The Allen Civic Ballet is excited to announce that tickets for their 2024 Nutcracker performances are now on sale through the Allen Performing Arts Center box office. Performances are Saturday, December 7th at 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 8th at 2:00 pm at the Allen High school Performing Arts Center 300 Rivercrest Blvd, Allen, TX 75002. Allen Civic Ballet’s Nutcracker is one of only a handful of local productions performed to live music. Orchestral accompaniment is provided by the Allen Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and together with phenomenal guest artists, sparkling costumes and colorful scenery, Allen Civic Ballet’s Nutcracker is a production guaranteed to enthrall children, parents and grandparents alike.
We are proud to announce that local Allenite Stephanie Rae Williams will be returning as our guest artist, courtesy of the Dance Theater of Harlem, dancing as Sugar Plum Fairy. She will be partnering with Joshuan Vazquez appearing courtesy of New Jersey Ballet.
Stephanie Rae Williams is proud to be dancing in her hometown of Allen, Texas! She began her training at Texas Ballet Theater School with Lyndette Galen and Fiona Fairrie. Prior to joining Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2010, she has danced with The Francesca Harper Project, ARC Dance Seattle, Complexions Contemporary Dance Company, Ballet Black, and Texas Ballet Theatre, where she made her professional debut. Repertoire includes works by Pam Tanowitz, Nacho Duato, Jose Limon, Helen Pickett, Arthur Mitchell, Donald Byrd, George Balanchine, John Alleyne, Dianne McIntyre, Darrel Grand Moultrie, Francesca Harper, Liam Scarlett, Robert Garland, and David Fernandez. She trained summers at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Springboard Danse Montreal, The Juilliard School, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, and Houston Ballet Academy. Ms. Williams received the 2017 Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence, was featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” in the August 2013 edition, and she was a Oprah Winfrey Fellowship recipient at the Ailey School, a 2006 National Foundation for the Arts Award Winner, a 2006 Youth America Grand Prix Finalist, and a 2004 Texas Commission on the Arts Young Master.
Joshuan Vázquez began his dance training in his hometown of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. At the age of eleven, he received a scholarship to continue his training with Western Ballet Theater, Ballet Escenario, and EMBAE for six years. In 2018, Mr. Vázquez joined the Ballet de Camara de Madrid where he had been featured in many principal and soloist roles. In 2020, he was a top award winner for his Classical Variation, Contemporary Solo, and “Best” Pas de Deux at Dance Open America’s International Competition. In 2022, Mr. Vázquez joined New Jersey Ballet Company and became a graduate of Classical Dance Pedagogy (Cuban Technique) at the Alicia Alonso Dance Institute, Rey Juan Carlos II University (URJC) in Madrid. Since joining New Jersey Ballet, Mr. Vázquez, has performed leading roles including Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain and This Bitter Earth, Jerome Robbins Fancy Free, George Balanchine’s Who Cares? & Concerto Barroco, Lauren’s Lovette Jewel Box and Peter Martin’s Hallelujah Junction. He has had featured roles in the Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, Once Upon a time and Don Quixote. In addition, he has performed in festivals such as Festival de la Danza 2019 (San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain), Festival del Movimiento 2020 & 2021 (San Juan, Puerto Rico), and Asbury Park Dance Festival 2023 (Asbury Park, New Jersey).
