A New Nutcracker Tradition:

Sharing the Magic with 600 Children

With its inaugural public performance scheduled to launch on December 17th, the Indiana Ballet Conservatory (IBC) hopes to establish a new holiday tradition in Central Indiana. In collaboration with the Madame Walker Theatre, IBC plans to gift an entire performance from its Nutcracker production annually to local children who most need its messages of hope, courage and compassion, and who might not otherwise have an opportunity to attend.
 
This year six hundred tickets to the event will be distributed through the The Children’s Bureau, Child Advocates, Concord Center Neighborhood Association, D.R.E.A.M. Alive, Inc., Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc.,  Gary Brackett’s IMPACT Foundation, U.S. Dream Academy,  Wheeler Mission Ministries, and various local church youth departments.

"What a wonderful holiday gift for the children who attend our Kids Café sites,” said Cindy Hubert, President and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank. “These children, from low-income areas of the city, wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford this incredible experience. We are grateful to the Indiana Ballet Conservatory for their generosity."

Some of the children receiving these tickets, including those served by Gary Brackett’s IMPACT Foundation, are currently battling life-threatening illnesses. “Any time that we can provide critically-ill children and their families an escape from their treatments and time together, it’s a great thing,” stated Brackett, linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts.  “We are excited to partner with IBC in an effort to bring families together during the holiday season and spread the positive message that The Nutcracker brings to children.”

IBC’s Executive Director, Camille Nicodemus, believes that this performance represents the goals that the Conservatory has set for itself, “IBC’s trifold mission is to offer excellence in dance education, professional quality performances throughout the community, and to unearth talent and share opportunities to participate in dance no matter what obstacles people might face.  We see this as a small but significant first step in realizing all our goals, and are thrilled to be able to do this.”

For Artistic Director, Alyona Yakovleva, this particular version of Nutcracker could not be more suited to the task, “Whether this is your very first time seeing this production, or if you have seen it many times before, this is a Nutcracker that touches the heart, and shows how transforming kindness and courage can be. Everyone is important, everyone has some magic inside them – you just sometimes have to make the decision to look for it and never give up, no matter how scared you might feel.”

The students, professional dancers and guest artists of IBC will bring to life Vainonen’s original version of The Nutcracker on December 17^th through 19^th with four performances at the Madame Walker Theatre in downtown Indianapolis. To purchase tickets and find more information visit http://indianaballetconservatory.org or call 1-866-398-4NUT.

Since 2007, Gary Brackett’s IMPACT Foundation has impacted the lives of over 26,000 Indiana residents, including children and their families and raised over $300,000.  Proceeds from this event will directly benefit children in need in the state of Indiana.  For more information on Gary Brackett’s IMPACT Foundation, please visit www.GaryBrackett.org.