Ballet Frontier of Texas bills itself as a training ground for young dancers that gives them the chance to participate in auditions, rehearsals and theatrical performances alongside top professionals. You can judge for yourself and capture a memorable holiday experience when the company performs The Nutcracker Nov. 16-17 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, 3401 W. Lancaster Ave.
"The Nutcracker presented by Ballet Frontier of Texas follows the traditional classical story," Artistic Advisor Enrica Tseng told us. "[The] lavish production includes about 100 performers and 200 costumes." The choreography is by Chung-Lin Tseng and Roy Tobias. "The guest artists in our production are from Texas Ballet Theater and other local principal dancers," she said. "It is quite amazing the amount of work that goes into this production and how much all our younger dancers grow during the rehearsal process."
Artistic Director Chung-Lin Tseng is from Taiwan and began his career as a figure skater before studying classical ballet at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. He joined Texas Ballet Theater in 1998 and, under the direction of Ben Stevenson, danced classical roles as a principal, including the Sugar Plum Fairy's Cavalier in The Nutcracker. He has created original works for Ballet Frontier since founding the company. Tseng has served as a Visiting-Artist-In-Residence at Southern Methodist University and taught as an adjunct faculty member at Texas Christian University's Department of Ballet and Modern Dance.
Enrica Tseng, artistic advisor to the company, trained in classical ballet in Italy and joined Texas Ballet Theater also in 1998. She has been featured in all the principal roles of the company repertoire. In 2006, she received a special award as a "Distinguished Italian Artist in the World" from the jury of the LericiPea in Italy. She retired from the stage in 2008. She and her husband formed the Ballet Center of Fort Worth in 2005.
The ballet is based on a storybook called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written by E.T.A. Hoffman. Legendary Russian chorographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for a ballet first performed in 1892.
Performances are Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets: $20/general-$30/reserved. For more information: balletfrontier.org. 817.852.6887. - Paul K. Harral
