“Christmas FANTASTIQUE” will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Lewis Auditorium, 14 Granada St., St. Augustine. The original production by Zoika’s Dance tells the classic holiday story of “The Nutcracker” through the language of dance, featuring classical ballet, as well as contemporary dance genres including tap, hip hop, jazz, contemporary and acro dance.
Professional dancers, actors, magicians and vocalists join young, local dancers on stage for the holiday extravaganza. Tickets range from $23 to $38 and may be purchased online at www.zoikasdance.com.
“Christmas FANTASTIQUE” invites audiences to share in young Clara’s Christmas Eve dream, as her Christmas tree grows tall, her toys come to life and she travels with a young prince to the Land of Sweets.
To create this magic, director Zoika Garcia has assembled a cast of 90 performers, including professional dancers who will bring their mastery and fireworks to the stage.
Snow Queen and Snow King will be danced by Claudia Mueckay and Jake Karger of St. Augustine. Arabian will be performed by acro dance performers Julia Boyd and John Boyd, owners of AcroFit of Jacksonville. Jenne Vermes and Sean Mansfield of Noise Complaint Tap Dance Theatre will dance the roles of Russian lead and Rat King, respectively. Clara’s grandmother and grandfather will be danced by Claudia Ruby of Ruby Dance Center of Tampa and Hector Figueroa, formerly of National Ballet of Cuba. Uncle Drosselmeyer will be performed by magician, Bret Blackshear. And young Clara, the story’s protagonist, will be danced by 9-year-old dancer Zoey Halcrow.
Adding to the festive spirits, classical vocalist Raquel Rubi will perform carols, and harpist Kathleen Blackshear will entertain audiences before the show. Sign language interpreter Amanda Villalobos will provide signing.
Garcia and the cast are also looking forward to sharing the magic of “Christmas FANTASTIQUE” with local children served by St. Johns County nonprofit organizations including St. Augustine Youth Services, the Betty Griffin House and Fostering Connections. Thanks to the support of community sponsors, Zoika’s Dance will provide complimentary tickets for these children to experience the holiday magic.
“Sharing dance with the community gives us so much joy,” Garcia explained. “And sharing this holiday experience with children who might not otherwise be able to attend makes it so much sweeter.”
Sponsorship and marketing opportunities are available to support the production and its community outreach. For more information on becoming a sponsor, go to www.zoikasdance.com/sponsors.
Zoika’s Dance is a comprehensive dance school in St. Augustine that offers beginner to advanced classes in dance, as well as performance opportunities. To learn more, go to www.zoikasdance.com.
