The Victoria Cooper Academy of Dance performers leaped and waltzed across the stage last Sunday in two sold-out sessions of The Nutcracker at the Waitaki Boys’ High School auditorium.
The two-act classical ballet by Tchaikovsky, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination, featuring a Nutcracker doll, was received well by the packed audiences.
Academy founder and leader Victoria Cooper said she was impressed with the dancers whose ages ranged from 2 to 71.
"Both performances were really, really good. It just blew me away," she said.
The academy dancers rehearsed for up to eight weeks for the show, with choreography by Victoria Cooper and Alissa Anderson, stage management by Bella Hubber and Claire Muir, props by Tevita Leo, Rio Pringle and Pyper McNamara, lighting by Elizabeth Plieger, sound by Catriona Schoneveld, puppet design by Kelly Currie, costumes by Linda Cooper and Hila’atu Leo, props by Lawrie Cooper and tech by Callum Snow.
