Manhattan Youth Ballet and Manhattan Movement & Arts Center present The Knickerbocker Suite from December 12-14, 2014 and December 19-21, 2014 at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, 248 West 60th Street, NYC (between Amsterdam and West End Avenues) in the Lincoln Center area.  Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students.  Tickets are available at manhattanmovement.com/calendar or by calling 212-787-1178.  Performances:  Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 7pm, Sundays at 3pm.

 

The Knickerbocker Suite features New York City landmarks, such as The Statue of Liberty, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and NY sports teams, weaved into the time-honored holiday tale of The Nutcracker. Classic Nutcracker scenes like “The Land of the Snow” are transformed into a snowy frenzy of shoppers dancing in and out of stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s for last minute gifts. Perhaps one of the more well-known scenes, “Mother Ginger and her Polichinelles,” will be played by the Statue of Liberty and dancing immigrants who just arrived from Ellis Island.

With scenes of shoppers on Fifth Avenue, the angels at Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty, NY sports teams and the romance of Central Park in the winter, The Knickerbocker Suite is a celebration of New York City, its culture and the magic of the holiday season. The production with a story by artist, Elliott Arkin, features an opening scene with narration by Tony Award winner, Michael Cerveris; the choreography of Brian Reeder, Deborah Wingert, Daniel Ulbricht, Marina Stavitskaya, Nick Kepley & Natalia Boesch; illustrations by Katy DeHay and photography by Erin Baiano.

 

About Manhattan Youth Ballet

Modeled with an emphasis on European classical ballet, Manhattan Youth Ballet (MYB) offers world-class training in a nurturing environment focused on discipline, precision and artistry.  MYB is the culmination of Ms. Rose Caiola’s effort for the past seventeen years to create a viable, curriculum-based ballet academy in Manhattan in order to serve the needs of the multifaceted community.  Principal members of the faculty have received their training in schools such as the The Kirov Ballet, School of American Ballet, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.  The faculty strives to bring out the individual potential of each student with an emphasis on artistry as well as technique to create truly versatile dancers for the current dance world. Manhattan Youth Ballet has acquired a reputation for excellent teaching in an intimate and individually supportive environment. The school’s graduates have danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet de España, San Francisco Ballet and Complexions.

 

Education is a top priority at Manhattan Youth Ballet and the school has numerous community outreach programs to promote dance education.  Since moving to its new home at Manhattan Movement & Arts Center in September 2008, over 2,500 New York City school children have participated in lecture demonstrations and/or been MYB’s invited guests at full-length performances.  For more information, visit www.manhattanyouthballet.org.

 

About Manhattan Movement & Arts Center

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center was developed by Rose Caiola as the home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet.  Ms. Caiola, a former dancer and actress, founded the academy in the fall of 1994 as Studio Maestro at 48 W. 68th Street, and today serves as the youth ballet’s executive artistic director.  As the ballet academy grew, the search for a larger space inspired in Ms. Caiola a highly personal vision of a studio and theater complex that would encompass all aspects of dance education and performance.

 

mmac opened its doors in June 2008, occupying a dramatic bi-level space within The Element, a luxury high-rise condominium. mmac’s theater, has become a popular off-broadway venue for both sit down and limited run productions. mmac’s studios host a variety of classes including open ballet and fitness, a full mmac kids curriculum, as well as a number of Broadway Workshops and rehearsals with stars such as Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Natalie Portman, and Alec Baldwin.

 

For more information about mmac, visit www.manhattanmovement.com.