The River Region Ballet will hold open auditions for its performance of The Nutcracker on Saturday, Aug. 24 at the Lafon Performing Arts Center in Luling.
Dancers of all skill levels are welcome to audition. A parent or guardian must accompany all performers under the age of 18. The audition fee is $15, and dancers should wear dance appropriate clothing and shoes. You can register for the auditions online at riverregionballetinc.org.
In addition to dancing roles, the River Region Ballet’s Nutcracker also includes theatrical and acrobatic roles.
Heidi Adams, a choreographer of The Nutcracker, said these roles involve pantomime and tumbling.
“We wanted to give more opportunities to non-dancers that also want to participate in the show,” Adams said.
Adams has been helping to direct the show for nearly 10 years. She has been involved in the show since 1995, when she performed in The Nutcracker for the first time.
“I fell in love with performing on stage,” Adams said. “It has become a tradition for the Christmas season and the whole family looks forward to it every year.”
Adams said she has been working hard to reimagine different scenes of the production for this year’s performance.
“I am excited to work with the cast to put my vision and dream on stage again,” Adams said. “But most importantly, I am excited to work with the talented youth and adults to put magic on stage again.”
This year will be the River Region Ballet’s 30th season of the Nutcracker. The River Region Ballet was one of the only groups to perform a Nutcracker in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group created a video version of the show, and after Hurricane Ida, the group partnered with local dance studios to make sure there was still a Nutcracker production, according to Adams.
Adams said that, for many people, The Nutcracker is much more than just a ballet.
“It is a place they are safe and free to be something different just for a short while,” she said.
River Region Ballet, Inc. is a non-profit that looks to inspire an appreciation for classical dance. It has several sponsors including United Way of St. Charles, St. Charles Women’s Club, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
