JUST DESSERTS

• Directors | Shauna Steele and Dierdre Carberry
• Choreographers | Thomas Bell, Shauna Steele, Deirdre Carberry and Hee Ra Yoo
• Scenic Designer | Ben Wright*
• Lighting Designer | Charlie Raschke*
• Dance Costume Coordinator and Designer| Erin Donnelly 
• Dance Costume Shop Assistant| Jayna Fry
• Sound Designer |Lacey Vailikit*
• Production Stage Manager | Ali Fishbain*
• Technical Director| Evan Reinhart*

*CCM Student

Estimated run time: 90 minutes, including a 15 minute-intermission

This year launches into a two-year plan towards creating a Nutcracker ballet. Not ‘the’ or ‘A’ but CCM ballet’s Nutcracker with a rotating twist.  This includes new and original set, lighting, scene, costume, and prop design. While we will fully realize choreography and design when next we stage our Nutcracker, you might notice a few bits of whimsy and connection.  Our Nutcracker prince proudly wears our Bearcat colors! Yes, I know…that one isn’t a big stretch so to have your aaahhh moment you’ll have to join us next time we stage it…you might notice that our Reigning Rat might just bear a passing color match to one of our rival schools…maybe. It is also designed to be a monarch of the rats with gender, styling, and strengths based on who is cast in the role.  Again, yes not a big stretch for those that know the original recipe for the Nutcracker.  Those in the know…know that the original story had a rat queen and a rat prince which in later years was just folded into ‘Rat King.’ 

Where did it all begin for us?  A few years ago, we decided to start building towards not only a fully realized Nutcracker but several other fully realized choreographed, designed, and built ballets that would be ours but also rental packages when we were not using them. Rental monies would then roll over into upkeep, maintenance, more designs, and creative ways to imagine several ballets but specifically, The Nutcracker. We have or are working on our Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Giselle, and (most recently in Spring 2025) our Coppelia! As we thought about who we are and how we both want to honor tradition but look towards our future I thought…What if we had two versions? One in a traditional yet appropriate style and presentation and one with a bit of contemporary flare but still playing with the classical approach…Where would we start? And why there? How could where we start be a flex point for two different, as yet unrealized versions?  Of course! Waltz of the Flowers! A few years ago, in meetings with one of our costume design faculty we decided on ‘An English Garden.’ The colors would be strong yet gradient, suiting many skin tones and choreographic choices and approaches. To me an English garden shows structure, stateliness, wildness and on the verge of erupting chaos. This suits the overall story of the Nutcracker…did Clara really observe a magical moment and visit a wonderland of sweet treats and Just Desserts? Or was it just a whimsical dream brought about by to many sweets and the excitement and exhaustion of attending a ‘grown up’ soiree? The first version we presented was a standalone work presented within our larger Dance Works concert that fall and created by an alumni of our program, Rae Vrbancic. 

This year we have new choreography for all of the sweet treats of act II by Deirdre Carberry and by our new faculty member Hee Ra Yoo, an original revisioning of Waltz of the Snowflakes. And since we were not doing the full Nutcracker, two new works by faculty members Thomas Bell and myself. Thomas’ piece, Respighi Transitions, and my work, every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. This work started as a thought on what is strength and why and how is it sometimes potential and unrealized. What is its energy, its métier or vigor, its characteristic or joie de verve? Was it feminine? Something else,… or something much more kinetic and ordered chaos?  To me, that is our Autumnal fall season. It looks, sounds and feels like mass chaos yet there is an order to it, a comfort of loud, messy, organized, and enduring effervescent energy. The sound of nature’s pure fall is so layered, loud, and ever changing. It’s a entire concert orchestra that plays out for us every year in our own backyards!

As I consider who we are and where we want to go; I, along with Hee Ra and three students are jetting our way through a 15.5-hour flight (yes, you read that right), currently somewhere over Northwestern Canada on our way to Seoul, South Korea. There we will present an original work by Hee Ra at a festival, teach several master classes, collaborate on choreography with potential partner schools, and present our individual research at a conference on change. So, this is where we want to go! Everywhere and Nowhere at all levels and directions…creating pathways with elements of choose your adventure! Space to tell your story and let that story re-scape the landscape of dance. 

So, while this marks our second season concert, our season has many elements. We began with the Student Choreographers Showcase which, mentored by dance faculty,  featured 8 current dance majors, sharing their choreographic truths. We then quickly pivoted to finishing the preparation and work for both our trip to Korea and our fall concert (this concert of course!) Just Desserts! Selections from the Nutcracker and New Faculty Works. From here we start preparing for our spring and summer season works. These include both in-progress opportunities and confirmed ones. The next on campus concert will be DanceWorks in 2026, and our Festival Fringe Sneak Peak in April for those that can’t go all the way to Scotland with us this summer!

And now we come to the pitch point…if you would like to directly support any and all dancers being able to participate in all opportunities we encourage you to make a donation of any size and pass the link along to individuals, groups, organizations, businesses and corporations who might like to make a donation in support of educational artistic opportunities for students. The UC Foundation has been a big help in setting us up for a ‘crowd sourcing’ site. The link for dance will be available soon. There you can see images, videos and testimonials on the opportunity and value as the students see it.  Any monies this year will help with all of our off campus and on-campus endeavors. Not every experience has to be on-stage but its so amazing when it’s a choice!  This year donations help defray student specific costs for presenting and performing at the SBC Festival in Seoul, South Korea, The Ballet Alliance Festival in Reno, Nevada, the American College Dance Association regional festival, The Lets Dance International Festival in Leicester, England, and the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. In future years its our hope that this faithful support can assist students wanting to explore a junior year study abroad experience or a senior year co-operative internship placement.

And as Clara wakes from her evening sleep wondering if it was dream or reality know that we already appreciate the support you are already providing by being our audience and letting us dream in reality.

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Join or renew your CCMpower member today to help provide critical scholarship funds. Visit foundation.uc.edu/ccmpower to learn more.