Palisades Residents Mila Bakhshandehpour, Clara Ditter, Valentina Finci, Izzy Heidt, Inès Macpherson, Imogen Marble, Carlin McCaffrey, Zoe Nakamura, Laurel O’Donnell, Addison Russell, Kaia Sappington, and Olivia Yu will perform in Westside Ballet’s 51st annual Nutcracker.
Photo: SARAH MADISON PHOTOGRAPHY
This year the Westside Ballet production of the Nutcracker will feature New York City Ballet Principals Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia. Westside Ballet alumna Tiler Peck is the Sugar Plum Fairy and is joined by fellow NYCB principal Roman Mejia as her Cavalier.
The pairing offers an extraordinary display of talent, echoing the spirit of legendary productions at New York City Ballet. As the magic unfolds on stage, Peck and Mejia’s dynamic artistry promises to make this Nutcracker truly unforgettable. Shows will be Sunday, November 30, Sunday, December 1, Friday, December 6, and Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8.
Also, dancing are 12 students who live or attend school in Pacific Palisades and include: fourth grader Imogen Marble, who attends St. Matthews, and Palisades Elementary fifth grader Zoe Nakumura. Both have roles as Polichinelle and a Red Soldier. Marble said one of her favorite parts of the rehearsal process is “I get to spend so much time with friends.”
Ines Macpherson from Crossroads, will be a party boy and a mouse. And fifth grader Carlin McCaffrey of Curtis School will dance as a side angel. She has been with WSB, since she was seven years old.
In addition to dancing, McCaffrey likes fashion designing/sewing, playing the Ukele and writing for her school newspaper. “It’s special to dance at Westside, it makes me feel like I have another home with our dance family,” McCaffrey said. “The teachers all take it seriously, yet know we are still children and help us with baby steps get to where we need to be.”
In duo roles as Crystal Bell and Party Girls are Clara Ditter and Valentina Finci (Revere Middle School) and Izzy Heidt (St. Matthews). Finci said that dancing is important to her because “I learned to practice something until you can understand and learn from it.
“Dancing in the Nutcracker is a special experience because I love performing for audiences and learning the dances,” said Finci, who is in sixth grade and has been dancing three years at the Westside.
Last year she shared the stage with professional dancer Peck and was asked about that experience. “It was the most incredible experience to be able to take the stage with an amazing dancer and inspiration to everyone,” Finci said. “Her dance included things I aspire to able to do and made me think of when I would hopefully be dancing in the Nutcracker as an esteemed professional like her.”
Revere sixth grader Laurel O’Donnell will be a Crystal Bell and a Side Angel. She has been dancing at Westside Ballet since she was seven years old. “I enjoy spending time with my friends and learning new choreography,” O’Donnell said. “I like performing for an audience and dancing with a live orchestra.” When not dancing, she swims, plays piano, does art and gymnastics, enjoys reading, crafting and sewing.”
Kaia Sappington, who attends St. Martin of Tours, will dance as a Polichinelle and Snow Fairy.
Addison Russel (John Thomas Dye) will dance Side Chinese, as will Olivia Yu (Harvard Westlake).
Mila Bakhshandehpour, 16, will have a solo role as Center Chinese. She will also be part of the Waltz of the Flowers Corps. This dancer is unusual because she started studying ballet when she was 13.
She was also featured in Westside’s Spring Performance last spring in the principal pas de deux in Fête de Carnivale, Classical Symphony’s 3rd movement, a SMC contemporary piece Murmurations, and the jazz piece Dancing through the Ages.
This past summer, Mila received training in selective programs such as the Royal Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet School and Ballet West Academy.
“I am interested in pursuing ballet and dancing professionally or via a collegiate ballet program,” Mila said. “Dance has become such a pivotal part of my life, and I can’t really see a future without it.
“Ballet has truly helped me grow and develop into the person I am today and learn so much more about myself, my ability to persevere, grow, and improve both as a person and a dancer,” Mila said. “It would genuinely be such a dream come true for me to dance professionally in a company, but I am just excited to see what will come as I can envision myself following numerous paths in the future.”
The Nutcracker will be held at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased online at westsideballet.com/NutTix
Show Dates and Times:
Saturday, November 30: 1 pm and 5 pm*
Sunday, December 1: 1 pm and 5 pm*
Friday, December 6: 7 pm
Saturday, December 7: 1 pm and 5 pm*
Sunday, December 8: 1 pm and 5 pm*
(*Dance professionals, who are also New York City Ballet Principals, Tiler Peck & Roman Mejia will performing.)
Palisadian Mila Bakhshandehpour has a solo in this year’s Photo: ANNE SLATTERY