JUST 4 KICKS’ NUTCRACKER AN UPLIFTING FANTASY TALE WITH A TAIL

REVIEW Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Mirlitons” and “Marche of the Toy Soldiers” are as familiar to holiday listeners come December as “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells.”

His Nutcracker ballet as beloved as many Christmas carols and hymns.

Take a bow. A well-deserved bow for the Just 4 Kicks Nutcracker cast who captured the audience this weekend with captivating performances.

Just for Kicks dancers brought the cherished fairy tale to the stage in two delightful performances this weekend at the Opera House.

The dancers who only the week before paraded past the front doors doing promotional “Booty Pops” and “Bust Downs” in the Santa Claus Parade, stepped up their game putting more finer pointes on their moves.

E.T.A. Hoffman’s amusing story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” features Clara Stahlbaum (Addy Clark) and her brother Fritzy (Harper Charland) who befriend a nutcracker (Ollie MacDonald) that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle against the evil Rat King (Maya Hamer).

The gorgeous, narrated rendition by Just 4 Kicks owners and choreographers Wendy Laidlaw and Taryn Lamouroux was a co-production with the Opera House.

A wonderful 45-minute fantasy — a fantasy tale with a tail.

From cartwheels to pirouettes Just 4 Kicks dancers performed at the top of their toes in a grafiying 45-minute show.

The large cast of boys and girls, men and women — winners of multiple awards — leaped out of a box, danced and pranced across the stage with stimulating ease and grace that everyone from the youngest to oldest in the theatre enjoyed immensely.

And now for a change. A thumping, heart-beating stomp with the “Candy Cane” dance that captured and captivated the full-house audience.

But also shook up the grand old lady with throbbing, heart-beating pounces and bounces in the seasonal and red and green “Candy Cane” scene.

But it was the “Dance of the Mirlitons” and “Marche of the Toy Soldiers” that captured the audience’s imagination with captivating cartwheels and pirouettes.

The “Marche of the Toy Soldiers” was one of the two most memorable numbers along with the “Dance of the Mirlitons.”

And unforgettably, hauntingly beautiful music that rivals so many lesser unparalled Hallmark tunes this time of the year.

It’s a show that looks destined to be holiday favourite on next December’s calendar.

The only thing missing were a few well-known “Canon Dolls.”

Clara Stahbaum (Addy Clark) and her brother “Fritzy” (Harper Charland) could only imagine what would happen Christmas Eve as they danced away the night.
Beautiful costumes, great dancers, amazing moves and moving music made the Nutcracker a two-show weekend hit at the Opera House in Gravenhurst.
The Opera House and Just 4 Kicks teamed up for show that is destined to be a holiday favourite come Christmas 2024.

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