Herndon: Classical Ballet Theatre Reaches Out During the Holidays

Classical Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker is always magical.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

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Herndon Nutcracker

Classical Ballet Theatre kicked off the 2015 holiday season with its annual classic production of “The Nutcracker,” held before sold-out houses at the 520-seat Ernst Theater at Northern Virginia Community College. The magical performances are a family favorite in the Washington Metropolitan Area for many reasons. Well-known are the beautiful choreography, stunning costumes, and good-natured humor as well as the guest appearances by renowned professional artists. Not so well known, however, are the extensive behind-the-scenes efforts to make the performances accessible to everyone.

“Classical Ballet Theatre approaches its outreach mission with enthusiasm,” said Cynthia Donavin, founder, executive director, and artistic director of the 25 year-old, not-for-profit performing arts organization. “The arts are key to vibrant communities, and making a classic art like ballet accessible to all is paramount.”

Classical Ballet Theatre offers the community its Nutcracker at a fraction of the cost of that asked by professional companies. It gives military families, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts further discounted tickets, and it routinely sets aside some free tickets for active duty military families. It also provides free educational programming to hundreds of attending Girl Scouts as well as free Children’s Series Nutcracker performances for young children in the vicinity of its Herndon studios.

With such high quality and accessibility, Classical Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker is a great way to introduce the performing arts to the young – and the young at heart. For some, it’s also one of the best holiday gifts of the season.

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