Message from the Executive Director

Welcome

Dear Friends and Family, The tradition of The Nutcracker dates back to 1892, some 130 years ago! Since that time, many adaptations and interpretations of the ballet have come to the stage. Here at Texas Ballet Theater (TBT), we present Artistic Director Laureate Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.’s iconic and witty production. Ben’s choreography is punctuated by our dancers’ evocative acting skills and exuberant gestures which conspire to lure you into the magic of Clara’s dream. Yet The Nutcracker is much more than a dream. It is a time and a place to gather at the theater as a community to watch art bound off the stage into the lobby and down the aisles of the house. We see children pantomiming sword fights, vaulting into leaps, and hoisting each other up high. Pure joy. This is the hope we wish to inspire in all your hearts. We recognize The Nutcracker’s place in your personal tradition. We are grateful for being invited into your lives, and for the gifts you bring to us. This year we are delighted to see our talented students from our Fort Worth TBT School onstage again as the gleeful children, incorrigible rats, and enchanting angels. We love our young dancers! Some of these dancers will progress into professional dance careers while others will carry the benefits of their ballet training into other adventures. We value each and every child for their unique gifts! Part of TBT’s tradition is to share the joy of ballet with children in the community who otherwise would not have access. TBT’s CityDance program offers Metroplex children in 38 Title 1 schools a five-week introduction to ballet. Each student and a guardian is offered a ticket to attend The Nutcracker. In collaboration with Performing Arts Fort Worth’s Children’s Education Program, our Student Experiences program provides children a seat of their own in the audience for a special school-day performance of The Nutcracker. To help support these programs, we invite you to make a gift through our Winter Annual Appeal (texasballettheater.org/support). Your financial gift to TBT comes to life in the smiles of our students, the bows of our dancers, and the inspiration of our audiences. We hope you will make TBT part of your special memories in the New Year. Modern Masterpieces (Bartok, Image, and Imbue) opens at Bass Performance Hall March 17 for three performances, and Alice in Wonderland heralds in spring May 26-28. Whether you are building a new tradition or carrying on a long-standing tradition, we are honored to be part of your memories. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, healthy New Year! Sincerely,

Vanessa Logan Executive Director