Area Dancers Bring Holiday Magic of 'The Nutcracker' to Macomb Center

Members of the Macomb Ballet Company perform Tchaikovsky's classic ballet Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township.

Inspired by the dazzling melodies of famed Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the Macomb Ballet Company is once again bringing the enchanting tale of The Nutcracker to audiences at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Set at Christmas and encompassing all the magic of this season, The Nutcracker ballet has become a holiday standard around the world and a rite of passage for many of the aspiring dancers of the Macomb Ballet Company (MBC), a pre-professional group in Macomb County. Even as she prepares to dance the coveted role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, MBC member Sarah Bicknell remembers her first production of The Nutcracker. “I was 11 or 12 and was a soldier and an angel,” the Sterling Heights resident said. “It was just in …

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Ballet Troupe's 'Wizard of Oz' Brings Magic, Munchkins, Monkeys to Macomb Center

The Macomb Ballet Company presents "The Wizard of Oz" in four performances Friday and Saturday at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township.

Just call M-59 the Yellow Brick Road and follow it this weekend to the Macomb Ballet Company’s production of The Wizard of Oz at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Although the ballet is based on L. Frank Baum’s original children’s novel and will use a classical score rather than the famed movie soundtrack, MBC Artistic Director Amber Megna-Michalik promises that her company’s production will be every bit as magical as the iconic 1939 film. “This show will appeal to all ages,” Megna-Michalik said. “This is a well-known and well-loved story with a classical ballet twist. The costumes, props and sets are unbelievable and rival any Broadway production. Our volunteers have spent countless hours working on all of the small details that …

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Around Town

It's a Love Story Ballet on a Local Stage, and it's for the Whole Family

The Michigan Ballet Theatre presents four performances of 'Coppelia' at Avondale High School this weekend.

Here's something Cinderella never let slip: Creating a fairytale is hard work. It's an effort that involves hundreds of people and countless hours of rehearsal but in the end it's worth it, according to Cornelia Sampson, artistic/executive director of Michigan Ballet Theatre. "This is my passion," Sampson said, "And my dancers are my pride and joy. They are so dedicated that they inspire me." This weekend Sampson's company will bring the classic Coppelia to life with four performances at Avondale High School Performing Arts Center.  Sampson selected Coppelia for one simple reason: "It's a fun story!" The last ballet to come out of the Romantic Period, Coppelia has it all. "It's a love story with a little mystery and it's comical. It …

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Macomb Ballet Company Seeks Skilled Slippers for New Season

Summer auditions for the Macomb Ballet Company will be held Saturday, Aug. 13 and Wednesday, Aug. 31. There is no residency requirement for membership, although some formal training is required.

There are dance recitals, and then there is the Macomb Ballet Company. Founded by Ann Parsley in 1983, the MBC is a pre-professional group developed to allow serious ballet students between the ages of 8 and 25 to perform full-length ballets on stage. “It’s not competitive. It’s just to perform,” said Lori Henderson, president of the MBC board of directors. “It is a big commitment, because you have to show up for all your rehearsals. They expect professional ballet and that is what’s put on.” Two full-length ballets are performed each year, with performances of  The Nutcracker every December, and classical ballets such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Coppélia that take the stage in the spring. Open auditions for the company are held …

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