Anaheim Ballet The Nutcracker

with Symphony Irvine November 24-25, 2023

November 24, 2023, 7 p.m. &  November 25, 2023, 2 & 7 p.m.

The City National Grove of Anaheim
2200 E. Katella
Anaheim, CA
$27-65, anaheimballet.org

california nutcracker

Anaheim Ballet presents Nutcracker Ballet annually at several venues throughout Southern California. This festival celebration of Christmas is cherished as a holiday "must see" for many adults who seek to rekindle the fantasy, and share that joy with children.

Fantasy stage sets with candy canes, girls in frilly dresses, beautiful ballerinas and marching nutcracker soldiers who come to life are all part of this classical ballet wrapped around the Christmas holiday. Performed by Anaheim Ballet each year, one of the regional premier dance academies continues the tradition annually with its beloved production filled with colorful costumes, unique staging, choreography and a cast of top notch dancers, many who enter the professional dance arena.

Directors Lawrence Rosenberg & Sarma Lapenieks Rosenberg

Lawrence Rosenberg -  began his training in Hollywood and Beverly Hills with Eugene Loring and with Tatiana Riabouchinska Lichine and continued his studies in New York with American Ballet Theatre. He taught classes at  the Lichine Ballet Academy, and he and wife/partner Sarma Lapenieks Rosenberg both worked with Leslie Caron, Cyd Charisse and Joanne Woodward and has coached and/or taught Anne Bancroft for the Herhert Ross classic dance film, Turning Point. Lawrence has also provided instruction and assistance to Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks, Rita Moreno, Ann-Margret, Doris Day, Bernadette Peters, Raquel Welch, Ruth Buzzi, Peggy Flemming, Sandy Duncan, Edward Villella, Teri Garr, Glen Campbell and Lucille Ball for their career performances. Rosenberg worked with Franco Zefirelli on Jesus of Nazareth, Mel Brooks on Silent Movie and performed with Baryshnikov on Baryshnikov in Hollywood.  In addition to teaching at University of California at Irvine and Cal State Fullerton, he's been a professor at Chapman University, is a sought after master teacher, has coached Olympic athletes and teaches for dance conventions instructing instructors.

Sarma Lapenieks Rosenberg - began dance training with Eugene Loring in Hollywood, Tatiana Riahouchinska Lichine in Beverly Hills, American Ballet Theatre and New York School of Ballet in New York and with Franchetti from the Paris Opera Ballet in Paris. After being accepted to the Houston Ballet at the age of 16, Sarma maintained both a teaching and performing career at the same time.  She began teaching at the Lichine Ballet Academy where she taught classes with such renowned personalities present as Leslie Caron, Cyd Charisse and Joanne Woodward. Sarma assisted Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Ballerina Tatiana Riahouchinska Lichine and has staged the David Lichine ballet, Graduation Ball, for such companies as Pennsylvania Ballet and Jackson Ballet among others. The Riga Ballet of Latvia, the third largest ballet company of the former Soviet Union, has selected several of Sarma's works for their repertory. The Soroptimist Woman of Distinction recipient.

For those who love arts, entertainment and culture in Anaheim, be sure to visit the Anaheim summer concerts, annual Greek Festival, Oktoberfest in September and October and Halloween.  There's also a delightful winter  community tree lighting ceremony.