We are happy to share our newest contest: "Find Things New at Nutcracker". Central Florida Ballet's Artistic Director, Vladimir Bykov, invites you to take on this fun challenge! Do you dare? Photo by: Virginia Trudeau & Deedee Sherman
The rules are simple: Submit a paper by mail or send an email with all of the things new you see in this year's Nutcracker production of the Central Florida Ballet. Simply attend a performance and write down all of the new things you saw in the show, but please remember to enjoy the performance!
The winner will be the person with the most correct items new and will win 2 Gold Circle tickets to the Central Florida Ballet's 2013 Nutcracker production!
Example Submission:
Joe Smith, 888-765-8888, jsmith@mail.com
New costume in a certain dance
New choreography in a certain dance
New special effect
New prop used
ETC
ETC
Submissions will be accepted from Sunday, December 23, 2012 until Tuesday, January 1, 2013 by email or mail. Your submission must include your name, phone number, and email. Only one submission per person. The Deadline for all entries is January 1, 2012.
MAIL TO: Central Florida Ballet, 3306 Maggie Blvd, Suite B, Orlando, FL 32811
EMAIL TO: kklopfenstein@centralfloridaballet.com, Subject: Find Things New at Nutcracker
This year's Nutcracker performances will be held Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7:30pm and Sunday, Dec. 23 at 2pm at the Linda Chapin Theater in the Orange County Convention Center. Buy tickets at http://www.centralfloridaballet.com or by calling 407.849.9948.
GOOD LUCK! Have questions? Please email kklopfenstein@centralfloridaballet.com
Yes, the holiday season has officially arrived and we bet you are searching for the perfect gift for your friends and family. From the gift cards to electronics, the holiday gift giving list can be endless! So to make your search a bit easier, we gathered some unique gift ideas to delight those you care about this holiday season.
#1 Tickets to Central Florida Ballet's The Nutcracker
The Central Florida Ballet brings The Nutcracker to life each year at the Orange County Convention Center. This unique production offers mini-pyrotechnic explosions, aerial acrobatics, and fiber optic special effects, unlike any other in the area. Bring awe and delight to every member of your family with this Nutcracker production which has been nationally featured by CNN, USA Today, and ABC News.
Price: Tickets range from $10-80. How to Buy:Buy online at http://www.centralfloridaballet.com/ or call the Box Office at 407.849.9948. Performances will be held Saturday, December 22 at 7:30pm or Sunday, December 23 at 2pm. Best part:Wonderful memories to remember for years to come! An experience at the Central Florida Ballet's Nutcracker is unlike anything else.
#2 Nutcracker Holiday Brunch at the Peabody Hotel
The Peabody Orlando and Central Florida Ballet present an interactive brunch experience, on Sunday, December 23 from 11:30am-1:30pm, featuring the cast from the acclaimed performance of The Nutcracker. Brunch guests will have the opportunity to meet the cast and take photos while experiencing the hotel’s renowned cuisine before attending the Central Florida Ballet's The Nutcracker. Brunch guests will receive 25 percent off matinee tickets to The
Nutcracker performance on Saturday, December
23.
Brunch Pricing:$35 Adults, $18 children under the age of 12 (Reservations are required) How to Buy: Call 407.849.9948 for brunch and performance tickets. For Brunch only, please call 407.345.4570. Best part: Delicious food, catching up with friends & family, and meeting characters from the Central Florida Ballet's The Nutcracker up-close!
# 3 Nutcracker Boutique Gift Shop
The Nutcracker Boutique is held in the lobby right beside the Linda Chapin Theater and is open 45 minutes before each performance, during intermission, and directly after the performance. The search is on for your most-wanted item, which makes a great souvenir from the show.
Price: $5-40 an assortment of items will be offered How to buy: The Nutcracker boutique will be held in the lobby right beside the Linda Chapin Theater before, during, and after the performances on Saturday, December 22 and Sunday, December 23. Best part: From wooden Nutcrackers to delicate ornaments to exquisite jewelry, the Nutcracker boutique is sure to bring great stocking stuffers!
#4 Nutcracker Silent Auction
Discover and battle Nutcracker style for the best gifts - vacation getaways, massages, jewelry, paintings, and much more. Your generosity benefits the Central Florida Ballet's 2012/13 Season and the unique gift will bring sheer delight to your recipient.
Price:$10-1,500 How to buy: The Silent Auction will be held in the lobby right beside the Linda Chapin Theater on Saturday, December 22 from 6:30-7:30pm and Sunday, December 23 from 1-2pm. Best part: Finding the perfect gift for your loved one and generously supporting the Central Florida Ballet's 2012/13 Season at the same time! It's a win-win!
#5 Adult Class Card to the Central Florida Ballet's Academy
Ballet is not just for The Nutcracker. Share the joy of dance with your friends after the holiday season with an adult class card to the Central Florida Ballet's Academy. Adult classes are offered for Beginners to Advanced.
Price:$36 for 4 classes, $48 for 6 classes, or $90 for 12 classes (Each class card is valid for one month from the date issued) How to buy: Please call the Central Florida Ballet Academy at 407.849.9942. Click here for the Adult class schedule. Best part: Keep ballet coming all year long.
The Central Florida Ballet is pleased to announce our very own Tina Baybay-Bykov will compete on the national game show: JEOPARDY! (airing November 12).
About Mrs. Tina Baybay-Bykov: A guest instructor of the Central Florida Ballet, she most recently taught Advanced Ballet and Dance History during the Academy's 2012 Summer Program. She currently teaches advanced placement European history and world history at Boone High School in Orlando, Florida and is also the wife of CFB's Artistic Director, Vladimir Bykov. About her Experience: She was selected to compete after taking an online test, followed by in-person auditions, another test, a mock game and an interview. She had been trying to land a spot on the show for three years. After learning she was selected, she practiced daily by watching Jeopardy (using a pen as a clicker) and was also quizzed by family and friends. Baybay-Bykov traveled to Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California to tape the tournament on October 1st and 2nd. She is one of 15 educators nationwide selected to compete in the 3rd annual Teacher Tournament episodes.
What was her reaction when she found out she was selected? “I got the phone call inviting me to compete on the first day of OCPS pre-planning and was overjoyed."” What happens if she wins the $100,000 prize? “My students are asking if I win if I’ll quit,” she said. “Why would I do that? I love teaching, I like working with teenagers.”
"Jeopardy!” airs at 7 weeknights on WFTV-Channel 9.
Tune in on November 12th to see Baybay-Bykov compete.
The countdown is officially underway for The
Central Florida Ballet's Nutcracker, one of the most popular nationwide, and taking center stage in the greater Orlando area!
Saturday, Dec. 22
at 7:30pm | Sunday, Dec. 23 at 2pm
Linda Chapin Theater in the
OCCC
The Central Florida Ballet's
Nutcracker production has become known as one of the “most entertaining”
nationwide. Taking a hint from area theme parks, the Central Florida Ballet uses
unique aerial acrobatics, thrilling pyrotechnics, and special effect fiber
optics to delight audience-goers. This internationally acclaimed production has
taken the national spotlight with attention from ABC Nightline News, USA Today,
CNN, and the Wall Street Journal. Be sure to join us for this must-see event! Watch
a Video Preview.
Tickets can
be purchased online at http://www.centralfloridaballet.com/ or by calling the Box Office at 407.849.9948. Blog Special Offer: Save 10% off your order when you mention the "CFB Blog". Offer valid by phone only until November 8, 2012.
From party girl dresses to the elaborate design of Chinese costumes, months of preparation go into readying the countless costumes of the Central Florida Ballet's annual Nutcracker. We invite you to discover what goes on behind the curtain with - Mrs. Debby Williams. She takes the role
of CFB's Wardrobe Coordinator every year for this beloved-holiday tradition. In our first edition of "Behind the Curtain - Costume Style", Mrs. Williams discusses how she prepares for The Nutcracker and reveals her favorite costume.
1.How far in advance do you
start preparing for The Nutcracker?
I
actually begin thinking about next year's Nutcracker during this year's
production. As I watch the rehearsals and see the dancers in their costumes, I
notice what costumes are beginning to look tired and worn. Then I already have
an idea what we need for next year. In the summer, I start gearing up for the
mad rush toward Nutcracker season.
2.How many costumes do you
have in storage?
Oh,
my! I’m not sure, but there are
hundreds!
A sneak peek into the Central Florida Ballet's costume room...lambs, bon-bons, and soldiers costumes are ready to be tried on new Nutcracker cast members.
3.What is the process of
fitting dancers for costumes? (From measurements to the stage..)
During
Nutcracker auditions, all the dancers who come to try out are measured. After casting, I try the costumes on each of
the dancers and then make alterations as necessary. If a brand new costume is made for someone,
then there will be several fittings to make sure the size is correct and the
costume is comfortable for dancing. The
costumes must be durable and well-made in order for them to withstand all the
turning, stretching, lifting, and movement from the dancers. We also want to be able to use the costumes
for several years, so it is important that they aren’t flimsy.
4.Do you have a favorite costume?
That’s
a hard question because so many of them are gorgeous, but I guess I am partial
to the Spanish because they are bold and bright and beautiful.
5.Are you working on
revamping or creating any new costumes this year?
Right
now I am working on sprucing up the Waltz costumes to make them last a little
longer and look a little more colorful on stage.
Mrs. Debby Williams concentrates as she sews and adjusts a tutu for the Waltz of the Flowers dance.
6.What do you think is the
most important part of your job?
I
see my job as making every single person, from the Treat Carriers to the Sugar
Plum Fairy, feel comfortable and confident in their costumes so they can
concentrate on dancing and doing a great job on stage. I want all the dancers to be dressed
beautifully and appropriately for their particular part, and for each of them
to feel like they are important to the production, because they are!
7.Where do you find your
fabric and what inspires you when creating new costumes?
I
love looking at fabric, and I go out of my way to browse fabric shops whenever
I can. I also watch other productions of
the Nutcracker or look at pictures on the internet to get ideas. It’s fun to go see other Nutcracker
productions and see what their costumes are like.
8. Was there a time when you thought a
costume would not be ready or some other mishap that happened right before a
show?
Every
year I think I am not going to get everything done. The closer it gets to Nutcracker time, the
less sleep I get. My friends bring me
coffee and then hang out and help me sew, mend, glue, and iron. I definitely could not do it by myself. I am very grateful for the many willing and
efficient volunteers who do whatever I ask, and do it with a smile! As far as mishaps, one year during a show,
Drosselmeyer’s eye patch broke and I had about 30 seconds to take a few stiches
to repair it before he had to rush back on stage. Another year, the zipper broke on a dancer’s
Chinese costume and I had to whip-stitch it closed as she quickly dashed off to
go on stage. Ultimately, it seems like
everything works out, and I try to learn from experience how to make the next
year better.
It can't be work all the time! Mrs. Debby Williams chats with friends and the CFB School Director while discussing changes for the Waltz of the Flowers tutus.
Discover which costume you love the most and see them in all their glory when the Central Florida Ballet takes center stage at the Orange County Convention Center on Saturday, Dec. 22 and Sunday, Dec, 23. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.centralfloridaballet.com/.
Be sure to check back soon for an update from Mrs. Williams!
Orlando, Florida, USA - Taking a hint
from area theme parks, the Central
Florida Ballet is gearing up for one of its ‘most entertaining’ performances of
the year: The Nutcracker taking
center stage in Linda Chapin Theater at the Orange County
Convention Center on
December 22nd at 7:30pm and December 23rd at 2pm.
Photo by: Virginia Trudeau & Deedee Sherman
Using thrilling pyrotechnics, unique aerial acrobatics, and special effect fiber optics in its production; the Central Florida Ballet (CFB) has garnered attention from ABC Nightline News who filmed CFB’s Nutcracker for a national feature in 2011 and earned recognition from the Wall Street Journal for “delivering aerial acrobatics and mini-explosions”. Becoming accustomed to the national spotlight, the production is also labeled “The Pyrotechnic Nutcracker” in the USA Today and recognized as “one of five outstanding productions in the entire nation” by CNN Headline News.
These unique touches make The Nutcracker ‘come to
life’ for audience-goers says the Central Florida Ballet’s founder & executive
director, Vasile Petrutiu. “By adding such thrilling elements ballet
audiences do not normally see, you become truly immersed in the story. Making
it a crossover between the best of ballet and an entertainment show combined.”
Amongst
glowing national recognition, this full-length, professional production will
feature Dragos Milhacea of the Royal Swedish Ballet among Anna Dorosh of Kiev
Ballet in Ukraine.
This year will mark Dorosh’s debut in Orlando
while Mihalcea will make a
much-anticipated return having previously performed with the Central Florida
Ballet in The Nutcracker and Giselle.
Above
all the glitz and glamour, Petrutiu’s production of the Nutcracker is about
having a good time. Two popular events complementing the ‘Nutcracker
experience’ are: The Nutcracker Holiday Brunch held in partnership with the
Peabody Hotel. This event hosted before the Sunday Matinee will offer families
the opportunity to enjoy a Meet & Greet with characters from the Nutcracker
while delighting in the Peabody’s delicious brunch favorites and warm
hospitality. The second event, the Nutcracker Silent Auction, will return for
two days this year to raise funds for the 2012/13 season and offering unique,
last-minute holiday gift opportunities for family and friends.
“It’s
about not just watching the dancing; it’s becoming a part of the fun. Not
everyone is born with the ability and coordination to dance,” Petrutiu explains.
“But everyone can certainly enjoy it and pass on this fantastic holiday
experience to each generation”.
Tickets are priced at $80 for “VIP” package, $48 for “Gold Circle”, $36 for Section A, $24 for Section B and $10
for Section C and may be purchased by
calling 407 849-9948 or at http://www.centralfloridaballet.com/.
Performances will be held only at the Linda Chapin Theater in the Orange County Convention Center.
