Columbia’s two Nutcracker productions taking the stage

The holidays have arrived, and that means it’s time for a time-honored family tradition: “The Nutcracker” ballet.

There are a few companies in Columbia that offer productions. Two of them – the Columbia Classical Ballet and the Columbia City Ballet – have productions this month.

So how are these productions similar – and different? Read on.

Columbia City Ballet

Q. How long has Columbia City Ballet been putting on “The Nutcracker?”

A. Columbia City Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker” has been a holiday tradition for more than four decades. (Columbia City Ballet’s “Nutcracker” is the longest consecutively running annual arts event at the Koger Center.)

Q. How many acts are there, and what is the show’s run time?

A. There are three acts and two intermissions for a total performance time of two hours.

Q. What is unique about your performance?

A. What’s really special about the way (artistic and executive director) William (Starrett) produces his performances is that he tries to immerse the audience completely in another world. For example, the Land of the Sweets scene alone has more than six different sets of sweets dreamt by Clara and brought to life on stage. You’ll find the details – whether it be through dance, props, or special effects – are what really make our performance special.

Q. Who is your target audience, and who does the performance appeal to most?

A. We often say that our “Nutcracker” is Columbia’s holiday family tradition. It’s not only great for a family, but we also show the high art of ballet so that a range of people are entertained throughout. A way that we like to kick off the “Nutcracker” performance for families with young children is our Nutcracker Tea. This is a great way for the children to get autographs from the professional dancers and experience firsthand the Land of the Sweets.

Q. How many dancers are in the performance?

A. We have 36 professional dancers full-time, and we have around 200 local children who will also be performing. This is the most we have seen in the history of Columbia City Ballet.

Columbia Classical Ballet

Q. How long has Columbia Classical Ballet been putting on “The Nutcracker?”

A. Our first performance was Dec. 9, 2000.

Q. How many acts are there, and what is the show’s run time?

A. There are three acts and two intermissions for a total performance time of two hours.

Q. What is unique about your performance?

A. It’s a traditional European Nutcracker, but what makes it so amazing and so beautiful is the dance. We are a mesmerizing company because of our dancers from all over the world who come to train with Radenko (Pavlovich) and perform with us – and when they are brought together on the stage it’s just incredible. Our costumes and our backdrops are beautiful, but technically you need to expect wonderment from us. That’s who we are, and we don’t want to let you down.

Q. Who is your target audience? Who does the performance appeal to most?

A. The Koger Center has written a letter on our behalf that we have the most diverse audience of any performance at the Koger – that’s in terms of age, socioeconomic status and race. Our mission has always been one of outreach. So many of the schools cannot come to our performances because they don’t have the money, so we have many coming at night. We have two night outreach chairs, and they are working in the city of Columbia and unincorporated Richland County to make sure everyone has the opportunity to attend the performance. We have at least 800 people per performance at night and that includes church groups, Wounded Warrior groups, school groups and others. We have many seats that are only $5 each. If we do not achieve our outreach, we do not achieve our mission.

Q. How many dancers are in the performance?

A. We have 34 professionals and probably 60 or so students with the Pavlovich Dance School.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Columbia’s two Nutcracker productions taking the stage."