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2009 marks Youth Dance Theatre of Michigan's 12th performance of The Nutcracker, featuring choreography by YDT's Artistic Director Wendi DuBois.
Our 55 young dancers performed all but one of the dancing roles, YDT is proud to truly represent itself as a Youth Dance Theatre.
We expanded our program with two Sugar Plum Fairy Tea parties this year to allow more of our younger guests to meet the performers before the show began.
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To celebrate (and perhaps hurry) the coming of Spring 2009, YDT presented Awakening.
Our dancers performed nine pieces to music by composers ranging from Antonio Vivaldi to Nuyorican Soul and including Andreas Vollenweider and Claude Debussy.
The show featured classic choreography by Marius Petipa and Jean Coralli with Jules Perrot as well as
contemporary interpretations of newer and classical music by Erik Abbot-Main, Wendi DuBois, Rhonda Kendzicky and Carrie Schotte.
YDT was honoured to have live accompaniment by Nathan Peters, Lester Castellana and Sara Cumming for Vivaldi's Winter to open the show
and to have Cynthia Standefer, Nathan Peters, Ian Cumming and Sara Cumming perform Mozart's Flute Quartet In D Major when we needed a few extra minutes back-stage.
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On December 5th, 6th and 7th of 2008 YDT presented its 11th annual The Nutcracker.
This production was our 10th anniversary Nutcracker production;
we are proud of the strides in quality over that decade.
Many thanks to our dancers, their parents and the Board of Directors for the effort that goes into such an endeavour.
We also offer a big Thank You to our committed audiences - your presence energises us!
YDT hosted Sugar Plum Fairy Teas on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Many young visitors had their photo taken with the Sugar Plum Fairy while parents and children partook of the tea and biscuits provided by YDT volunteers.
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On Saturday, April 26th at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM and
Sunday, April 27th at 2:00 PM, YDT presented its 2008 production of Five Dancing Princesses.
Five Dancing Princesses is Wendi DuBois' light-hearted interpretation of the Grimm Brothers' tale
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Set to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wendi DuBois' choreography set on YDT's dancers tells the story in an unforgettable manner.
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On Saturday, December 8th at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM and
Sunday, December 9th at 2:00 PM, YDT presented its 2007 production of The Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker, a seasonal favourite set to music by Pyotor Ilych Tchaikovsky, is interpreted by YDT's Artistic Director, Wendi DuBois and set on YDT's cast of 63 young dancers.
The Nutcracker is the story of a girl's discovery of the meaning of love, family and life through the intervention of a dreadfully ugly, but magical, nutcracker.
From the Party scene through Midnight, into the Land of Sweets and back to Marie's bedroom, YDT's talented and dedicated cast brings the entire story to a lively and alive production.
YDT hosted a Tea with the Sugar Plum Fairy on Sunday afternoon at 1:00
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In April 2007, YDT presented this program of choreography set to music by Great American Composers: George Gershwin, Philip Glass, John Williams, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Aaron Copland, David Arkenstone.
We also included musical presentations by local performers of Gershwin numbers, and the occasional new piece (I'm Gonna Find Another You and The Girl I Mean To Be)
Photos from some of the dance numbers are available here.
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Each December, YDT members perform Tchaikovsky's classic holiday ballet, The Nutcracker, to packed houses at Chelsea High School. Directed by Wendi DuBois, each year brings new dancers and updated choreography and costumes. This production is narrated making it unique and especially fun to attend.
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To the music of Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Wendi DuBois, this narrated ballet tells the familiar story of Sleeping Beauty.
Lighting and staging, designed by Zac Law, an alumni of YDT and student in stage management at Western Michigan University.
This ballet was premiered on April 29th 2006 and will remain as part of YDT’s repertory for years to come.
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A change in style and pace with creative choreography to the music of George Gershwin. Featured pieces include the familiar Rhapsody in Blue; American in Paris and Concerto in F. Less known works such Rialto Ripples Rag and Cuban Overture were also exhibited.
This program also involved live music by pianist John Kramer with vocals by Rebecca Anderson and YDT members. Visual arts tell the story of Gershwin’s life and local jazz bands showcased his music before the show.
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This ballet based on the Grimm brothers’ fairytale Twelve Dancing Princesses was commissioned by YDT, choreographed by Wendi DuBois and first performed in part in 2002. Full performances were given in 2003, and again in 2004.
This work will remain as part of the YDT repertory.
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