Noble Dance brings Winter Celebration performance to stage
Noble Dance Performing Company senior Eden Rodriguez dances. (Photo courtesy Brenda Ahearn Photography)
The Noble Dance Performing Company includes upper stairs from left, Morgan Friar, Ella Gerbozy, Rita Henshaw, Reghan Donahue; middle row, Merrel Cooley, Cecilia Molter, Ananda Tadje-Soifer, Bella Jepsen, Mia Gannon, Karissa Jepsen, Lucia Ghekiere, Taylor McCracken; lower stairs, Abby Hepworth, Tove Davies and Eden Rodriguez. Not pictured are Brie Treat and Maggie Giffin. (Photo courtesy Wayne Murphy of JMK Photography)
Noble Dance Performing Company senior Mia Gannon dances. (Photo courtesy Brenda Ahearn Photography)
The Noble Dance Performing Company brings their holiday tradition back to the stage in Whitefish with the 11th annual Winter Celebration featuring Act 2 of “The Nutcracker” and other original works.
Under the direction of Natalie Molter, the company will have four showtimes in Whitefish on Dec. 3, 4, and 5 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.
Kicking off the show will be an upbeat, yet nostalgic ballet set to the music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Molter and fellow choreographer Brandy Peters have set a bright new ensemble piece on the company.
Three senior dancers are in their final season performing with Noble Dance and will be highlighted in the new work. Mia Gannon of Bigfork, Eden Rodriguez of Kalispell, and Morgan Friar also from Kalispell are enjoying their final Winter Celebration after many years of dancing and performing.
“It is super emotional, but in all the good ways,” Rodriguez said. “I’m excited to use those emotions to make this one of the best performances I’ve ever had.”
Also on the program is the fast-paced Act 2 of “The Nutcracker.” In this version of the Land of the Sweets, every student in the Noble School of Ballet and Storybook Ballet School gets a chance to perform over the course of the weekend. Treat inspired solos, duets, and trios from all over the world occur one right after another. Spanish Chocolate, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, Russian Peppermint, and more are led by everyone’s favorite, the Sugar Plum Fairy, danced by Gannon. The company completes the tradition with the grand Waltz of the Flowers.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec 3, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5. Tickets are $20 adults, $10 students, and lap sitters free. Seating is reserved, socially distanced, and available exclusively at nobledance.org.
