Molly Walker - CRR Staff

The community of Valdez ushered in the holiday season on Saturday, December 10 with an evening of theater, music, and dance. The Valdez Arts Council and Valdez Dance Company partnered to showcase the incredible shining talent within the Valdez community.

The first half of the evening included a variety of acts ranging from monologues to tap dancing. Students in Ms. Gianna’s Theatre Arts Class kicked off the evening with a performance of holiday-themed monologues. Complete with elves, the Grinch, and Santa Claus, each student’s act captured the joy and laughter of the holiday season.

Next, local piano teacher and artist Sarah Cochran performed the traditional Christmas carol “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Cochran beautifully sang the carol while accompanying herself on the piano. Cochran returned later in the evening for a duet with Blythe Dittman singing the classic Christmas tune “Silver Bells.”

Tap dancer Marica Lynn has been a fixture of the Valdez performance community for years. This year, she performed a rousing dance to an instrumental rendition of “Winter Wonderland,” which was met with strong applause and shouts of approval from the audience.

Violinist Larissa Williams and clarinetist Heather Wadsworth, accompanied on the piano, performed “Were You There on That Christmas Night?” The notes of the instruments expertly wove together to create a beautiful melody onstage.

The first half of the evening culminated with the classic “Hallelujah Chorus,” performed by the Valdez Community Chorus and Orchestra. After the conclusion of the “Hallelujah Chorus,” director Ann Norris encouraged everyone in the audience to get on their feet and join in the singing of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Singing together as a community was a heartwarming conclusion to the first half of the Valdez Community Christmas Show.

Following a brief intermission for cookies and a set change, the Valdez Dance Company kicked off the second act of the evening with a performance of The Nutcracker. Under the direction of Alyssa Graves, the dancers of the Valdez Dance Company brought the classic Tchaikovsky ballet to life.

“Our Company and ballet dancers along with parents rehearsed over 40 hours in two months to bring you this production, which Miss Alyssa directed and danced in as the Sugar Plum Fairy. We look forward to bringing it back year after year,” said Tracy Gilson, Valdez Dance Company director.

With the orchestral music of Tchaikovsky and the exquisite skill of the Valdez Dance Company members, The Nutcracker shines onstage as a beautiful homage to the holiday season. The ballet begins with a Christmas party and a toymaker named Drosselmeyer gifting Clara a nutcracker. The nutcracker is accidentally broken and Clara goes to bed. Suddenly, Clara is transported to a magical world where a mouse is king, the Sugar Plum Fairy rules, and the Nutcracker becomes a human companion.

Each and every company member dazzled on stage with bright, shimmering costumes and palpable, animated energy. Just as Clara was magically transported to the world of the Nutcracker, so was the audience by the vibrant music and movement of the dancers.

“There’s so many pieces and parts to put a wonderful show together and you’ve brought so much joy to this town,” said Valdez Arts Council president Mo Radotitch to Gilson, at the close of the performances.

What a joyful night in Valdez, indeed.

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