GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Young Artists' Community Ballet, also known as Ballet Continental, performed a preview of its upcoming performance of The Nutcracker at La Posada in Green Valley on Monday, Nov. 13.
Guests at the La Posada farmer’s market were treated to $5 discounted tickets to the show, with young performers selling tickets throughout the courtyard.
This is the 39th performance of The Nutcracker by the dance company, one of the longest runs of the holiday classic in Southern Arizona.
“These kids are doing good things,” said Ballet Continental’s Artistic Director Darby Downs. “Sometimes we only hear about the bad things kids are doing so I’m glad we had the opportunity to be here today.”
Ballet Continental features dancers from 9-years-old to college-age, coming from communities in Southern Arizona such as Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Amado, Tubac, Tumacacori, Rio Rico and Nogales.
Downs says a Phoenix-based dance teacher is also bringing her high school dancers down from Phoenix to perform in the show.
“They’re just really great kids who support one another,” Downs said. “They do things like this all the time, like giving up their day off from school to be here.”
Downs praised the group’s hard work in readying themselves for the show.
“I think that people don’t know much about dance don’t realize how much work it actually is,” she said. “It’s definitely a sport. My girls work just as hard as the football or basketball team.”
Ballet Continental will perform The Nutcracker from December 6-December 8 at the Sahuarita Auditorium. The show begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Those interested can purchase tickets and find more information on Ballet Continental’s website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
