A Nutcracker to Remember in ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ
A community–college partnership brings professional ballet and local young dancers together on one ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ stage
At the end of November, the College, ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ School of Music, and the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ Area Arts Council worked together to bring the Ballet Des Moines’ professional production of The Nutcracker to ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ. Notably, this performance also brought together 30 ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ area young dancers to collaborate with the professional ballerinas. Leading up to the performance, the Des Moines Ballet collaborated with these students to gracefully integrate them into the production.
¹û¶³ÊÓƵ College’s Director of Community and Government Relations, Sarah Smith, said, “This performance was a beautiful example of what can happen when our community comes together around the arts. Seeing local students share the stage with Ballet Des Moines’ professionals was not only inspiring — it showed what meaningful collaboration can make possible in ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ. We’re proud to help create these opportunities and look forward to supporting more partnerships that bring joy, creativity, and connection to our community.â€
The performance took place in the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ High School auditorium with attendance reaching record numbers for performing arts in the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ area. Over 800 individuals purchased tickets and filled the auditorium with their support for the arts and the local community.
Judy Hunter, a community member who was part of a group of citizens who worked on design of the auditorium, shared. “This was exactly the kind of event we dreamed of when we built the ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ High School auditorium. Seeing professional dancers perform alongside our local students in a classic ballet right here in our community was truly inspiring. I can’t imagine the amount of work required to bring a production of this caliber to ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ. The performance was wonderful, and the exceptional team that made it possible deserves our deepest thanks.â€
As Hunter acknowledges, this collaboration highlights the impact of strong community partnerships while also affirming the value of the arts in the town of ¹û¶³ÊÓƵ. The College is grateful to have been a part of this effort and enthusiastic about the potential of future collaborations in our community.
