Ballet Jörgen is performing The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition at the Capitol Centre this fall and organizers are looking for local youth to join the show. The audition date is Saturday, September 9th at the Capitol Centre at 150 Main Street East, North Bay.

Producers are looking for youth between the ages of 8 and 17, and dance training is required. Given the show, ballet training is an asset. Talent interested in auditioning must register beforehand for the opportunity, and auditions run from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

“It gives local dancers the opportunity to perform and work with a professional touring company,” said Casey Spector, who provides communications for Ballet Jörgen.

The production provides a uniquely Canadian twist to the classic tale of The Nutcracker. “This is a beautiful Canadian work,” the company explained, “and audiences are taken on Klara’s familiar, magical dream journey as she arrives in Canada and experiences winter landscapes filled with snowflakes, lumberjacks, Mounties, and creatures of the woods.”

The touring cast has been selected, but in each town, local talent is brought into the fold. It’s part of the Local Participant Program, and Spector noted that for the North Bay show, there are about 13 spots needing to be filled by local dancers.

Once registered, auditions take place on September 9th. There is no need to prepare a dance piece, and you don’t need to bring a portfolio to the audition. Wear the dance clothes normally worn at your local dance classes, organizers suggest, and once there, you will be asked to dance choreography that they will teach you.

If selected, dancers will be required to attend rehearsals, all within North Bay, and you must be able to perform at the big show on Wednesday, November 22, which takes place at the Capitol Centre.

For more information, visit Jörgen Dance’s website. Scroll down until you see the Local Participant section.

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BayToday.ca