Culver City dancer leads Westside Ballet in 'The Nutcracker'

Culver City resident Maya Zeevi with Zane Tahvildaran-Jesswein performing in lead roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier at Westside Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker Suite’ free educational performance at The Broad Stage, December 2019. Zeevi will reprise her role as Sugar Plum Fairy in her fifth and final Nutcracker performance. (Todd Lechtick)For 47 consecutive years, Southern California’s longest running production of The Nutcracker has delighted audiences of all ages. This year in the age of COVID — with renewed determination, grace, and grit — Westside Ballet of Santa Monica will bring to life selected pieces from Tchaikovsky’s beloved score for all to enjoy, albeit in different ways — virtually and outdoors.To benefit Westside Ballet’s Crisis Relief Fund, on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, the pre-professional ballet company plans to release archival Nutcracker footage from past productions, as well as previously recorded dress rehearsals of selected solo roles performed by six high school seniors — which were filmed in an open aired ‘Black Box’ while the dancers were wearing masks and observing all COVID safety protocols. Westside Ballet’s 2020 Nutcracker abbreviated production of “Kingdom of the Sweets” will later be showcased on Vimeo after being pre-recorded at the Broad Stage to an empty theater,…
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