Bella Dance Academy refuses to miss a beat as they proceed with their annual December production of the Nutcracker. 

The academy held auditions Saturday for their 12th year of the Nutcracker show. This year, dancers will perform the Nutty Nutcracker SA国际影视传媒� a lighthearted spinoff of the Nutcracker classic. 

The performance will run at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) on Dec. 19 and 20 with a reduced cast size. 

Auditions were held online over zoom, a month later than their usual mid-September date.

SA国际影视传媒淭he dancers were amazing and I am super proud of the willingness and adaptability of our students to be able to jump onto the Zoom platform,SA国际影视传媒� said Phoenix Smith, studio director at Bella Dance Academy.  

The delayed auditions were to ensure SA国际影视传媒渁 safe and thorough planSA国际影视传媒� for performances, Smith said. 

Over 60 dancers, ages six to 17, auditioned for the production, more than would have been able to safely attend in-person auditions at the studio. 

SA国际影视传媒淲ith creative scheduling and casting, I was able to offer almost every dancer a role in our production,SA国际影视传媒� Smith said. 

Among the dancers is Briar Rintoul, already a seasoned performer in the Christmas special at eight years old. 

This will be RintoulSA国际影视传媒檚 third run at the Nutcracker and second year in her role as a flower following one performance as an angel at age six. 

Rintoul said she was nervous to audition over zoom and prefers the process in-person.

For the tryout, dancers followed along with Smith, which Rintoul said was SA国际影视传媒淥K but glitchy.SA国际影视传媒�

Rintoul dances with the academy six days a week.

She takes classes in ballet, tap and jazz, and is the youngest member of the Bella Beats competitive junior dance team.

She said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 made a lot of friends dancing with the academy for the past five years.

Rintoul said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 excited to be on stage for the Nutcracker show. 

SA国际影视传媒淚 love everything about dancing,SA国际影视传媒� she said.   

In accordance with public health measures, some of the showSA国际影视传媒檚 modifications from previous years include a reduced cast size where dancers may play multiple parts, fewer characters, reduced show lengths and a maximum of 50 audience members.  

SA国际影视传媒淭hese modifications will make our show a little different than it has been in previous years,SA国际影视传媒� Smith said, SA国际影视传媒渟o weSA国际影视传媒檝e decided to lean fully into the idea of Nutty Nutcracker as we vary a little from the classic ballet with some changes in music, styles and characters.SA国际影视传媒�

In June, Bella Dance Academy organized in-person performances as part of their SA国际影视传媒渞e-imaginedSA国际影视传媒� recitals at Folk on the Rocks. The recital took place days after the territory moved to phase two of the Covid recovery plan. It showcased 98 dancers who performed in groups of five or fewer who were each allowed up to three guests maximum. 

After the recitals, Smith said the academy SA国际影视传媒渒new there was a way to safely coordinate a performance that followed all protocols and policies put in place by the CPHO (Chief Public Health Officer) and NACC.SA国际影视传媒�

Nutty Nutcracker tickets go on sale mid-November. 

The show will run approximately 50 minutes and with the limited capacity of viewers, so Smith said SA国际影视传媒渨e need our 50 audience members to cheer extra loud.SA国际影视传媒�