July 24th.

Students ages 8 to 13 looking to build upon their training in classical ballet technique will have the opportunity to train at TSOB at The Nutmeg from Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. throughout June 30th to July 24th.

The first of three pre-professional summer programs at The Nutmeg Ballet begins on June 15th; the second professional summer session begins June 29th culminating in the Summer Dance Festival at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre on July 25 & 26, while the final apprentice program welcomes eager students on July 27th. This is a banner year for the organization founded by Sharon E. Dante in 1969 with each of these three summer programs filled to capacity.

The annual summer program brings a boost of tourism to Torrington’s Main Street and each year many returning students and their families have found that the arts corridor has taken one step closer to fulfilling its destiny as a mecca for the arts. With The Nutmeg Ballet and Warner Theatre as the anchors, little gems such as Five Points Gallery have become an attraction for the annual visitors as well.

Although this week has been relatively tranquil, the Dance Shop at The Nutmeg has stepped up the pace to make ready for the upcoming summer trainees. There are orders to fill, questions to answer, and merchandise to order. In addition to preparing for the new Nutmeg students, the Dance Shop staff has also been busy servicing the local dance community with pointe shoe fittings and a varied selection of dance merchandise and gift items.

“The Nutmeg Dance Shop is open for business and full of energy! We are outfitting the community and dancers from around the country with dancewear for recital season and summer programs,” said Holly Watson, Dance Shop Manager. “We are also coordinating our summer Arts Extension program which spotlights Nutmeg’s Adult Ballet Classes that start up again on June 16th.”

Information regarding summer, year-round training, and adult ballet programs taking place at The Nutmeg and TSOB at The Nutmeg can be obtained online www.nutmegballet.org or by calling 860.482.4413.

The Nutmeg Ballet celebrates 2014 graduation

Wed, 21 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

A wonderful weekend of performances capped off by the graduation of eleven very special students of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory took place this past Saturday, May 17th.

Once the familiar ‘Pomp and Circumstance March’ began to play, all eyes turned towards the poised, self-confident, and radiant faces of the graduates. The Nutmeg staff, parents, friends, and fellow students looked on proudly as the graduates ceremoniously, if not gracefully, marched into the Premier Studio with its majestic views of the Litchfield Hills.

It was a beautiful day in Torrington, to be certain. The sun shone through the glass walls of the very studio where these trainees had spent so many days of their young lives, as if to remind them that their futures are bright and the possibilities endless.

After the invocation, those present joined in to sing the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ punctuating the solemnity of this very important day—the day that these eleven young and promising artists had been working toward for many, many years.

Sharon E. Dante, Founder & Executive Director of The Nutmeg Ballet, addressed the audience warmly, welcoming them to a place so many in that room already considered a second home. Dante had the honor and clearly the pleasure of introducing the keynote speaker, Roman Baca, whom she fondly recalled picking up at the Waterbury train station many years ago when he was just beginning his own training at The Nutmeg.

Baca’s keynote address was engaging, charming, and most definitely stirring. He called upon the graduates to go out into the world and do good– to use their training and their talent and their passion for something greater than themselves.

A class of 2000 graduate of The Nutmeg Ballet, Baca, a US Marine Iraqi War veteran, told of humanitarian missions, recalled the point in his life after returning from Iraq when he needed to rediscover his purpose, his gallant triumph over fear, personal limits, and that absolute need to fulfill a greater destiny. His keynote address was inspiring, uplifting, and everything these young graduates needed to hear on this landmark day.

Class Representatives, Catherine Ward and Benjamin Youngstone did an outstanding job of addressing their fellow graduates, teachers, and guests bringing them to every height of emotion from bittersweet tears to joyous laughter. The ceremony ended as most graduations traditionally do, with the graduates victoriously tossing their caps into the air.

The graduates filed out to John Philip Sousa’s celebratory ‘Stars & Stripes’, their tear-streaked faces simultaneously revealing their brilliant smiles. There were happy tears tinged with the melancholy that moving on from something wonderful into the great unknown almost always inspires. This was their day and it was a grand one!

Congratulations to the Class of 2014!

Catherine Ward, Amber Hirschfield, Thel Moore, Matanya Solomon, Benjamin Youngstone, Hope Friedman, Adrian Mendez-Hutchinson, Cydney Bronstein, Leticia Bitelli, Deanna Dewitt, and Meagan Selinksy.

2014 Scholarship & Award Recipients:

Outstanding Achievement Award – Thel Moore

Donna Neri Scholarship Achievement Award – Kasey Arvold

Brian Tippen Scholarship Achievement Award – Nicholas Gray

Mary Ellen Adamo Student Achievement Award – Jesse Kulynych-Griffith

The Parent Network at The Nutmeg Scholarships – Jesse Kylynych-Griffith and Natalia Lopez.

Dance Shop Award – Grace Canfield.

Nutmeg Graduates Embark Upon an Exceptional Journey

Wed, 14 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

They come from as far north as Canada, as far south as Brazil, and very many other points in between.

Whatever their point of origin and regardless of their relentless pursuit of individual goals, the eleven graduates of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory training program share at least one significant thing in common. Their paths have converged to pursue a dream; training at The Nutmeg Ballet is the very first step in a wonderfully exciting journey to realizing it.

“As our graduation performances arrive, our students become very excited and emotional. It is a time of saying goodbye and stepping into the unknown,” said The Nutmeg’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli. “This has been a wonderful year and I look forward to hearing from our graduates from time to time as they begin their new lives and our hope is that they always keep Nutmeg in their hearts.”

This year, one very special Nutmeg graduate, Catherine Ward, has completed the 10 Year Professional Program. A Torrington native, Catherine began her ballet studies at The Nutmeg’s Torrington School of Ballet under the direction of Susan Szabo back when the studios were located on Water Street. Cat, who also graduates from Holy Cross High School in Waterbury this year, will be attending Muhlenberg College on an academic and dance scholarship in the fall.

Graduating from the 3 Year High School Professional Program is Amber Hirschfield (Southbury, Connecticut), who is headed to Orlando Ballet.

Graduating from the 2 Year High School Professional Program are Ben Youngstone (Richmond, Virginia), who will join Charlotte Ballet (North Carolina Dance Theatre) as an Apprentice in the fall; Thel Moore (Windsor Mill, Maryland) and Matanya Solomon (Morgantown, West Virginia) will both be returning to The Nutmeg Ballet in the fall as Post High School Professional Program Trainees.

Graduating from the 1 Year High School Professional Program are Hope Friedman (Gansevort, New York), who will divide her time between Cincinnati Ballet and Joffrey Ballet in Chicago this summer; Adrian Mendez-Hutchinson (Chesapeake Beach, Maryland) who is headed to Next Generation Ballet.

Cydney Bronstein (Trumbull, Connecticut) is a Graduate of the 2 Year Post High School Professional Program and will be a Trainee Candidate at Festival Ballet Providence.

Graduates of the 1 Year Post High School Professional Program include Leticia Bitelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil) who is headed to Atlanta Ballet; Deanna Dewitt (Cary, North Carolina) will be attending Wake Tech College; and Meagan Selinsky (Dollard des Ormeaux, Quebec) is headed to Joffrey Ballet in New York City.

When Catherine Ward and Benjamin Youngstone step up to the podium to address their fellow graduates and trainees on Saturday, May 17th, they will remind those in attendance what it means to dream and then act upon that vision with a sense of commitment, passion, and relentless discipline. When Roman Baca, Nutmeg alumnus and keynote speaker, captivates the audience with his story of a world of professional ballet, battlefields, and boardrooms, the quiet dignity inspired by the world of ballet will reveal its strength and fortitude.

Graduation performances, which take place May 14-17 in the Premiere Studio Theatre, will enchant, inspire, and awaken the senses. The graduation ceremony that takes place Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. in that beautiful building on 58 Main Street, will reveal a journey of many small steps, some graceful, some powerful, with each step moving toward what was once but a dream.

Tickets to the performances that take place Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15 at 7 p.m., Friday, May 16 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 17 at 3 p.m. can be purchased through the Warner Theatre 860.489.7180 or online at www.warnertheatre.org.

Roman Baca to address graduates of The Nutmeg Ballet

Wed, 07 May 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Any goal worth reaching requires dedication, tenacity, and an incredible sense of commitment. As the graduates of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory well know and keynote speaker, Roman Baca, can attest, there are no shortcuts.

Managing academics and a rigorous six-day-a –week pre-professional ballet training program is no easy feat. It requires great sacrifice, a laser-like focus, and most of all, much hard work. Fittingly, graduation day involves both the pomp and circumstance of a traditional graduation ceremony as well as a delightful performance in The Nutmeg’s Premiere Studio Theater.

From the very first day they walked into the building of steel and bricks and glass, the eleven graduating trainees understood the high expectations and extreme challenges before them. And here we are just days from the first graduation performances on Wednesday, May 14th with each day thereafter leading up to the ceremonious tossing of the mortar boards into the air on Saturday, May 17th.

Each year a distinguished guest is invited to present the keynote address and this year that honor goes to Roman Baca, Artistic Director of Exit 12 Dance Company and Artistic Director and General Manager of Ballet Theatre Company. Baca, a Marine Iraq War Veteran, is a respected alumnus of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory having graduated in 2000 as a recipient of the much revered Brian Tippen Memorial Scholarship.

His beautiful and talented wife, Lisa Fitzgerald-Baca, is also a Nutmeg alumnus having graduated from the Post-Graduate Professional Program in 2005. She has danced with Connecticut Ballet, Mooney/Cooley Dance, Ballet Ambassadors and co-founded Exit12 Dance Company.

“It is such a great pleasure to have our graduate, Roman Baca Class of 2000, as our keynote speaker. We look forward to having Roman share his knowledge and experiences with our students,” said Nutmeg’s Founding Executive Director, Sharon E. Dante. “We are so proud of the creative way he has merged his love of dance and his respect for the military into his career.”

Upon graduating from The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, Baca performed with The Nutmeg Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and New Mexico Ballet and eventually felt the calling to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. While serving our country as a machine-gunner and fire-team leader in Fallujah, Iraq, Baca was inspired to transform his combat experience into dance performances that would be not only artistically moving, but also emotionally healing.

And so, in 2007 Baca co-founded Exit 12 Dance Company, a contemporary dance company “committed to creating and performing works of high cultural significance that inspire conversations about worldly differences and the lasting effects of violence and conflict.”

“The opportunity to study at Nutmeg completely changed my life. It was the classical ballet training, and so much more. It was the knowledge and the relationships I gleaned working in the community that have had a lasting impact on what I have done, am doing, and who I am today,” said Roman Baca.

This recipient of the Connecticut Wartime Veterans Medal has choreographed several major works relating to the military and their families, he writes and lectures about his experiences, and has also worked on two short films. His work has been recognized by The National Endowment for the Arts Quarterly Magazine, Pointe Magazine, NPR’s All Things Considered, American Public Media, TEDx and Reuters. Mr. Baca serves on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Dance Alliance.

“I am honored that now my own students have the opportunity to study at Nutmeg over the summer, and that I have been asked to speak to the graduating class,” Baca added. “I hope that they can continue to add to their knowledge and experiences, like I have, in order to make their art and their life a success.”

The graduation ceremony for the Class of 2014 begins at 10:30 a.m. in The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s Premiere Studio Theater on Saturday, May 17th. The public is invited to attend this exciting event and congratulate this year’s graduates: Hope Friedman, Amber Hirschfield, Adrian Mendez, Thel Moore, Matanya Solomon, Catherine Ward, and Benjamin Youngstone. The Post High School Professional Program class of 2014: Leticia Bitelli, Cydney Bronstein, Deanna Dewitt, and Meagan Selinsky.

Tickets to the performances that take place Wednesday, May 14th through Saturday, May 17th can be purchased through the Warner Theatre 860.489.7180 or online at www.warnertheatre.org.

Nutmeg’s Graduation Performances will charm all ages

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Hold on to your bonnets! The Nutmeg Ballet is bringing a fresh twist to the classical, timeworn, and always beloved nursery rhymes and fairy tales of yore.

In just two weeks, the graduates and trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet, along with students of the Torrington School of Ballet, will be presenting a series of mixed repertoire performances taking place in the Premiere Studio Theater, May 14-17.

In addition to classical and contemporary works including excerpts from Raymonda staged by Eleanor D’Antuono and original choreography by Kirk Peterson, Brian Reeder, and Victoria Mazzarelli, the students have been hard at work rehearsing brand-new works inspired by fairy tales and nursery rhymes we all know and love.

The Nutmeg’s Associate Director, Joan Kunsch, came up with the idea during the staging of rehearsals for The Nutcracker at the Warner Theatre this past December.

“Near the opening of Act II (Kingdom of the Sweets), four young ladies sit on a curved bench, their legs stretched on a gorgeous diagonal. How would those eight legs look in black tights and black pointe shoes?” Kunsch wondered. “JUST like an elegant spider!”

Thus was the inspiration for “Little Miss Muffet,” who won’t be eating the traditional “curds and whey” for the upcoming performances. Instead, Kunsch, who, when not choregraphing, can be found writing and publishing poetry or creating works of art, wanted Miss Muffet to devour something entirely different — books!

Joan Kunsch has re-imagined Little Miss Muffet to tell a new, but equally endearing story:

“Little Miss Muffet

Sat on her tuffet

Reading new words every day.

Along came a spider

and sat down beside her

and snatched her best book far away!”

The upcoming graduation performances include an enchanting version of “Little Bo Peep and her Sheep” as well as sparkling sunrays and heavenly stars debuting in “Twinkle, Twinkle” both choreographed by Susan Szabo, TSOB Director and Children’s Ballet Mistress.

The Nutmeg Ballet’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, has choreographed “Goldilocks & the Three Bears” who cavort amusingly to a rollicking piece of music, while Timothy Melady, Ballet Master, has created a display of male airborne technique, bringing new life to “Jack be Nimble.”

“Bringing your children to a live ballet performance is a very special gift,” said Mazzarelli. “Children love the opportunity to use their imagination. Watching a story told without words is the perfect way to engage the creative senses. At the same time, it’s a very nice introduction to the ballet because children will appreciate the music and the movement set to something as familiar as a nursery rhyme.”

This very special premiere of ‘Papa Bear’s Parade’ that is part of Nutmeg’s Graduation Performances May 14-17 is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Tickets are available from the Warner Theatre box office by calling 860-489-7180 or online at www.warnertheatre.org.

Fierce dedication to a timeless art

Wed, 23 Apr 2014 04:00:00 GMT

That beautiful Nutmeg Ballet building on North Main Street, with its neoclassical architecture made up of bricks and steel and glass, has many wonderful stories to tell.

The 50,000 square foot building that houses training and residential facility of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is not only an extraordinary example of downtown revitalization at its finest, but also presents a seamless integration of traditional and modern architecture. The contrast and symmetry of the old and new aptly tell the tale of what is happening inside those walls as well.

The careful melding of the original architecture with the soaring glass and steel dance studios is the perfect setting for a ballet training program that not only trains classical ballet dancers well-versed in traditional technique, but who can also communicate a newer, freer quality of movement required in more modern choreography.

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is the oldest continuously operating performing arts organization in town providing professional level ballet training to aspiring local, national, and international artists who come from far and wide to share in The Nutmeg Ballet’s rich history, exciting present and promising future.

The Nutmeg trainees have returned from spring break and are back at work in the beautifully appointed studios rehearsing for Graduation Performances that will take place in the Premiere Studio Theatre with its majestic views of the hills of Litchfield. As anyone who has had the opportunity to attend a performance in this spectacular space well knows, the Premiere Studio Theater is an enchanted place where magic happens and memories are made. This is where stories are told through movement and music and a fierce dedication to a timeless art.

Experience excerpts from the classical ballet, Raymonda staged by Eleanor D’Antuono, as well as original contemporary choreography by Kirk Peterson, Brian Reeder, Moses Pendleton, and Cynthia Quinn that promises to take the audience on a magical voyage through time. Adding to the excitement, the Graduation Performance repertoire will include the premier of original works by Victoria Mazzarelli, Timothy Melady, Joan Kunsch and Susan Szabo whose Torrington School of Ballet students will perform scenes from beloved nursery rhymes and fairy tales, sure to delight audiences of all ages.

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory Graduation Performances are scheduled for Wednesday, May 14 through Saturday, May 17. Tickets are available through the Warner Theatre box office by calling 860-489-7180 as well as online at warnertheatre.org.

The Nutmeg Ballet performs at the Ted Hershey Dance & Music Marathon

Wed, 16 Apr 2014 04:00:00 GMT

This past weekend, The Nutmeg Ballet participated in a beautiful tribute to the life and work of a beloved dancer and friend to the dance community, Ted Hershey, who died of AIDS in 1998.

Hershey was a principal dancer with the Hartford Ballet and co-founder of Works Contemporary Dance. The Ted Hershey Dance & Music Marathon was conceived almost two decades ago as a celebration of a man whose mission was to make the arts a vital part of the life of his beloved city. This year marks the 16th year of the event, which is a colorful and joyful celebration of Hartford’s culturally diverse dance community.

“Celebrating the memory of Ted Hershey is very special to us,” said The Nutmeg’s Executive Director, Sharon E. Dante. “Ted danced in The Nutmeg Ballet Summer Dance Festival for many years and we always looked forward to having him on our stage. I will always consider him not only a wonderful artist and a brilliant advocate of dance, but also as a very close friend whom is much missed.”

As in years past, this special gift to the memory of Ted Hershey was celebrated at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford. Saturday’s marathon dance and musical extravaganza featured a diverse lineup of dance companies, choreographers, schools, and musicians from across the greater Hartford area and beyond.

“The Nutmeg Ballet is always honored to participate in the Ted Hershey Dance Marathon,” said Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli. “We have been taking part in this wonderful tribute to Ted Hershey for many, many years.”

Not only is it a great performance experience for the dancers of The Nutmeg, but the opportunity to present repertoire alongside other professional dancers and students is a valuable learning experience, Mazzarelli elaborated.

Nutmeg Ballet’s trainees, Amber Hirschfield and Benjamin Youngstone, performed an exquisite pas de deux, ‘Diana & Actaeon’, originally choreographed in 1935 by Agrippina Vaganova as part of Act II of the ballet La Esmeralda. This virtuoso ballet was re-staged by Rudolf Nureyev in 1963 for a world premiere for NBC television.

The Nutmeg Ballet’s Resident Coach & Classical Repertoire Coordinator, Eleanor D’Antuono, danced the role of Diana for American Ballet Theatre’s premiere at the New York State Theater on July 3, 1973. D’Antuono also danced this role alongside Fernando Bujones in London as part of a gala to benefit the homeless organized by British ballerina Anya Linden, Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover.

It is serendipitous, one might note, that many years later D’Antuono would go on to stage ‘Diana & Actaeon’ for The Nutmeg Ballet at the Ted Hershey Marathon this past Saturday, April 12th, this time in honor of fellow dancer, Ted Hershey.

“Amber and Ben did a beautiful job and represented The Nutmeg Ballet extremely well,” said The Nutmeg’s Ballet Master, Tim Melady. “We are so proud of our dancers and their accomplishments. The opportunity to support the artistic community in events such as the Ted Hershey Dance Marathon is extremely important to us.”

Summer ballet training essential to serious minded students

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 04:00:00 GMT

It finally feels like spring, the crocuses have pushed through the soil in search of sunlight, and in keeping with the buzzing bees, The Nutmeg Ballet is humming with activity now that the trainees have returned to the studios.

With less than six weeks until graduation, there’s much to be accomplished and the sense of urgency is almost palpable. There is academic work to focus on, classical and contemporary repertoire to rehearse, as well as graduation speeches to be written. In the blink of an eye, it will be summer and the studios and residential facilities will be filled with new faces as well as the many who return to what has become their second home at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory.

Summer ballet training is essential to the serious minded student of this timeless and very demanding art. Too many days away from the studio and weeks and months of hard work tend to fade. Rudolf Nureyev knew this well and once lamented, “When I miss class for one day, I know it. When I miss class for two days, my teacher knows it. When I miss class for three days, the audience knows it.”

This is the life of the dancer; always perfecting the craft, constantly honing the skills, and consistently training the body to defy gravity. The most accomplished dancers only make it look easy, while behind the scenes they tend to be the most dedicated and focused of all. This level of determination and sacrifice creates not only ethereal coordination and agile mental acuity, but a discipline that transcends dance and carries forward into every activity, profession, and endeavor these young people will take on as they pursue their dreams, whatever they may be.

With the importance of continuing serious ballet training in mind, The Nutmeg Ballet is launching the Children’s Summer Arts Workshop in the beautifully appointed studios of the training facility on Torrington’s Main Street. Children ages 8-13 will meet for four weeks (June 30th – July 24th) from Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm where classes taught by The Nutmeg’s artistic staff include classical ballet technique, pointe/pre-pointe, and variations. To round out their training, the schedule also includes yoga, Zumba, ballet theory & history, hair & makeup for the stage, nutrition & wellness, arts & crafts as well as observation of partnering and advanced repertoire.

Not to be left behind, even the youngest dancers can to work on their ballet technique this summer. Classes for children ages 4-6 will take place on Mondays from 9:00 am to 10:00 am while children ages 6-8 will have class on Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 10:00 am throughout the four-week session that begins June 30th and ends July 24th.

The Nutmeg Ballet will be hosting the final open audition for the Professional Summer Program and Professional Year-Round Training Program this Saturday, April 12th. Registration for students ages 10 and up begins at 9:00 am in the Community Room of The Nutmeg Ballet located at 58 Main Street in Torrington.

Registration information for both the Children’s Summer Arts Workshop and The Nutmeg Professional Training Programs may be found online at www.nutmegballet.org or by calling 860.482.4413 for details.

The Nutmeg Ballet springs into the season

Thu, 03 Apr 2014 04:00:00 GMT

After a successful run of IMPACT at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theater, the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet have been away enjoying a much deserved spring break.

You might imagine that the beautiful building on Torrington’s Main Street would be quiet without the comings and goings of the students starting out with their academic courses in the morning and on to technique classes and rehearsals later in the day, but you’d be somewhat mistaken. Although The Nutmeg is officially on break until Monday and the students are spending time at home with their families, there’s been a flurry of activity taking place in the building the entire time.

Each Monday for the past 4 weeks, a motivated and very enthusiastic group of adults has been joining the Adult Ballet classes taught by Eleanor D’Antuono, The Nutmeg Ballet’s classical repertoire coach and resident prima. In fact, the enrollment in this Arts Extension class has been so vigorous that Susan Szabo, Torrington School of Ballet’s wonderful Ballet Mistress, is teaching an additional class on Mondays allowing the participants options as to levels of difficulty.

Each week the Arts Extension Program sees new faces as well some whose first memory of ballet instruction is part of the origins of the organization. Over these past weeks, The Nutmeg Ballet has welcomed back into the fold former students who had never been in the new building on Main Street and who have recognized themselves and others in the photographs and newspaper clippings that adorn the hallways. Along with their ballet slippers, they bring their memories created on Water Street and Migeon Avenue and infuse a sense of history and purpose with each plié and every step they take.

Undoubtedly, Adult Ballet has evolved into so much more than originally planned. Not only is it an opportunity to reap the physical benefits of stretching and moving according to the structure and tradition of classical ballet training, but it has become an opportunity to meet up with friends, get back in touch with people not seen in years, and forge new friendships. It’s not too late to join in on the fun as enrollment is ongoing. Contact the Dance Shop at The Nutmeg 860.482.4413 x316 for details.

Of course, while The Nutmeg trainees have been away on break, the Dance Shop at The Nutmeg has been open and busy fitting pointe shoes and helping customers meet their dance needs. Torrington School of Ballet classes and rehearsals for the spring Graduation Performances at The Nutmeg have been taking place as scheduled and the pitter patter of those dancing feet has been heard throughout the hallways and studios throughout these past weeks. In keeping with tradition, Mrs. Mary Dante has been buzzing people into the building and answering questions from her outpost in the front office just as she has since the school’s founding in 1969.

It’s just about time for The Nutmeg trainees to make their way back to Torrington from whatever points, far or near, they find themselves. Eager to get back to work and into the studio, they will jump right back into classes and rehearsals for the May performances that will take place in The Nutmeg’s Premiere Studio Theater on May 14-17. At The Nutmeg Ballet, spring break may be coming to an end, but the excitement that comes with the new season has only just begun.

The Nutmeg Ballet – where you’re always welcome home

Wed, 26 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

IMPACT 2014 was more than just a wonderful weekend of performances at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theater; it was an unforgettable experience from beginning to end.

All the work with guest choreographers Kirk Peterson, Brian Reeder, and Cynthia Quinn, the many days of dedication and determination spent by the trainees in the studios, the countless hours spent by The Nutmeg Ballet Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, and her gifted staff supported by a selfless team of volunteers culminated in something truly spectacular.

With the goal of reuniting alumni and honoring a rich tradition of ballet training at the program founded in 1969 by Sharon Dante, entering the theater lobby was virtually a time-travel experience featuring an exhibit of images, stunning costumes, and archival footage on display. Volunteers of The Nutmeg’s Legacy Project have been working tirelessly to sift through photographs, costumes, and performance videos that span the 45-year history as the first steps in a long-term plan to archive the vast store of history housed in the walls of their beloved building.

Friday’s VIP Reception and Dress Rehearsal hosted by Children’s Ballet Mistress and Nutmeg Ballet alumna, Susan Szabo, was the opening event of IMPACT 2014 weekend and there was so much attention to detail that guests could not help but feel honored to be a part of the celebration. Not only was it a picture-perfect presentation of delicacies both sweet and savory, but it was the camaraderie and excitement about this opportunity to reunite or even meet for the very first time that sparked something extremely special. After previewing the show during the dress rehearsal, guests lingered long afterward to congratulate the dancers and revel in their delight over the performance.

What followed Friday’s prelude to the weekend was no less remarkable. Both casts of IMPACT delivered moving performances that elicited cheers and enthusiastic applause. The dancers were beautiful in the Raymonda tutus handcrafted by The Nutmeg’s Costume Mistress, Sue Fazzino, and the dancing, staged by the Nutmeg artistic staff, was equally dazzling.

The second act continued to charm the audience with the intricate footwork and quick-timing of Kirk Peterson’s exquisite ‘Lombardi Variations’ paying homage to Bournonville and a Paris Opera from the days of old. MOMIX repertoire is always a crowd favorite, and this year, ‘Marigolds’, an excerpt of Botanica, delighted young and old with wonderful whimsy and efflorescent excitement skillfully translated via flowing layers of bright orange petticoats.

Having switched gears to contemporary ballet, Victoria Mazzarelli’s choreography with its mesmerizing movement set to the mystical music of Maneesh de Moor was spellbinding. Transporting the audience back to classical repertoire choreographed by Agrippina Vaganova and staged by Eleanor D’Antuono and Tim Melady, was ‘Diana & Actaeon’, a pas de deux with challenging yet delicate movements, both grippingly powerful and yet sublimely subtle—a testament to the training of these rising artists.

Closing out the IMPACT 2014 repertoire was ‘Pulse’, choreographed by Brian Reeder. A large-scale dance creation, Reeder describes it as “one pattern or shape making reference to another, perhaps even crossing through each other.” Such was a fitting finish to a wonderful series of IMPACT performances kicking off The Nutmeg’s 45th anniversary year.

IMPACT 2014 was but one beautifully written chapter in a rich and compelling story that is still being crafted each day in the studios of the building of glass and steel and bricks on Torrington’s Main Street. This weekend’s events were inspired by 45 wonderful years of dance in Torrington where The Nutmeg Ballet has attracted aspiring artists from all corners of the world to ply their craft.

Like a beacon welcoming home all those who have left their imprint at The Nutmeg Ballet, the IMPACT 2014 performances transformed into a unique opportunity to preserve and continue a beautiful legacy.

Dancers set to make “Impact”

Thu, 20 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Nutmeg Ballet to perform at Warner

BY CARRIE MACMILLAN | REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

When the lights flood the stage of the Warner Theatre's Nancy Marine Studio in Torrington this weekend for the first piece in Nutmeg Ballet's performance, there will be few shadows to cover up missteps.

The dancers, as a part of the Torrington-based ballet school's annual "Impact" weekend of shows, will dance excerpts from "Raymonda," which premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1898.

"'Raymonda' is brightly lit and there is nowhere to hide," said Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg's artistic director. "You have to boldly come out and dance."

Nutmeg Conservatory to stage IMPACT 2014 dance extravaganza March 22-23

Wed, 19 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

The choreography is set and the pieces well-rehearsed. Velvety curtains and sleek lighting fixtures are all moved into the black box theater of Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre on Downtown Torrington’s Main Street. Classic tutus and contemporary costumes have been designed, sewn, and expertly fitted. There’s just no doubt about it. It’s show time!

This weekend, The Nutmeg Ballet presents IMPACT 2014 on March 22 at 8 p.m. and March 23 at 2 p.m. For the fifth year running, IMPACT has taken place in the more intimate and contemporary 300-seat state-of-the-art black-box theater venue which is the perfect setting for a repertoire that spans from classical ballet to original contemporary choreography.

A much anticipated event each spring, IMPACT has something for everyone.This juxtaposition of the classical and contemporary is the perfect analogy to the training at The Nutmeg Ballet. The exacting structure of the classical technique training that is the foundation of the program well prepares trainees to stretch past the boundaries and explore movement when called on to do so in such pieces as “Pulse” choreographed by Brian Reeder or MOMIX Botanica’s “Marigolds.” Then there is the exquisite petite allegro of Kirk Peterson’s “Lombardi” or the flowing movements of Victoria Mazzarelli’s original choreography.

Of course, those looking for the purity and tradition of classical ballet will not be disappointed either. Eleanor D’Antuono has staged excerpts from the ballet, “Raymonda,” as well as the beautiful and technically challenging pas de deux, “Diana & Actaeon.”

In addition to the fiery “Panaderas” set by Alexei Tchernichov, there will be cameo appearances by the Torrington School of Ballet children who will be presenting a lively piece staged by Susan Szabo.

In keeping with spring and all things new, this year’s IMPACT performances represent the first opportunity to work with the Warner Theatre’s newly appointed Executive Director, Lynn Gelormino at the helm. “The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory Board of Directors and staff warmly congratulate Lynn,” said Sharon E. Dante of The Nutmeg Ballet. “We wish her the very best with her new position at The Warner and look forward to being a part of the spectacular growth in our local arts community.”

Tickets for this weekend’s IMPACT performances are available at the Warner Theatre box office in person, by phone (860.489.7180) or online (www.warnertheatre.org). Don’t miss out! It’s definitely a wonderful way to welcome spring.

A glimpse of The Nutmeg this week!

*Registration for Pre-School Dance Programs at TSOB at The Nutmeg is ongoing and summer program classes are forming now! Call for details 860.482.4413.

*Adult Ballet and Nutmeg Tappers still accepting new students. Call the Dance Shop to register!

*All TSOB classes, Arts Extension Program, and the Dance Shop will maintain a regular schedule while The Nutmeg Ballet is on Spring Break.

The Nutmeg’s Ben Youngstone brings home the gold

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

It was Ben Youngstone’s very first taste of competition and for the 17 year old Nutmeg Ballet trainee from Richmond, Virginia, it was a sweet one.

This past weekend four of the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory headed to Middlebury to participate in the Connecticut Classic Competition sponsored by the Connecticut Dance Alliance. Ben Youngstone danced the athletic Bluebird Variation from the ballet Sleeping Beauty while Alexandra Lopez, age 16, presented a variation from the ballet Giselle. Riley McGregor, age 15, along with Thel Moore, age 17, danced the beautiful and challenging pas de deux, Diana and Actaeon.

“We are so proud of our students and their accomplishments this weekend. They have been putting in so much extra effort to make it happen,” said Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli. “Competitions are the Olympics for dancers. Every little detail has to come together at the final performance. Ben received the highest honor, a gold medal, at this event, but I see them all as winners.”

Not only were these young dancers from the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory shining examples of the excellent training at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, but they also represented the comportment, professionalism, and camaraderie that set the students from this program apart. Under the guidance of Victoria Mazzarelli, Artistic Director, Eleanor D’Antuono, Classical Repertoire Coach, and Tim Melady, Ballet Master, these students began training for the competition a month ago in addition to their rigorous daily training and rehearsals for the upcoming IMPACT performances at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theater on March 22 & 23.

The weekend of master classes in technique and variations as well as educational seminars culminated in Sunday’s competition at the Westover School. When the music played and Youngstone leaped out onto the stage, the audience was on the edge of their seats in awe of his execution of this extremely difficult male variation. There were over 70 competitors in the Senior Division alone, and not only did Benjamin Youngstone win the gold medal, but he also came home with quite another honor as well. Stephen Piers, Director of the Dance Division at the Hartt School, was so inspired by Youngstone’s rendition of Bluebird that he awarded the talented young Nutmeg Ballet senior a forty thousand dollar scholarship to attend the University of Hartford in the fall.

Youngstone, who gracefully accepted his medal and generous scholarship, will be graduating from The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory this May. He has consistently proven to be a stellar student who excels academically and in the studio. A fine example of the training available to young men at The Nutmeg, there is little doubt that Youngstone will join the list of successful male graduates including Barry Hughson, Phillip Skaggs, Jonathon Eden, Steven Ezra Marshall, and Pete Walker to name only a few.

This is the second year that The Nutmeg Ballet has participated in the CT Classic and both times a male trainee from Nutmeg’s pre-professional training program in Torrington has secured a gold medal win. Last year’s gold medal winner was Jack Sprance who is now a trainee at the prestigious Boston Ballet.

The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory has a burgeoning male trainee program and the sooner they walk in the doors of the building on Torrington’s Main Street, the better. Young boys are always welcome to come in to take a free trial class, said Nutmeg’s founder and executive director, Sharon E. Dante. Those interested in setting up a trial class and tour of the building should contact The Nutmeg at 860-482-4413.

A glimpse of The Nutmeg this week!

On Saturday, The Nutmeg Ballet will host an open audition with check-in beginning at 9:00 a.m. Details are available of the website: www.nutmegballet.org. The alumni and archiving legacy project will meet on Saturday as they move forward on planning alumni outreach, historical archiving, and event planning. Two weeks until IMPACT performances on March 22 & 23 at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theater. Tickets are available at the box office 860.489.7180 or online www.warnertheatre.org. Registration for Pre-School Dance Programs at TSOB is ongoing and summer program classes are forming now! Call for details 860.482.4413. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, all green items are 20% off in the Dance Shop at the Nutmeg.

Light Up the Stage – A Kickstarter Project by The Nutmeg Ballet

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 04:00:00 GMT

Your generous support will sponsor production costs of professional lighting design for IMPACT 2014. Help us make some magic! LIGHT UP THE STAGE

We really need your support.

Each year the scenario for the arts seems to become more and more of a challenge. Ticket sales do not cover all of our production expenses (approximately 40% of production expenses are covered by ticket sales), and one of the ways we make up the difference is through fundraising.

While our lighting expenses for IMPACT 2014 represent $4,000 of the production budget, our goal is to raise at least half of that — $2,000.

We believe that the arts are fundamental to keeping a nation unique, interesting, and relevant. The arts have always been the marker of great civilizations and our role, however minor, in preserving and growing that heritage of nurturing the arts is why we do what we do. Supporting this project helps us assure that the history of dance and the future of dance continue to enrich the lives of our students, families, communities, and nation. Any donation, great or small, will help us do great work. Please consider being a part of the magic and help us light up the stage!

What is IMPACT?

IMPACT performances at the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Theater have become a highly anticipated event in the Connecticut arts community each spring. In 2014, the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory will be presenting classical repertoire from Raymonda originally choreographed by Marius Petipa along with the pas de deux from Diana & Actaeon from the ballet, La Esmeralda, staged by Eleanor D’Antuono, in addition to brilliant new contemporary choreography created by such great minds as Kirk Peterson, Brian Reeder, Moses Pendleton, Victoria Mazzarelli, Susan Szabo, and Timothy Melady. We also have the honor of presenting the choreography of Moses Pendleton’s MOMIX.

I’d love to come see IMPACT. How do I secure tickets?

The March 22 & 23 performances will take place in the Nancy Marine Studio Theater of Torrington’s historic and beautifully restored Warner Theater and we welcome you to be in the audience for two days of exciting performances. Professional Lighting Designer, John Bartenstein will be working closely with our gifted choreographers and artistic faculty to bring this production to life. John has been working with The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory for many years and what he brings to the production definitely contributes to the magic created by the choreographers and executed by the trainees of the professional ballet program. https://nutmegconservatory.org/performances/impact-weekend/

Why is lighting important to the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet?

One of the goals of The Nutmeg Ballet training program is to provide high quality, professional-level performance opportunities for the trainees. In addition to IMPACT, our trainees perform in Nutmeg’s Nutcracker, the Spring Graduation Performances, as well as the Nutmeg Summer Dance Festival.

The Nutmeg Ballet strives to make the atmosphere professional and give the trainees a glimpse of what a professional career in dance would entail. Professional lighting is an important part of that equation and that’s why we need your help!

Why does The Nutmeg Ballet need a professional lighting designer?

Having professionally designed lighting executed by a professional lighting designer is an important part of the process and represents a significant portion of our production budget. Finding new ways of filling the gap left by ticket sales assures that we can continue to present events with the highest production value as envisioned by our artistic staff, high level artistry to benefit our trainees and ultimately for the enjoyment of the audience.

Is the Nutmeg Ballet a non-profit?

YES! The Nutmeg Ballet is a non-profit and classified as a 501 (c) 3 corporation, however, the good people at Kickstarter want to make sure you know that while we do have a non-profit status, this particular project is not considered a charitable donation for tax purposes. What your contribution does mean, of course, is that you’re a pretty special person

MOMIX shares some magic

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 05:00:00 GMT

MOMIX shares some magic

This past week has been a whirlwind of bright orange petticoats, inspired choreography, and smiling faces in the studios of the professional training facility on 58 Main Street.

Fresh off the heels of their international success in choreographing the awe-inspiring “Doves of Peace” for the Sochi Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Olympics, Moses Pendleton and Cythnia Quinn are back at home in Connecticut sharing MOMIX magic with the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory.

Always an honor to present MOMIX choreography, the senior level trainees have been hard at work learning the dynamic “Marigolds” choreography, an excerpt of the widely acclaimed “Botanica” under the guidance of MOMIX Associate Director, Cynthia Quinn and company member, Jennifer Chicheportiche.

Moses Pendleton and Cynthia Quinn of MOMIX have a longstanding relationship with The Nutmeg Ballet. Their daughter, Quinn Pendleton, is a 2003 graduate of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory and has built a successful ballet career with Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. Cynthia Quinn also serves on The Nutmeg Ballet Board of Directors and works closely with the organization to assure its continued success and longevity.

This collaboration with MOMIX brings excitement and innovation to the annual IMPACT production presented at the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio Theater. Not only does The Nutmeg have access to the creative minds and wondrous choreography that is the hallmark of any MOMIX production, but the vignette from “Botanica” will be complete with the dazzling “Marigolds” costuming as well.

MOMIX productions are known for their elaborate costumes and innovative use of props to tell the kind of story that could only spring from the most vivid imagination. The audience is sure to experience a powerful glimpse of nature’s magic in all of its splendor and vivid color. The imagery of dancing flowers promises to be so intense that it will be difficult to deny that spring has finally arrived in New England.

An avid gardener, Pendleton’s own fields of marigolds in the home he shares with Quinn, provided the inspiration that would eventually manifest itself in choreography of a nature-inspired fantasy of his own creation. “You have to suspend your belief a bit and allow for the dreamscape to happen,” the masterful choreographer explains.

The tradition of MOMIX excitement continues as the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet trade their traditional tutus for playful petticoats in an excerpt from “Botanica Marigolds” during the March 22nd and 23rd performances of IMPACT. Under the watchful eye of Cynthia Quinn and the careful instruction of Chicheportiche, the trainees have blossomed into beautiful marigolds who are sure to delight audiences of all ages.

With something for everyone, IMPACT features classical choreography from the ballet “Raymonda”, originally choreographed and set by Marius Petipa and staged for IMPACT by The Nutmeg Ballet artistic staff, as well as brilliant original and contemporary works choreographed and staged by Kirk Peterson, Brian Reeder, Victoria Mazzarelli, and Timothy Melady.

You won’t want to miss this exhilarating weekend of performances on March 22 at 8 p.m. & 23 at 2 p.m. in the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre. For tickets, contact the Warner Theatre box office by phone 860.489.7180 or online www.warnertheatre.org.

A Glimpse of The Nutmeg This Week!

The Nutmeg Ballet had the pleasure of hosting a meeting of the Connecticut Arts Council on Wednesday morning that included a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities. Later that evening, the Dance Shop at The Nutmeg welcomed the Torrington Downtown Merchants for a gathering and tour of the building that included glimpses of rehearsals for the upcoming IMPACT performances. Rounding out the week, this weekend, trainees from The Nutmeg Ballet will be participating in the Connecticut Classic Competition hosted by the Connecticut Dance Alliance and held at the Westover School in Middlebury.

The Nutmeg Arts Extension Program is back and better than ever

Thu, 27 Feb 2014 05:00:00 GMT

At The Nutmeg Ballet, dance isn’t reserved for the very young; it’s perfect for anyone young at heart.

Beginning next week, the newly expanded Nutmeg Arts Extension Program, part of Nutmeg’s community outreach, will include classes in Tap, Adult Basic Ballet, and Adult Yoga Light Stretching. All instruction will take place in the beautiful studios of the conservatory building located on 58 Main Street in Torrington and will be taught by members of The Nutmeg Ballet’s talented faculty. All proceeds will go directly to the Nutmeg’s Building Preservation fund with the yoga class benefiting the Nutmeg Scholarship Fund.

A mainstay of the Arts Extension Program, Nutmeg Tappers Tap & Rhythm Classes directed and taught by Debbie Fratta, is back for another inspiring session. Fratta, a professor of tap and rhythms who comes to the studio with over 30 years of teaching experience including dancing with such legends as Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Jimmy Slyde, and Henry LeTang, has adapted a special syllabus for dancers of varying levels of expertise, including those with no prior tap training. The ten-week session begins March 7th with classes scheduled weekly from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m.

New to the program is Adult Basic Ballet taught by none other than “one of the glories of American Ballet Theatre”, Eleanor D’Antuono. A ‘baby ballerina’, D’Antuono began her ballet career at the very young age of 14 with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and went on to Joffrey Ballet and very soon thereafter to much acclaim as a Principal Dancer at ABT.

The first ballerina to dance a principal role with the Kirov in St. Petersburg, Russia as well as in mainland China, D’Antuono has graced international stages with ballet legends such as Rudolf Nureyev, Alexander Gudonov, Ivan Nagy, Paolo Bortoluzzi, and Fernando Bujones, among others. The ten-week Adult Basic Ballet classes will meet with ballet legend, Eleanor D’Antuono, on MONDAYS from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. in the beautiful Premier Studios of The Nutmeg Ballet. This class requires no previous ballet experience and beginners are encouraged to participate.

Rounding out the Arts Program is Adult Yoga Light Stretching with The Nutmeg Ballet’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli who is also an accomplished yoga instructor and has been teaching at Charym located in Litchfield since its opening. A proud Torrington native, this prima ballerina’s exciting ballet career was sparked when as a student of The Nutmeg Ballet she was awarded the gold medal at the New York International Ballet Competition at the age of 17. Mazzarelli went on to a successful international dance career with Basel Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet and Zurich Ballet where she was a Principal Dancer before returning to her hometown to teach and eventually become Artistic Director of The Nutmeg Ballet. This yoga class will take place this Saturday, March 1st from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at The Nutmeg Ballet and is open to all skill levels, particularly those individuals new to yoga.

Registration for The Nutmeg Arts Extension Program is being coordinated by Dance Shop at The Nutmeg. For registration details or to inquire about any of the courses offered, call 860-482-4413 extension 316 or email Dance Shop Manager, Holly Watson, at hwatson@nutmegballet.org.

At The Nutmeg Ballet, dance isn’t reserved for the very young; it’s perfect for anyone young at heart.

Beginning next week, the newly expanded Nutmeg Arts Extension Program, part of Nutmeg’s community outreach, will include classes in Tap, Adult Basic Ballet, and Adult Yoga Light Stretching.

From Russia with love

Wed, 12 Feb 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Ballet is everywhere.

Amidst the glitz and glamour of the 22nd Winter Games Opening Ceremony in Sochi this past week and notwithstanding the dazzling pyrotechnics and cutting-edge special effects, millions of people across the globe were witness to a return to something classic and timeless and virtually sublime.

All who watched the colorful fanfare were reminded that despite distances in miles, differences in culture, and varying, if not dueling, perspectives on anything from politics to religion, there are so many more things that we have in common with each other. Somewhere deep in our psyche we understand that as Russian as a Tchaikovsky score undoubtedly is, it belongs to the rest of us as well.

When the Russian prima of the Bolshoi, the lithe Svetlana Zakharova, depicts Rostova, the beautiful debutante from Tolstoy’s War & Peace, one cannot help but marvel at how compelling the art of dance is at storytelling. When the Russian born Ivan Vasiliev, now a principal with American Ballet Theater, defies gravity and crosses the threshold of what is merely mortal into a realm of something almost magical, the crowd cannot refrain from gasping in sheer wonder. This classic style with its graceful steps and surreal leaps seems to reside in these dancer’s souls, an innate gift inherited from a long line of predecessors.

What we may not remember, however, is that this historically informed and theatrically captivating art form is thriving in our very own backyard. In the very heart of Torrington’s arts corridor on Main Street, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory carries on Agrippina Vaganova’s tradition of training students in the fundamentals of a methodology steeped in a tradition that goes back to the czars of Russia and the extravagant courts of Louis XIV.

Since 1969, this organization founded by Torrington’s Sharon E. Dante has been providing professional-level training to aspiring dance-artists. And as highlighted by the Opening Ceremonies in Sochi, ballet is not a dying art nor is it in any way stagnant. Embracing the new and melding it with tradition, the audience was witness to “Swan Lake” as they had never before imagined it.

With the masterful guidance of MOMIX’s Moses Pendleton and Cynthia Quinn, long-time friends, mentors, and patrons of The Nutmeg Ballet, the Mariinsky’s prima, Diana Vishneva, was at the center of a reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s classic masterpiece. Who could forget the strikingly illuminated costumes swirling and twirling about in the spectacular “Doves of Peace”? To take a masterwork at the very core of classical ballet repertoire and reimagine it with such contemporary sensibilities is nothing, if not daring.

As the Nutmeg Ballet’s Victoria Mazzarelli knows so well, ballet builds upon tradition, but is never limited by its rich history. On the contrary, it is only enhanced by it. “Having a strong ballet technique makes for versatile dancers and opens up so many artistic possibilities for young artists,” said the well-traveled Artistic Director. Her own solid foundation in classical ballet gave her the ability to adapt to requirements of diverse choreography, a trait much in demand with choreographers who tend to push the boundaries of ballet into new and unexplored directions.

“Perhaps one of the greatest treasures of life is to have danced on the stages of so many amazing countries. Whether it was working with such gifted choreographers as Hans van Manen, Jiri Kylian, Heinz Spoerli or William Forsythe, each choreographer so unique and so gifted in his own way, there was always something familiar, that sense of tradition, that grounding in the great ballet classics that was nurtured by Sharon Dante on Migeon Avenue. It made all these new experiences feel somehow familiar to me—this young girl from Torrington who was so far from home,” said Mazzarelli.

The story of ballet is one with a beginning, but no end. It is a part of a culture that is both international and yet intimately our own. It is an art form that we can appreciate from afar or as easily as a drive to 58 Main Street where the dance and the dancers conspire to create the sublime through the daily promise of sweat and boundless effort.

Ballet is timeless, ethereal, and seemingly endless in possibilities. Most importantly, it is ours. It is right here within our grasp. It is thriving each day in that beautiful glass box with its state of the art studios juxtaposed with charming historical architecture. Whether serendipitous or intentionally so, The Nutmeg Ballet is part of Torrington’s evolving identity as a community transforming itself through the arts.

On the famed stages of the Bolshoi, Mariinsky, or our very own beautifully restored Warner Theatre in Torrington, ballet is everywhere. Ballet is universal. It weaves a delicate tapestry of beauty, history, culture, and inspiration in whatever corner of the world we find ourselves.

Come see The Nutmeg Ballet in IMPACT as they perform classical and contemporary repertoire including choreography courtesy of MOMIX on March 22-23 at Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio Theater. For tickets call 860.489.7180.

Inspired by the arts, inspiring others: A portrait of Jean Sands

Thu, 06 Feb 2014 05:00:00 GMT

by J Timothy Quirk

As part of our Project45 celebration of the 45th year of The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, we are sharing with our readers a series of profiles of the people who have helped build our community.

On a cold December day, a 4-year-old girl walked with her mother into Howland’s Department store in Bridgeport, Connecticut. There, within the book department, she held in her hands a small treasure, for the author Marcella Harrington had wished her a Merry Christmas with an inscription and signature on her very own copy of the book STUBBORN.

Warmed by the book in her hands as she sat on the intercity bus back to Newtown where they lived, the young girl knew that she too would one day become a writer. After many years of raising her family and writing for her own pleasure, she grew into the poet, journalist and writing teacher known throughout Connecticut as Jean Sands.

Jean began the legacy of sharing the tales of the world of ballet and its people on the stages and studios of The Nutmeg Ballet in newspaper articles and later in a column in Torrington.

Jean wrote for the Register Citizen and the Republican American. As a freelance journalist, she wrote articles for the Hartford Courant, the Litchfield County Times, the Newtown Bee as well as many others. As a local theater critic for the Register Citizen, she would eagerly cover The Nutmeg Ballet’s productions.

One fateful day, she sat down with Sharon Dante, the Nutmeg’s Founder and Executive Director, who found that the pairing of Jean’s personal writing style, journalistic acumen, and passion for the world of ballet created a synergy that is unparalleled and the column “Nutmeg Nuggets” was born.

For Jean, the column’s purpose was to communicate that the world of ballet was not simply an interest of the “elite,” but that it is a powerful, beautiful art form for everyone.

Jean, who had grown up in a family could not afford to see live ballet, recalls the day she walked down Main Street in Torrington and noticed a poster displayed in a store window promoting the event “The Nutmeg Ballet Presents Repertoire.”

She was struck by the beauty of the lovely dancers posing in French berets and it fueled her imagination. Jean felt compelled to enter the store to inquire about obtaining a copy. The store owner said, “Here you go.” She had the poster framed and it still hangs in a place of prominence; it is the first picture she sees every day and the last one she sees at night.

With Jean’s words in the “Nutmeg Nuggets” column, the world of ballet has been opened up to the Torrington community and beyond the way the Repertoire poster had inspired her.

Throughout her writing career, Jean has been as generous with her knowledge as she has been with her time she gives to her family, friends and the arts and culture community. Jean taught creative writing in a workshop for nine years in Washington Depot; her workshop was called “Writers Work Workshops.” Jean even provided in-home tutorials for some students, many of whom went on to become published writers in their own right, and ran the workshop in other venues, including the Litchfield Community Center.

Jean is a distinguished poet; her book, Gandy Dancing, is her first poetry collection (available on amazon.com and at the Dance Shop at The Nutmeg) and she is currently working on a second collection.

Samples of her poetry and her prose can be found on www.jeansands.com. Jean’s work is deeply personal and moving and it is that talent and skill that she brought to her well-received column about the world of ballet in Torrington.

The Nutmeg is a family and a community that is related through a shared sense of purpose and each person holds a deep connection to it and to each other. Jean recalls when that moment of connection happened for her. A few days before a “Nutcracker” opening performance, she was given access to go upstairs to their facility at 21 Water Street. As she watched the rehearsals, she was taken by the athleticism and the beauty, the costumes, and the professionalism of the dancers.

In Jean’s words, she “was hooked.” She loved visiting the costume shop at the Conservatory on Main Street and receiving tours of the building and then having the chance to write about it.

Jean Sands loves The Nutmeg and loves what Sharon Dante has done for Torrington. She remembers when Torrington was going through hard times. She believes the city of Torrington should throw a big party in honor of the Nutmeg for its 45th birthday. The Nutmeg is, after all, the only art venue that has been in Torrington continuously for 45 years.

Upon being asked why she thought The Nutmeg Ballet has continued to thrive these 45 years, she felt it was due to “the dedication of decent people who love what they do and who pitch in to see it succeed. It is that dedication that has put The Nutmeg, and Torrington on the world map. Students come from across the US, Canada and Europe to study at Nutmeg Ballet. And when you buy a ticket to a Nutmeg Ballet show, you are not attending a dance school recital. Nutmeg’s shows are always professional.”

She says that The Nutmeg family has been “absolutely lovely” to her and that she misses them as much as they miss her. But severe arthritis has forced her to cut back on activities including writing her “Nutmeg Nuggets” column.

That feeling is best expressed by Sharon Dante. “Always inspired by the arts, Jean’s writing is energetic, correct in details and exceptionally intuitive. That is why I loved the work we did together. Thank you Jean for being YOU,” she said.

The Register Citizen misses having Jean Sands’ column within their pages.

As community editor Emily M. Olson shared, “Each one of her columns reflects her dedication to the arts community in Torrington and in Litchfield County. She has so much respect for the dancers and their teachers and the founders of the ballet company. Jean is a dear friend, and she’s also a talented artist of the mind who’s always willing to talk over an idea or a project. I’m inspired by her tenacity and her spirit and I am proud to call her my friend.”

In this anniversary year, it is fitting that Jean Sands be acknowledged for her important contribution to the 45 year history of the professional training organization on Torrington’s Main Street.

Many years ago, inspired by her own curiosity and journalistic instincts, Jean began the tradition of documenting the insights and intriguing stories of this world renowned institution.

Today, that tradition is carried on with much admiration and gratitude for this superb poet, journalist, and friend of The Nutmeg.

J. Timothy Quirk is Artist in Residence at The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, Torrington.

In this anniversary year, it is fitting that Jean Sands be acknowledged for her important contribution to the 45 year history of the professional training organization on Torrington’s Main Street.

Many years ago, inspired by her own curiosity and journalistic instincts, Jean began the tradition of documenting the insights and intriguing stories of this world renowned institution.

Today, that tradition is carried on with much admiration and gratitude for this superb poet, journalist, and friend of The Nutmeg.

The Nutmeg Ballet welcomes guest artist Brian Reeder

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

The pace of things at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory this first month of 2014 has been as brisk and lively as the allégro combinations that the trainees execute so precisely in class each day.

January is hardly over and already the professional training program in the heart of downtown Torrington has ushered in the New Year with aplomb. Students returned from the winter break to a full schedule of academics and dance replete with the challenges of learning new choreography and the excitement of working with prominent guest artists such as Kirk Peterson.

And this is only the beginning. There’s always something exciting in the works at The Nutmeg Ballet!

This week, The Nutmeg Ballet welcomes guest artist, Brian Reeder, who has returned to choreograph new work for the March 22-23 performances of IMPACT that will take place at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Theatre. This past summer, Reeder choreographed “Pulse” for the male trainees of the July Professional Training Program, a dynamic piece which was extremely well-received at the 2013 Summer Dance Festival.

Reeder is the long-time friend and colleague of The Nutmeg Ballet’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli and they have known each other since dancing together at Ballet Frankfurt in Germany. This unassuming choreographer has an impressive resume that includes dancing with New York City Ballet, William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt, and American Ballet Theatre, among others. And that’s just the opening coda.

For over a decade, Reeder has been creating new choreography and re-staging his ballets for renowned ballet companies such as American Ballet Theatre, Washington Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Colorado Ballet. He has taught and choreographed at universities and ballet academies across the nation and is the recipient of prestigious grants and fellowships.

Needless to say, The Nutmeg trainees have been hard at work this week learning contemporary choreography under the direction of the talented Reeder. “Working with Brian Reeder is such a wonderful opportunity for these young dancers,” said Victoria Mazzarelli. “It’s so important that these students reach beyond their comfort zone of classical repertoire and experience a different quality of movement. Brian is a wonderful teacher, gifted choreographer and the students respond so well to his teaching style. We’re really very fortunate to have him at The Nutmeg Ballet this week.”

Meanwhile, The Nutmeg Ballet faculty has been coordinating the 2014 National Audition Tour and traveling across the miles to find the perfect candidates for the summer training programs. Before you can say “pas de chat” the halls and studios of the professional training facility will be filled with prospective students who will travel to The Nutmeg Ballet studios for the first in a series of auditions that take place at home in the wonderfully equipped Torrington facility.

Stay tuned for a fresh perspective on this wonderful professional ballet training program as Nutmeg Ballet welcomes artist in residence, J Timothy Quirk, to the fold. Going forward, Quirk will be contributing his own unique view on all things Nutmeg to “On Pointe with The Nutmeg Ballet.”

For information about The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory training programs, visit www.nutmegballet.org.

The Nutmeg Ballet springs into its 45th year

Thu, 23 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

In this 45th year, spring celebrations are beginning a little early at The Nutmeg Ballet and the excitement is contagious.

The promise of spring brings a sense of renewal and growth that is palpable. What’s even more exciting is that 2014 marks a banner year for the organization with its roots on Water Street and later Migeon Avenue in Torrington. Now housed in the beautiful state-of-the-art facility on Main Street, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the professional ballet training program that sits right in the heart of the Downtown Arts Corridor.

Although months away, administration is hard at work answering emails and phone calls with questions about the 2014 Nutmeg Professional Summer Programs, artistic staff is busy touring the country to scout out new talent, and the trainees are motivated as they plan for auditions near and far.

Adding to the excitement, rehearsals for the spring showcase, IMPACT, are underway as well. IMPACT Weekend will provide trainees with the chance to reach beyond the beautiful tradition of classical ballet repertoire into the world of contemporary dance. It’s also the opportunity to introduce the trainees to master teachers such as Kirk Peterson and Brian Reeder.

The Nutmeg is fortunate to have a Resident Coach and Classical Repertoire Coordinator with the breadth of experience that Kirk Peterson brings to the studio. Peterson has worked at American Ballet Theatre not only as a principal dancer, but also as Ballet Master and Artistic Director of ABT II, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT, and ABT Summer Intensive as well as assistant Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet. As a principal dancer he has graced the stages of San Francisco Ballet, English National Ballet, Harkness Ballet, and National Ballet of Washington. Peterson’s extensive resume includes having choreographed over 55 ballets for stage, theatre, and television and he has appeared in films such as “Center Stage” and “The Turning Point”.

This week, Kirk Peterson has been working with The Nutmeg Ballet trainees as a special guest artist setting repertoire for IMPACT performances in March. It’s no exaggeration to say that Peterson has been a longtime associate and friend of The Nutmeg Ballet and that the ties go back a long way. It is fitting that as The Nutmeg begins celebrating its 45th year, that Kirk Peterson would return to the studios of an organization he has seen grow into what it is today. Peterson danced in The Nutmeg Ballet’s very first performance in 1970 and since that time, has been a master teacher and mentor to many Nutmeg graduates who have gone on to successful careers in dance.

Next week, the trainees will be working on contemporary repertoire for IMPACT with Brian Reeder of BalletNext. Reeder is the long-time friend and dance partner of The Nutmeg Ballet’s Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli. His impressive dance career includes New York City Ballet, William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt, as well as American Ballet Theatre. A much sought after choreographer, Reeder has created or re-staged his ballets on American Ballet Theatre, ABT Studio Company, Washington Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Colorado Ballet to name a few.

Bringing in master choreographers such as Peterson and Reeder adds an original facet to the bustling energy of the studios. This places The Nutmeg trainees at a distinct advantage. And as if that weren’t enough, The Nutmeg Ballet holds the honor and privilege of being the only organization with permission to present MOMIX repertoire. Working with Moses Pendleton and Cynthia Quinn of MOMIX brings an edge to IMPACT and the Nutmeg Ballet training program that cannot be underestimated.

As The Nutmeg’s artistic staff is well aware, students focusing on a professional career must pair solid training in the 19th and 20th century ballet classics with knowledge of modern and post-modern works. Working with amazing guest artists and choreographers along with presenting MOMIX repertoire during IMPACT is quite a boon not only to the organization, but also to the trainees who add a new dimension to their training and resumes.

Much like the merging of the historic red-brick Nutmeg Ballet building with the contemporary flashes of glass and steel, today’s dancer must be able to dance a full-length century-old ballet as well as cutting-edge contemporary choreography. This seamless merging of old and new, traditional and modern, classical and contemporary is captured quite beautifully by The Nutmeg Ballet’s IMPACT.

There’s still a chill in the air and some snow on the ground, but at The Nutmeg Ballet there’s a touch of “spring fever” going around and that’s a really good thing.

For information about The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, visit www.nutmegballet.org.

Summer audition season underway at The Nutmeg Ballet

Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

This is the time of year when serious students of classical ballet undertake the annual ritual of auditioning for summer intensive programs.

With barely enough time to ring in the New Year, The Nutmeg Ballet artistic staff is already hard at work scouring some of the nation’s top studios for new talent. This past weekend was one of the busiest of the season with Ballet Master, Tim Melady in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., while Audition Tour Director, Joan Kunsch traveled to New York, Illinois, and Indiana.

In fact, Nutmeg Ballet hopefuls are finding their way to auditions in more than 30 U.S. cities this year. Across the nation, headshot and first arabesque photos in hand, disciplined students of classical ballet step into unfamiliar dance studios to catch the eye of the audition staff and if all goes well, open new doors.

Impeccably dressed in dance attire, hair neatly coiffed in a ballet style, with pointe shoes properly broken in, wide-eyed dreamers line up at registration desks to receive an audition number and quietly enter the studio to warm up. It is a time of high anticipation and the moment all the hard work of the previous year has led up to. It is a time of anxiety and elation. The moment dreams are inspired and the fires of ambition fueled. It must be summer intensive audition season!

Audition season can be a hectic time for dancers who are often balancing a number of responsibilities including school work and a demanding training schedule. It often involves travel to distant audition locations, paperwork, photographs, and lots and lots of research. After all, finding the right fit is what it’s all about.

Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, enjoys sharing advice with her own students and encourages them to meet with her to discuss their summer intensive audition plans. She gives her trainees careful guidance, reminds them to focus on doing their personal best, and many times provides a warm hug or a reassuring smile to quell their frazzled nerves.

“The rigorous training our students receive six days a week throughout the year at The Nutmeg Ballet beautifully prepares them for audition season and beyond. Of course, summer intensive auditions are a very important step in their training. In the end, we want our students to be prepared to go out into the world of ballet and be successful,” said Mazzarelli. “At the same time, it’s exciting to welcome new students into our studios and focus on the details of their training– those details make all the difference!”

In the bright and air-conditioned studios on Torrington’s Main Street, summer training includes classical ballet technique, pointe/men’s work, modern choreographic workshops, and classical repertoire. Partnering sessions are a mainstay of the Nutmeg Ballet summer curriculum and provide the opportunity to practice and improve partnering, both in a class setting and in repertoire.

The Nutmeg Summer International Program offers three different options over the summer months with each session geared to a particular age group, stages of training and experience. The Pre-Professional Training Program (Session I) takes place from June 15th through June 28th and is geared towards dancers ages 10-14. The 4-week Professional Training Program (Session II) which takes place from June 29th through July 26th, focuses on dancers ages 13-19, culminates in performances at The Nutmeg Summer Dance Festival held at Torrington’s Warner Theatre. The final program of the summer, the Apprentice Program (Session III) for dancers ages 16-19, takes place from July 27th through August 9th and of the three is considered the most rigorous program.

Younger students will have the opportunity to focus on ballet technique over the summer months as well. The Torrington School of Ballet will be offering special programs designed for the needs of the developing dancer throughout five weeks of the summer months. And if your little one cannot wait until then to get to work on ballet training, the good news is that a new semester is beginning on January 20th. Registration for new TSOB students is now underway at The Nutmeg Ballet on 58 Main Street.

For information about The Nutmeg’s Summer International Program, TSOB Summer Program, or to register for Torrington School of Ballet, contact JoAnne Lavine, School Registrar either by email: jlavine@nutmegballet.org or by phone: 860-483-4413 and online at www.nutmegballet.org.

A conversation with Nutmeg’s Joan Kunsch

Thu, 09 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

With the beginning of each calendar year, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory begins a new adventure — that of discovering talented and hopeful young dancers from distant places, who want to further their training during the summer months as well as in the year-round professional training programs.

The very first weekend of the New Year, The Nutmeg Ballet kicked off the 2014 National Audition Tour in Boston, Massachusetts, Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vermont. Audition season is always an exciting time at The Nutmeg Ballet and Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli and Associate Director, Joan Kunsch, along with Timothy Melady, Ballet Master, took to the icy roads despite the frigid weather courtesy of the storm called “Hercules,” to put many motivated aspiring young dancers in these East Coast cities to the test.

When describing the whirlwind journey, Kunsch, who is embarking on her 22nd audition tour for The Nutmeg Ballet, said, “I undertake an itinerary that covers a good part of the continent. Last year, the cities on my itinerary took me from Boston to Anchorage and San Francisco to Birmingham, with many other studios along the way.”

This well-traveled talent scout who rejoices at the discovery of promise in young dancers, points out that many auditioning dancers who take her audition classes are beautifully prepared by their home studio. “Shining eyes, excitement, all attempting to put their best foot forward,” she elaborates. During the audition tour Kunsch talks with parents, providing a thorough orientation about life at Nutmeg. The audition schedule takes almost a year to organize and for the most part, Kunsch assures that things go quite smoothly.

She tells of jet flights that are smooth while others that miss connections. In the end, however, it all works out, she says. “The comfort of hotel rooms, the hospitality of friends — it is a different adventure each year.”

Sometimes, spending so many days on the road during a season of unpredictable weather conditions keeps things quite exhilarating. “This past February, the flight from San Francisco could not land for the Boise audition, due to thick fog cover. We were flown to a remote part of Idaho and bussed 200 miles through the desert at 75 mph.” Always thinking on her feet, Kunsch notified the pianist in Boise to request that the auditioners give themselves barre as they awaited her arrival, hoping that she would arrive in time for center work.

“When I finally arrived and stood in the studio doorway,” she recalled, “there were twenty auditioners executing a clean, clear musical adagio at the barre, totally on their own.” Needless to say, Kunsch was quite pleased with these self-motivated youths and of this anecdote said, “It was a challenge for me to keep from exclaiming instantly – ‘You are all accepted!”

The 2014 National Audition Tour is currently underway with auditions in 30 U.S. cities including Boston, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Of course, there are also auditions being held at home in the beautiful studios of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory in Torrington. For those who cannot attend a live audition, submitting a DVD audition video is another option.

If this coming summer is anything like the last, the studios will be filled with astonishing young talent and a summer Male Division stronger in numbers than ever before. The influx of students from all corners of the nation brings a renewed sense of purpose not only to The Nutmeg, but to Torrington itself.

The summer trainees and their families marvel at the charming shops, restaurants, and businesses in Downtown Torrington providing an energetic spark and welcome boost to the local economy. Many of these dancers-in-training are so inspired by their summer experience that they end up staying for the year-round program to further their classical ballet training in a small town atmosphere that holds so much big city promise.

The Nutmeg Ballet Admissions Office is run by Jo Anne LaVine, with auditions held by current faculty members such as Victoria Mazzarelli, Joan Kunsch, Tim Melady and Eleanor D’Antuono as well as Nutmeg alumni including Phillip Skaggs.

For information regarding the 2014 National Audition Tour or year round day and resident training programs, visit www.nutmegballet.org or contact Nutmeg Ballet Registrar, JoAnne Lavine at 860-.482-4413 x304.

The Nutmeg Ballet leaps into the new year

Wed, 01 Jan 2014 05:00:00 GMT

This past year, many ambitious plans came to fruition as a result of much hard work and dedication on behalf of The Nutmeg Ballet board of directors, administration, staff, students, volunteers, donors, and sponsors.

In 2013, building renovations included repairs to the roof, a stucco replacement project, new LED lighting, as well as new signage that has contributed to the beautification of Torrington’s downtown corridor. These efforts coincide with a façade grant to the City of Torrington from the State of Connecticut supported by the generosity of the capital campaign sponsors.

The Dance Shop at The Nutmeg, part of the conservatory complex, has seen its share of rejuvenation as well. A complete re-design of the interior space was overseen by Boe Studios including replacement windows and a lighter, brighter feel to what is more than just a dance shop, but a vibrant downtown boutique. New banners mark the entrance on Main Street and exciting merchandise await all who enter the friendly new atmosphere.

There were exciting moves on the cyber-space front as well. A dynamic new website was designed and developed by the Walker Group bringing The Nutmeg Ballet a more current, sleek, and sophisticated look in keeping with the objectives of the organization. Not to be left behind, this professional ballet training program increased visibility with social media including an increased presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, for example

Clearly, there is a renewed spirit of making things happen and moving the organization forward that has fueled so much excitement this past year.

The Parent Network at The Nutmeg has much to do with that sense of energy and can-do attitude that has taken over the building. This year alone, the parent-run volunteer organization has increased the number of scholarships made available to trainees through effective fundraising. The group organized a wellness seminar during Parent’s Weekend, a field trip to a Boston Ballet performance of La Bayadère, coordinated a holiday decorating party, and hosted a spectacular Sugarplum Tea Party, all while maintaining an active volunteer base.

These volunteers have invested countless hours repairing and renovating set pieces, helping out in the Costume Shop, working backstage and with production, chaperoning the young children, working in the Dance Shop and with the Nutcracker Boutique, decorating the building, and doing whatever was needed to support the students and assure successful productions.

Lee Carter of Eastside Electric secured warehouse space for the volunteers to make renovations and repairs to set pieces while David Jones designed and built new fog machines for the special effects used in the Nutcracker productions. There was no limit to the dedication and the creativity of the Nutmeg volunteers throughout 2013.

In addition to the commendable volunteer efforts, there were many sponsors this year who made so many of these projects come to life including The Register Citizen, Torrington Savings Bank, Patterson Oil, Marola Motors, Torrington Downtown Partners, Commercial Sewing, Burns, Brooks & McNeil, Litchfield Bancorp, Toce’s, Santoro’s, and each of the playbill advertisers who support the arts in our community.

Looking back on these accomplishments brings a sense of pride to the organization as well as a sense of the many possibilities the future holds in store.

As The Nutmeg Ballet gears up for the upcoming audition season, spring registration at Torrington School of Ballet, two upcoming performances including Impact at the Warner Theatre March 22-23 and in the blink-of-an-eye, Graduation performances in May, there is no time to rest on their laurels.

Growing the organization and providing opportunities to so many young people takes non-stop hard work and dedication. If last year’s successes are any indication of The Nutmeg Ballet’s future, undoubtedly, 2014 should be a banner year.

If you would like to learn more about The Nutmeg Ballet’s training program and upcoming summer intensive program audition tour, or if your young child is ready to take some pre-school or ballet appreciation classes at the Torrington School of Ballet, please visit nutmegballet.org online or call 860.482.4413.

Clearly, there is a renewed spirit of making things happen and moving the organization forward that has fueled so much excitement this past year.

The Nutmeg Ballet reflects on a season of magical wonder

Thu, 26 Dec 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What a wonderful time for the arts at 58 Main Street in Torrington! At the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, in the beautiful building of glass and steel and bricks, there is much for which to be thankful.

Right on the heels of seven successful Nutcracker performances at the Bushnell’s Belding in Hartford and the Warner Theatre in Torrington, the festivities and celebrations continue.

On Thursday, December 19th, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory was awarded first place in Torrington’s Holiday Decorating Contest for their lively displays in the Main Street windows of the state-of-the-art professional ballet training facility. During an awards ceremony at City Hall, Mayor Elinor Carbone presented The Nutmeg with a trophy that was accepted by Founding Executive Director, Sharon Dante, Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, and Roberta Boe, who designed the beautiful window displays.

The Nutmeg Ballet also received the Chatter Choice Award from T-Town Chatter which included an original art piece by J. Timothy Quirk depicting the building. In a description of the award-winning window displays Quirk said, “It was about seeing toys in the Nutmeg Conservatory windows come alive. It was about magic becoming memories, the songs and spirit of fellowship that can carry us through this holiday season.”

With awards in hand and a renewed sense of wonder that the season inspires, The Nutmeg crew headed over to the historic church now known as Studio 59 where a volunteer appreciation reception was being graciously hosted by Susan Szabo, Children’s Ballet Mistress. Szabo wanted to do something special for the many volunteers who have worked so diligently throughout the year and it is no exaggeration to say that what she created was quite magical.

In this quaint old church transformed into a gallery and concert space, guests found a scene fit for a classic holiday movie, complete with the kind of grandeur that invites you to come in and join the festivities. Studio 59’s founder, Timothy Alexandre Wallace, played Christmas carols on the magnificent German Steinway concert grand piano while guests gathered round and sang along. The setting was magnificent, Susan Szabo was gracious as always, and there was a sense of camaraderie that was inspiring if not nostalgic.

Szabo is no stranger to creating magic as her current students and those who have grown up under her tutelage can attest. The many Torrington School of Ballet children who enter Studio 1 in the beautiful Nutmeg building will tell you that she is compassionate, but firm and inspirational; fun, but serious about the details; and an extraordinary teacher who you will always remember with a smile.

Miss Szabo, as she is known to her students, is a treasured gem of The Nutmeg family who always has room in her studio and in her heart for one more student.

What a wonderful time for the arts at 58 Main Street in Torrington! At the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, in the beautiful building of glass and steel and bricks, there is much for which to be thankful.

Right on the heels of seven successful Nutcracker performances at the Bushnell’s Belding in Hartford and the Warner Theatre in Torrington, the festivities and celebrations continue.

Once a Nutmegger, always a Nutmegger

Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The beautiful costumes are boxed up, the set pieces lovingly disassembled and packed away, and the hard-working dancers of the Nutmeg Ballet have headed in many directions to wherever they call home for some well-deserved rest over the holiday break.

So many families pitched in to make this year’s Nutcracker production stand out whether it was designing and building new fog machines, rewiring set pieces and sprucing up sets, volunteering backstage, chaperoning the children, doing make-up and hair, or simply helping out with carpools to rehearsals. At The Nutmeg Ballet, dance is a family affair.

In fact, generation after generation has returned to The Nutmeg Ballet to train and hone their skills. The branches of many family trees go back to the very roots of this organization that was founded in 1969 and held its very first class in the charming building on Torrington’s Migeon Avenue.

Fast forward to 2013 and you will find that while the building is still charming, the move to Main Street also includes state-of-the-art studios, resident dormitories, and a Dance Shop that is making its mark in the Downtown Torrington arts corridor on Main Street.

But even though The Nutmeg is bigger and bolder and has evolved into a nationally acclaimed classical ballet program that includes a residential facility and high school academic program, it still retains the hometown family-friendly character that sets this professional-level training facility apart.

Artistic Director Victoria Mazzarelli, who trained with Sharon Dante for 14 years and was honored with the only gold medal awarded at the New York International Ballet Competition in 1984, returned to her hometown of Torrington in 2003 to take on the role of Assistant Artistic Director. Her beautiful daughter, Alma, now dances at The Nutmeg Ballet dancing her way through the ranks of the Torrington School of Ballet. This is truly a family endeavor, as Mazzarelli’s husband, Thomas Evertz, an accomplished theater actor, graces the stage of The Nutmeg’s Nutcracker as Herr Drosselmeyer bringing a sophistication and charisma to the annual production.

There is a noteworthy tradition of disciplined training in classical ballet at The Nutmeg. Sisters, brothers, cousins, sons, and daughters of Nutmeg Ballet alumni carry on Sharon Dante’s vision of a rigorous ballet school based on the Vaganova methodology that incorporates neo-classical and contemporary styles.

Students from various Connecticut towns and even bordering states commit to a daily commute to Torrington to train under the direction of the accomplished international artistic staff and guest artists, while others become resident students traveling thousands of miles from home to live and train at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory.

Many students begin their Nutmeg Ballet journey in a class with Susan Szabo, Children’s Program Director of the Torrington School of Ballet, while others come for the summer intensive programs at The Nutmeg Ballet and then determine that they wish to continue their training year-round.

No matter where they come from or at what stage of their training they begin their Nutmeg Ballet journey, however, one thing rings true. Once a Nutmegger, always a Nutmegger.

The Nutmeg family story would not be complete without including the many sponsors this year including The Register Citizen, Torrington Savings Bank, Patterson Oil, Marola Motors, Torrington Downtown Partners, Commercial Sewing, Burns, Brooks & McNeil, Litchfield Bancorp, Toce’s, Santoro’s, and each of the playbill advertisers who support the arts in our community.

When you are part of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, you become more than a trainee, parent, volunteer, or sponsor. You are a treasured member of the Nutmeg Ballet family.

If you would like to learn more about The Nutmeg Ballet’s training programs and upcoming summer intensive program audition tour, or if your young child is ready to take some pre-school or ballet appreciation classes at the Torrington School of Ballet, please visit nutmegballet.org online or call 860.482.4413.

No matter where they come from or at what stage of their training they begin their Nutmeg Ballet journey, however, one thing rings true. Once a Nutmegger, always a Nutmegger.

Torrington’s Nutmeg Ballet presents final performances of “The Nutcracker” this weekend

Thu, 12 Dec 2013 05:00:00 GMT

TORRINGTON >> There was a flurry of activity this past weekend as the trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet took to the stage at Hartford’s Belding Theater. The level of artistry demonstrated by these young dancers was nothing short of spellbinding, but what makes the Nutcracker performances even more magical than the beautiful dancers, dazzling costumes, and stunning choreography isn’t actually visible from a comfortable seat in the theater.

Behind the scenes the parent volunteers were busy doing hair and makeup, the Costume Shop made sure that every dancer was laced up and ready to go, backstage and sound crews assured that every cue was followed, and there was a sort of controlled chaos that creates the type of excitement that the only best memories are made of. And what beautiful shows they were, each and every one!

The Nutmeg Ballet prepares for performances in Hartford this weekend

Wed, 04 Dec 2013 05:00:00 GMT

TORRINGTON >> Characters from the Nutmeg Ballet’s Nutcracker made one last appearance in Torrington at Light Up Main Street before taking their show on the road.

Hundreds of people braved the cold weather this past Friday to enjoy the Light Up Main Street festivities that have become a favorite tradition for young and old, alike.

Visitors to Torrington’s Main Street enjoyed a lovely reminder of what makes the holidays in New England so delightful.

The Nutmeg Ballet performs on Better Connecticut

Wed, 04 Dec 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, and Ballet Master, Tim Melady, visit the set of Better Connecticut today. Watch an excerpt from the lovely pas de deux from the Nutcracker's first act as performed by Kasey Arvold and Ben Youngstone.

Light Up Main – Light Up Hearts

Sat, 30 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

When we reached the Nutmeg Conservatory, we stopped for we saw dancers in full Nutcracker regalia in the windows posing as living Christmas decorations, while outside, the rat king offered us cards with information about the upcoming performance. It was difficult to tell who had the bigger smiles, the children in the windows or the children waving to them!

Nutmeg Ballet hosting Sugar Plum Tea Party

Thu, 21 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg knows how to do things right.

The annual production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” is a case in point. If you’ve ever seen it, you know the scene where a normal-sized Christmas tree grows to many times its height, until the top nearly disappears into the fly space. Think of the Nutmeg’s first production of “The Nutcracker” as that normal-sized Christmas tree. It continues to grow year after year, with more ambitious choreography, some professional acting, more highly trained ballerinas and danseurs, and a professionally designed set.

Nutmeg Ballet brings the Nutcracker to Torrington this Christmas

Fri, 15 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

As a holiday tradition, the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is bringing the classic holiday ballet show the Nutcracker to Torrington this Christmas. It’s a show performed by Nutmeg’s students every year, including children as young as 6 years old to performers as old as 19. Artistic Director Victoria Mazzarelli said each year, student performers bring a different personality to the show, and they’ll have different steps and costumes to present a fresh look of the Christmas tradition.

Nutmeg ‘abuzz’ with holiday preparations

Wed, 13 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The warehouse wasn’t the only place abuzz with activity. There were a flurry of parent and student volunteers making magic on Torrington’s Main Street as well. In preparation for the Sugar Plum Tea Party on November 17 & 24, The Nutmeg Ballet is being transformed into a whimsical wonderland.

The Nutmeg Ballet gets ready for 2013 season of “The Nutcracker”

Thu, 07 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

It’s beginning to look a lot like Nutcracker Season at The Nutmeg Ballet, and the excitement is contagious.

Victoria Mazzarelli, Nutmeg’s Artistic Director, has posted the cast list, the studios are filled with the musical genius of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful melodies, the trainees are hard at work rehearsing choreography, and the Costume Shop is aflutter with all the excitement that those beautiful, sparkly tutus always inspire.

Torrington’s Nutmeg Conservatory’s new facade is more than skin deep

Mon, 04 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

If you haven’t seen it yet, you haven’t been to downtown Torrington lately.

Workmen have recently put the finishing touches on phase one of renovations to the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s downtown Torrington building complex, repairing the stucco, installing LED lighting and installing new signage. Now when you approach the downtown area from across the river, from the bottom of East Main or from Water Street, you can’t miss the signage on the side of the arched conservatory building: “The NUTMEG,” followed by a simple graphic of three dancers which serves as Nutmeg’s logo.

An amazing performance weekend is coming to Torrington

Sat, 19 Oct 2013 04:00:00 GMT

What an amazing four-day weekend coming up at the Nutmeg!

It’s Parents Observation Weekend, when all Conservatory Academic Program (CAP) sessions, classes and rehearsals are open to parents and grandparents Friday through Monday (Oct. 11-14).

Revitalizing one of Torrington’s treasures

Wed, 16 Oct 2013 04:00:00 GMT

The Nutmeg Conservatory is one of Torrington’s treasures. Not only do they provide outstanding classical training for aspiring dancers, but they do so in a state of the art historic building,” said Rose Ponte. “It is my pleasure to award the Nutmeg a façade grant to assist with their recent renovations. Nutmeg’s commitment to our community, to the preservation of their historic building and the economic well-being of downtown Torrington is commendable.

Attention all dancers! You are what you eat.

Wed, 16 Oct 2013 04:00:00 GMT

“Nutmeg Ballet trainees have the benefit of access to physical therapy, chiropractic care, and bio mechanics to keep them in top form,” said Nutmeg Ballet’s Executive Director, Sharon Dante. “Making sure that our trainees have excellent wellness providers available is a top priority for our artistic staff and very much a team effort. We take the health and wellness of our trainees very seriously.”

Nutmeg Ballet educates one student at a time

Thu, 03 Oct 2013 04:00:00 GMT

“As a new student, CAP is making my life a lot easier when it comes to balancing school and dance. I can still get a good education without worrying about the hours of homework. It has been challenging transitioning from a public school to an online school, but it’s getting easier as the days go by,” shared 14 year-old Brenna Budaj, a freshman from Glastonbury, Connecticut.

Auditions are where dreams can come true

Mon, 23 Sep 2013 04:00:00 GMT

“The Nutmeg has been staging ‘The Nutcracker’ on the Warner stage since 1983, so this is our 30th anniversary of that partnership,” said Sharon Dante, founder and executive director of the Nutmeg Ballet. “‘The Nutcracker’ is undoubtedly the Warner’s longest-running annual event in its 82-year history,” she added.

Nutmeg Ballet’s Parent Network makes a difference

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Many hands make light work.

The dedicated volunteers at The Nutmeg Ballet don’t take this saying lightly. Throughout the year they share their time, talent, and treasure to support the students who come from near and far to hone their ballet technique and realize their dance dreams.

Angels and Snowflakes and Mice. Oh, my!

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Summer is officially over and that means one thing for certain. Believe it or not, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is already gearing up for Nutcracker season!

A dance in four scenes

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Taking a snapshot of the Nutmeg Ballet is like taking a still picture of a dance. You can only see one leap, or one step, or one position – beautiful in itself, but not as beautiful as the complete dance.

Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts announces major building improvement plans

Thu, 22 Aug 2013 04:00:00 GMT

For the first time in more than a dozen years, the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory is embarking on a major fund-raising effort to help secure the city’s place as a mecca for the performing arts. Nutmeg founder and executive director Sharon Dante announced this month that aesthetic and structural improvements are planned for the nonprofit’s $7 million building on Main Street, which houses dance studios, a dance shop, dormitories, office space, conference rooms and more.

Torrington’s Nutmeg Conservatory students have a busy summer

Wed, 21 Aug 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Don’t look now, but it’s August already, and at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, Summer Session 3, the Apprentice Program, is drawing to a close after two intensive weeks. Approximately 45 students aged 16-20 (men to 21) have been supplementing their summer training to prepare for auditions, to return to the Nutmeg, or to move or return to a professional company or a university program.

Nutmeg Ballet announces 2013-14 resident dance season

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 04:00:00 GMT

TORRINGTON >> The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory's Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, is pleased to announce the 2013-14 resident dance season.

Straight off the heels of a successful summer that showcased three groups of students from different corners of the world and encompassed a dynamic Summer Dance Festival at the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre, Nutmeg Ballet is already busy gearing up for more.

Summer highlights at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Don't look now, but it's August already, and at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, Summer Session 3, the Apprentice Program, is drawing to a close after two intensive weeks. Approximately 45 students aged 16-20 (men to 21) have been supplementing their summer training to prepare for auditions, to return to the Nutmeg, or to move or return to a professional company or a university program.

Welcome home, Denise Warner Limoli

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 04:00:00 GMT

There are very few chapters of the Nutmeg Ballet story that can be written without mentioning Denise Warner Limoli.

Live tonight, from Main Street Torrington – it’s the Nutmeg dancers!

Thu, 25 Jul 2013 04:00:00 GMT

You're coming, right?

Main Street Marketplace is in full swing, with scores of vendors and entertainment. Tonight is the third one of the summer, and for the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, it's a big one, says Main Street Marketplace vendor coordinator Kim Fazzino, who also works in the Dance Shop at the Nutmeg and as one of the Nutmeg's photographers.

Nutmeg poised to make great strides

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Sharon Dante was pretty excited one day last week, when I sat down with her to talk about summer goings-on at the Nutmeg Ballet. Of course, Sharon is almost always excited about her creation of this landmark institution in Torrington, of which she is still executive director after 44 years.

Even Batman does ballet

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 04:00:00 GMT

A charming 9-year-old boy walked into the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory for the very first time this past week. He was wide eyed and a little nervous as his parents explained to Mrs. Marjorie Dante, the Torrington School of Ballet registrar, that their young son was interested in taking ballet lessons.

Nutmeg NewsNotes: Nutmeg students go ‘beyond dance’

Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Take 68 girls and boys, ages 9 to 14, from all over the country, many of whom never met each other. Put them together in the studios of the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. What you have is more than just a summer dance class.

Nutmeg students perform with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT

This past week, four Nutmeg students had the unique privilege of sharing the spotlight with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory 's Phoebe Magna and Jack Sprance along with Quincy Childs and Jamie Melendy performed the achingly beautiful White Swan Suite at the Belding Theatre in Hartford as part of the Symphony's "Unexpected Sounds" concert. While these students had previously awed audiences with their moving renditions of the White Swan pas during Nutmeg's Graduation in the Premier Studio, these performances in Hartford were special in their own right.

This is not your ordinary story

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Right in the heart of downtown Torrington, in a building of brick and steel and glass, amazing things are happening.

Ballet students get ready for Torrington graduation

Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

It's that time of year again when the magnolias are in bloom and students at the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory are getting ready for graduation weekend. There are graduation ceremonies and performances at the Nutmeg Studio Theatre Wednesday, May 15, at 8 p.m. through Saturday, May 18, at 3 p.m.

Lopez tapped for St. Petersburg ballet festival

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

"It's very interesting that in 2013 we seem to be repeating our history. It all started with my first trip to Russia with two of my original students who are both graduates of Nutmeg - Denise LePage and Debbie Tycienski. I took them to Russia in 1977. It's so wonderful that in 2013 that this young lady, Alexandra Lopez, can participate in this wonderful international cultural event," said Sharon Dante.

What a spectacular ‘IMPACT 2013’ production

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

What is lovelier than music from Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty Ballet"? Watching excerpts from the ballet being performed by Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts students, of course! And what a spectacular job they did dancing in Nutmeg's spring production "IMPACT 2013" at the Warner Theatre's Carole and Ray Neag Performing Arts Center last weekend. The kids danced like professionals and I thought, as I always do, how lucky we are to have Nutmeg Ballet right here in the northwest corner.

Welcoming the National Audition Tour to Torrington

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Sometimes it’s fun to be a little house-proud. Just ask the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory!

This past weekend was the perfect opportunity for The Nutmeg Ballet to shine. It was the first in a series of three open auditions at home in the spacious state-of-the-art studios on Torrington’s Main Street. The next is scheduled for March 15th with the final at-home open audition taking place on April 12th.

Despite the snow and somewhat challenging weather conditions, hopeful Nutmeg summer program students made their way to the historic downtown arts district from near and far. Whether it was from Long Island, Rhode Island, or Cape Cod, or just the next town over, there was a common sense of purpose and an undeniable spark of excitement in the air.

Even before the auditions were scheduled to begin, the building was bursting with activity. The Dance Shop was abuzz with patrons enjoying the fun atmosphere; Ms. Szabo was keeping her little dancers on task in Studio One, while Ms. Ward had her class in the charming Pas de Deux studio. Meanwhile, The Nutmeg Student Activity Committee was hosting a bake sale while a steady flow of students and parents made their way through the lobby.

It was a very eventful Saturday and it had only just begun!

As the visiting dancers filed into the multi-purpose CAP room with their parents, there were reassuring faces to welcome them and check them in. They were warmly greeted by JoAnne Lavine, The Nutmeg’s Registrar, who clearly enjoys what she does. Ms Lavine was assisted by one of the lovely Nutmeg dancers named Jenn, who happened to be very adept at soothing frazzled nerves as she handed out audition numbers and collected audition photos.

With the auditions scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., the pace was brisk, but comfortable. Very quietly, Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli, made her way through the crowded room to formally introduce herself, welcome the auditioners to The Nutmeg Ballet, provide a brief orientation about the summer program and audition process, and answer any questions.

The eager auditioners were then placed into groups and escorted to one of three studios. Once the students were focused in class upstairs, the emphasis turned to the parents waiting patiently below. The Nutmeg Parent Network volunteers were on hand to answer any additional questions and provide guided tours of the building.

First stop on the tour was the CAP room where the Conservatory Academic Program takes place each school day during the year-round program. Tour guides pointed out the adjacent office, with its large window that looks on to the CAP room and that has an almost-always open door, where Academic Director, Donna Mattiello keeps a sharp eye on the students of the academic program.

After learning, much to their delight, that the original part of the building on Main Street had originally been Torrington’s Chamber of Commerce building, the tour guide directed visitors through the bright and lively lobby to the front office where, they were informed that Mrs. Mary Dante, Registrar, has been keeping an eye on the dance program since her daughter, Sharon E. Dante, founded the school in 1969. There she was, busy as always, chatting with parents and buzzing people in through the security doors with her friendly, “Come in, please.”

In Dance Shop, Holly Watson, Dance Shop Manager, greeted each of the visitors with a smile. She told them that the Dance Shop was once a jewelry store which would explain the beautifully timeworn vault behind the checkout desk. The rich wood cabinets that now displayed various types of dance related merchandise were at one time display cabinets for exquisitely crafted jewelry, she explained.

Onward and upward, the group of visitors followed their tour guide to the second floor, where they would see Studio Two. There, Ballet Master, Tim Melady, was teaching a technique class to The Nutmeg trainees along with a group of the auditioning students putting their best foot forward.

As is customary on a Saturday morning, Resident Director, Karen Tuck, was busy cooking something delicious for the resident student’s lunch that day and so she stopped and chatted with the curious visitors responding to any questions they might have about resident life.

The third floor’s breathtaking Premiere Studio was experienced from the observation deck one floor above. From this eagle-eye-view parents had the rare opportunity to observe classical repertoire coach and famed ballerina, Eleanor D’Antuono, teaching technique not only to Nutmeg trainees, but to some of the auditioning students as well.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful experience, not just for those visiting The Nutmeg on that snowy Saturday for the very first time, but for all the staff, volunteers, and trainees who had the opportunity to share all the many reasons that the great building of steel and bricks and glass makes them so very proud to be a part of the magic.

For information about The Nutmeg Ballet training program, visit www.nutmegballet.org

Aspiring dancer following her dream

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

By JEAN SANDS

POSTED: 01/20/12, 12:01 AM EST | UPDATED: ON 01/20/2012

Cassie Sprance’s family went out of their way so that the aspiring dancer could take ballet classes at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. The Sprances lived in Glastonbury and the drive was wearing.

“It was 45 minutes away. We would drive back and forth two to three times a week and finally my parents decided that we were going to move closer so that I could really focus on training at Nutmeg,” Sprance said. She was seven years old and enrolled at the Hartt School in Hartford when a teacher told the Sprances about Nutmeg.

“One of the teachers there saw how disciplined and focused I was and she thought Nutmeg would be perfect for me. I remember auditioning for Ms. Dante (Nutmeg founder Sharon Dante), who said Ms. Szabo would love me.”

Sprance was soon enrolled at the Conservatory and studying with Susan Szabo, children’s ballet mistress and director of the Torrington School of Ballet (TSOB), the children’s school of the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts.

“Cassie, what a very special young woman!” Szabo said. “I remember sitting with her dad, he did most of the driving, and he was struggling with his work schedule to drive her here and pick her up at the appropriate time. I’ll never forget the day he said to me, ‘You know what? I’m just buying a house here!’ And he did. And his daughter continued studying and performing until she graduated from Nutmeg in 2010.”

It wasn’t just dance that interested Spance, however. Three years ago she began helping Szabo train TSOB students who were performing in “The Nutcracker.”

“I started helping Ms. Szabo when I didn’t have rehearsals for the ‘Nutcracker.'” (Sprance danced the part of the Sugarplum Fairy in 2009 and 2010) “That’s when I realized how much I liked helping her. And I had more time to work with the kids in ‘Nutcracker’ because I wasn’t dancing in it.” Now Sprance is focusing on a teaching career rather than performing with a ballet company.

“I find teaching makes me happier and is more rewarding than dancing. I still have a passion for dance and the arts but I just love teaching so much,” she said.

“Not only is Cassie a lovely person, she is a very gifted dancer and a born teacher!” Szabo said. “She was always very interested in the theory of classical ballet. The children respect and adore her. She knows what she’s talking about and they know it. She’s going to be a phenomenal teacher.”

Sprance was recently chosen by the Nutmeg staff to become a post high school pedagogical trainee.

“We have only allowed a few gifted students who wanted to teach to do this program and have decided that she is more than worth the effort,” Dante said. “The last time I had a young women this interested in teaching we ended up developing Susan Szabo (1978 Nutmeg graduate) into an expert in the field of pedagogy.”

Now Szabo, along with Dante and the Nutmeg staff, will work closely with Sprance, Dante said. “Having Cassie as an assistant to the staff will be a win win for the students, staff and management at The Nutmeg. She will become involved in all aspects of the school over the next year as we further develop our local children’s programs.”

There is no better time than now for Sprance to begin her pedagogical training. Registration for TSOB spring classes began on Monday, providing a new crop of dancers for her to work with.

“Ballet in general teaches you so much that you use later in life.” Sprance said. “I realize all the things I do, my discipline, my focus, my ambition, all come from the discipline I learned from Ms. Szabo and Nutmeg. Ballet is such a good thing to have, it’s a great talent and it doesn’t matter if you don’t do it professionally as a career. It gives you so much that you can use later in life to be successful at whatever it is you do.”

And what does Sprance want to do as a future career?

“I would love to teach at Nutmeg. It’s definitely my goal.”

Registration for TSOB classes for pre-ballet and ballet appreciation for children ages 4 through 13 continues through Feb. 7. You may register your child in person from 1-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays or register by calling the Torrington School of Ballet at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, 58 Main Street, Torrington, CT 860-482-4413 ext. 301 or 860-482-7375.

"Ballet in general teaches you so much that you use later in life." Sprance said. "I realize all the things I do, my discipline, my focus, my ambition, all come from the discipline I learned from Ms. Szabo and Nutmeg. Ballet is such a good thing to have, it's a great talent and it doesn't matter if you don't do it professionally as a career. It gives you so much that you can use later in life to be successful at whatever it is you do."

Nutmeg Conservatory’s New Artistic Director Is a Hometown Girl–and Ballet World Star

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

“I’m a hometown girl,” said Victoria Mazzarelli. “I am from Nutmeg.” But that hometown girl has done much more than just grow up in Torrington, taking ballet lessons at the Nutmeg Ballet. She became a prima ballerina who danced with prominent ballet companies throughout Europe.

Nutmeg Ballet Electrifying at Warner Theatre Gala

Mon, 18 Aug 1997 04:00:00 GMT

August 18, 1997|By TONY ANGARANO; Dance Critic

For one unforgettable night Torrington became America’s dance center when Sharon E. Dante, founder and artistic director of the Nutmeg Ballet, celebrated her school’s 20th anniversary with a gala performance at the Warner Theater.

There was cause for celebration. The program featured Nutmeg alumnae Victoria Mazzarelli, Cheryl Madeux, Karla Kovatch and Natasha Fielding, who have established careers with major ballet companies, plus guest artists Ethan Steifel of the American Ballet Theatre, Cynthia Quinn and Brian Simerson from Momix and Tim Melady from Hartford Ballet. Also appearing were recent Nutmeg students poised for professionalism.

There was particular excitement concerning the return of Torrington native Mazzarelli, the only American woman to win a gold medal in the New York International Competition.

As prima ballerina with the Basel, Frankfurt and Zurich Ballet Companies, she has achieved international fame. At the Nutmeg gala she appeared first in a contemporary work, the pas de deux from William Forsythe’s hard-edged, muscular “In the Middle . . . Somewhere Elevated” with Steifel.

Like a finely calibrated automaton, she performed Forsythe’s mechanized movements with astonishing precision and plasticity.

In Petipa’s pas de deux from “Le Corsair,” Mazzarelli and Steifel created another electrifying combination with their consummate mastery of 19th-century style and form.

With technical perfection (her expansive, elevated leaps were marvels of grace) and cheekbones that fashion photographers fight over, she ideally exemplified the wish of every ballet teacher.

Dancing like a young god, Steifel, with his breath-taking jumps and turns, also brought the cheering audience to its feet.

After touring nationally with the Joffrey Ballet, Madeux, another Torrington native, joined the Hartford Ballet, where she has won particular praise for her radiant “Giselle.”

Repeating the role’s Act Two pas de deux with Melady, she revealed anew the warmth, lyricism and technical brilliance that define her dancing. As always, Melady was a responsive partner whose solo revealed his individual artistry. From the Boston Ballet, Kovatch and Fielding offered contrasting performance styles.

In the beautiful “Rhapsody,” choreographed by Nutmeg alumnus Barry Hughson, Kovatch’s elegance and purity of line captivated. Tom Barber, her partner, complemented their duet with light- limbed agility.

Fielding, paired with Joshua Brooksher, disappointed, however, in “Diana & Acteon.” There was a heaviness in their movements that kept the pas de deux earthbound, despite their obvious technical proficiency.

Persuasively demonstrating their Nutmeg training — which is based on the Russian pedagogic method developed by Agrippina Vaganova — Kerryanne Saunders, who will join the Hartford Ballet this season, and Steven Erwin, who also belongs in a major company, danced the “Swan Lake” pas de deux with a refined sense of classical style that belied their youth.

Momix, the contemporary dance ensemble founded by Moses Pendleton, might seem a strange choice to share the Nutmeg gala, but they provided thrills. Quinn’s “White Widow” embodied the fusion between aesthetics and athletics.

From “Baseball,” Simerson performed the bravura “The Wind-Up,” usually Quinn’s solo, appearing like Olivier’s blond Hamlet deftly balancing an oversize baseball instead of Yorick’s skull.

Emily Patterson and Sam Beckman, both Nutmeg alumni, demonstrated how classical training can enhance contemporary dance in their sinuously beautiful solos from the Momix repertoire.

The Nutmeg Ballet’s “Coppelia” 1983

Sun, 29 May 1983 04:00:00 GMT

After being closed for two years, the theater reopened last Saturday to two sellout crowds, who came to see the Nutmeg Ballet perform ''Coppelia.'' Officials of the Northwest Connecticut Association for the Arts hope it was the first of 12 regional-arts performances at the Warner this year.

‘CRUEL ART’ BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN NUTMEG DANCERS

Sun, 22 Nov 1981 05:00:00 GMT

By LAURIE A. O’NEILL

Published: November 22, 1981

TORRINGTON ”CHINS!” she yelled. ”I want faces. Expression. Details, everyone!” Suddenly Sharon E. Dante, the petite, dark-haired artistic director of the Nutmeg Ballet Company, sprang from her canvas chair at one end of the studio and walked briskly to the side of 15-year-old Victoria Mazzarelli.

”That was good, very good,” Miss Dante told the young ballerina and her 18-year-old partner, John Dlugokinski, after they had negotiated a difficult lift.

”But I need more,” she declared, turning to face all of the dancers. ”I need sparkle. I want to see a performance.” It was after 8 o’clock on a cold November evening, and since midmorning the the company had been rehearsing its popular annual presentation of ”The Nutcracker.” As the dancers pattered to their places in the Land of the Snow scene for perhaps the 20th time that day, there were perceptible sighs and exchanged looks of commiseration.

”To bring out the best in young dancers – the potential that they may not even see themselves – takes cajoling, intimidation and sometimes getting ugly,” Miss Dante said later. ”Ballet has been called the ‘cruel art,’ and rightly so.”

On Friday the black leotards and woolen warmups worn by the dancers in rehearsal will be traded for satin, velvet and tulle and young Clara’s magical journey will unfold on the stage at the Torrington High School. Four performances in the school’s theater next weekend will be followed by performances on Dec. 5 at the Simsbury High School and on Dec. 12 at the Palace Theater in Waterbury.

”Here we were, a little ballet company in a mostly working-class town of 30,000 people,” said Miss Dante of the company’s first performance of Act II of ”The Nutcracker” five years ago. ”People didn’t know what to expect.” she said. ”But,” she added with a grin, ”their jaws dropped. They couldn’t believe how good it was.”

That first performance drew such praise that a decision was made to begin staging the entire ballet. In the past two years the company has presented ”The Nutcracker” in several towns, from Granby to Greenwich, and last December it performed with the New London Symphony. This year a Hartford-based staging company, Media Tech Inc., has been contracted to handle set transportation, lighting, sound, special effects rigging and security.Production costs are expected to exceed $100,000.

Seventy-five dancers wearing a total of 250 costums will be involved. Most are from the 45-member company and its two official schools, the Torrington School of Ballet and the Watertown School of Dance, which together represent the largest professional-oriented ballet organization in northwestern Connecticut.

Auditions for the production were held in September and drew 200 dancers from the greater Litchfield County area. Since then, the lights in the company’s spacious studio, a former Odd Fellows’ Hall on Water Street, have been burning late each night, and strains of Tchaikovsky’s classic score can be heard by passers-by three floors below.

At a recent rehearsal, dancers trotted in and out of the costume room. James Hodson, the company’s wardrobe designer, made lastminute costume adjustments on Donna Muschell, who will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Mr. Hodson is a former managing director of the Hartford Ballet Company and the wardrobe master for the Broadway shows ”The Wiz” and ”Children of a Lesser God.”

Two seamstresses sewed beading on delicate pink bodices, hopping down from their stools to pinch seams and insert pins as the dancers turned for Mr. Hodson’s appraisal. One of the seamstresses, Llenka Brown, emigrated several years ago from Budapest, where she worked for the designer Clara Roschild. ”Theatrical clothing,” said Mrs. Brown, pronouncing it ”te-a-tri-cal,” ”is so much more difficult to construct. You must be concerned how it will move, not just how it will look.”

This, too, is Miss Dante’s concern for her dancers and the reason that the word ”details” – in big paper letters – is taped on one wall of the studio. A former assistant to the director of the Hartford Ballet, Miss Dante, 36, bases her program of instruction on the Leninrad pedogogical method, which stresses the teaching of dance through a detailed breakdown of each movement.

”There is great attention paid to the body’s placement in space, the harmony of head and arms, the strength of movement and the precision of steps,” Miss Dante said. The method is used by Russia’s Kirov Ballet, which has produced dancers such as Rudolph Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Natalie Makarova.

Good ballet training must be ”intense, with a method behind it,” Miss Dante contended. She tells prospective students: ”If you want only to have fun, go someplace else to learn dancing.” Her insistence on proper training and the professional quality of her dancers have won the company respect and helped attract guest choreographers, instructors and performers from the American Ballet Theatre, the New York City Ballet, the Joffrey Balley and Poland’s Warsaw National Opera. Two years ago, when a principal Nutmeg dancer injured her leg during a rehearsal of ”The Nutcracker,” her role was danced by Janet Shibata, a frequent visitor to the company and a former soloist with the American Ballet Theatre.

Miss Dante and a visiting instructor, Yuli Vzarov, a Russian dancer and teacher now living in the United States, are preparing three company members for the Mississippi International Ballet Competitions next summer. One former student and company member, Denise LePage, was awarded a scholarship to study with the American Ballet Theatre last summer and is a freelance dancer in New York City.

Since its first performance in 1971 at the Torrington Arts Festival, the company has developed a repertory of 28 ballets. With the help of a $3,000 grant from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, Nutmeg brings a program called ”Athletics to Esthetics,” which demonstrates the rigorous physical training a dancer must undergo, to approximately 125 Connecticut schools each year.

In its first year of operation, the company had a budget of $300, which was used primarily for the purchase of presentation flowers. Now the company has a budget approaching $250,000, derived primarily from tuition, performances and contributions. The company relies heavily on a large volunteer staff.

”It chose me. I didn’t choose it,” Miss Dante said of her profession. As a child she studied ballet with Yolan Szabo in Torrington. After graduating from high school in 1962, ”I intended to leave this town and never come back,” she recalled. Having no intention of pursuing a dance career, she enrolled as a business student at Endicott Junior College and later graduated from the University of Hartford. While in that city, she met Joseph Albano, the founder and former artistic director of the Hartford Ballet and her love of dance was rekindled. Miss Dante won a deRothchild scholarship to study dance at the Martha Graham School in New York City and subsequently performed as a soloist in the United States and Europe with several companies, including the Charles Weidman and Rudy Perez dance companies.

She returned to the Hartford Ballet as a performer and assistant to the director in 1969 and on her day off taught ballet to a handful of youngsters in the vacant Torrington studio where she had studied as a child. ”Dancers are basically self-involved people. They have to be,” said Miss Dante. ”But I’m a people person. I need and love to teach.”

Upon leaving the Hartford Ballet in 1970, she established the Torrington School of Ballet and a year later the Nutmeg Ballet Company. There are 45 dancers – six are boys – in the company, ranging in age from 12 to 18. All must study five to six days a week. More than 250 children are enrolled in the two schools. Some travel up 80 miles round trip to attend classes.

Hard work and even talent do not guarantee one a place as a professional dancer, Miss Dante said. ”You can be intelligent – a thinking dancer. Or be physically beautiful and expressive. But to be both,” she said, ”is God’s gift, and to be lucky enough to train such a dancer is a thrill and a joy.”

''To bring out the best in young dancers - the potential that they may not even see themselves - takes cajoling, intimidation and sometimes getting ugly,'' Miss Dante said later. ''Ballet has been called the 'cruel art,' and rightly so.''