Central Park Dance will return to The Capitol Theatre with their annual production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Sunday, December 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. With more than 100 students from the school, professional dancers and young dancers from the surrounding communities, audiences have two chances to enjoy this timeless tale featuring American Ballet Theatre Soloist Luciana Paris, and corps de ballet dancer and the director of the ABT Incubator, Jose Sebastian.

In celebrating a legacy that has spanned across more than four decades, Central Park Dance has made its mark on the Westchester dance community as a producer of original ballets that invite their expansive disciplines and levels to participate. Dancers of all ages will make up their large ensemble of performers, spanning from the littlest mouse to the blizzard of snowflakes, and will bring this iconic story to life on a stage that has been coined Westchester’s Premiere Rock Palace. This year, the production will welcome back American Ballet Theatre soloist Luciana Paris to dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, along with her Cavalier Jose Sebastian, who is currently a member of American Ballet Theatre’s corps de ballet as well as the director of ABT’s Incubator program.

“In our more than 40 years in Westchester, we have watched several generations of students dance through our doors,” explains Maria Bai and Mario La Strada, founder and directors of Central Park Dance Studio. “We have made it our mission to offer students a well-rounded dance education that includes not only time in the studio, but opportunities to interact with and perform for our community. We are overwhelmed by the support we have received around our sold-out productions over the last 6 years, and we are so lucky to be able to expand the opportunity to more students and more families each year.”

Central Park Dance’s The Nutcracker is directed by Patricia Arenson, in collaboration with Artistic Director Maria Bai. 

TICKETS and PERFORMANCE TIMES

The Nutcracker performances will take place on Sunday, December 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Tickets are $45, $35 and $25 and available at https://www.thecapitoltheatre.com

VENUE INFORMATION

The Capitol Theater is located at 149 Westchester Avenue in Portchester and is accessible by the Metro North New Haven Line to Port Chester. There is limited street parking, and parking in all Capitol Theatre lots is permitted until 1 hour after the performance ends. 

ABOUT CENTRAL PARK DANCE

One of the longest running and most respected dance studios in Westchester for 40 years, Central Park Dance offers classic and progressive styles of dance and fitness for both adults and children. With over 200 classes per week and 4 state-of- the-art studios, classes in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Heels and Belly Dancing are offered seven days a week. In addition to dance, a comprehensive fitness schedule offers a full menu of classes in a range of levels. Central Park Dance is also home to the Signature and Remixx performance companies as well as the Ballet Academy, which provides the aspiring dancer with pre-professional training, performance opportunities and mentorships.

ABOUT THE CAPITOL THEATRE 

Designed by celebrated architect Thomas Lamb in 1926 and listed in The National Register of Historic Places, The Capitol Theatre is located 30 miles from NYC, accessible via I-95 and the Port Chester Metro-North train station. The 2,000-capacity theater, known as “the original rock palace,” showcased legends such as Traffic, the Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. Jerry Garcia called it one of his two favorite venues in the USA. In 2012, The Capitol Theatre underwent a major renovation under the guidance of music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro. Since then, it has hosted major performers including Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Skrillex, Bonnie Raitt, Snoop Dogg, Kacey Musgraves, The Strokes, Tom Petty, Cyndi Lauper, and Willie Nelson, as well as comedians like Kevin Hart and Amy Schumer. The New York Times raves: “A rock theater that looks and sounds as good as the Capitol is something to celebrate."

The Capitol’s inner-sanctum bar and music club, Garcia’s, was named for Jerry Garcia in partnership with his family. A venue of its own, Garcia’s showcases local artists and nationally touring acts across the musical spectrum.

THE CAPITOL THEATRE ON THE WEB 

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