Nutcracker 2006

City Youth Ballet of Johnson City will present “The Nutcracker” Dec. 8-9 at 7:30 p.m. at Veterans Affairs Memorial Theater, Mountain Home.With its dancing snow-flakes, mysterious godfather, elaborate costumes and Peter Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, the performance proves every year to be a favorite for children and adults.

This year’s performance features Jonathan Bungard, an international ballroom dancing champion, as its Nutcracker. Some 50 local dancers, trained at the Johnson City Ballet Company, make up the colorful cast.

The role of the young Clara is shared by Julie Dunbar and Taylor Vanders, members of CYB’s Junior Company. Grown-up Clara is portrayed by senior dancers Gwynn Root, who studied as a scholarship student at the Princeton Dance Theatre in New Jersey and at the American Ballet Theatre, and Anita Ostrovsky, who has studied at the Saratoga Ballet Intensive in New York and The Rock School in Philadelphia.

Bungard, who portrays the Nutcracker, majored in dance at Point Park College in Pittsburgh. He has performed with the Southwest Ballet in Pittsburgh and the Buffalo City (N.Y.) Ballet. He resides in Charlotte, N.C., where he competes and performs as a ballroom dancer.

Bungard’s artistry as a dancer will be featured in a newly choreographed battle scene between the Nutcracker and his loyal toy soldiers, and a wretched Mouse King aided by a band of fierce mice.

As the battle begins in the living room of Clara’s opulent home, the Christmas tree growsfrom 10 feet to a magnificent 40 feet. As swords and toy guns swing into action, Clara is frightened for her Nutcracker and becomes the heroine of the battle as she fells the Mouse King with the throw of her slipper.

The performance is under the direction of Susan Pace-White and Traci Honeycutt, CYB’s artistic directors. This year marks their 27th production of “The Nutcracker.”