December Dates Set for Dance Kids’ 25th Anniversary Full-Length 'Nutcracker: A Monterey Peninsula Tradition,’ Featur

1. December Dates Set for Dance Kids’ 25th Anniversary Full-Length 'Nutcracker: A Monterey Peninsula Tradition,’ Featuring 39-Member Symphony Orchestra, Children’s Choir, at Carmel’s Sunset Center Dance Kids of Monterey County, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, announced that its popular “Nutcracker: A Monterey PeninsulaTradition Carmel, CA, May 18, 2018 — Dance Kids of Monterey County, celebrating its 25th anniversarythis year, announced that its popular “Nutcracker: A Monterey Peninsula Tradition,” willbe performed Dec. 7-9 at the Sunset Center inCarmel. Once again, the annual ballet will feature the 39-member MontereyCounty Pops! symphony orchestra conducted by Dr. Carl Christensen. And, for the first time, the production will feature a children’s choir performingonstageduringActI’s“DanceoftheSnowflakes.” “We are so honored and excited to be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year,” says Dance Kids founderand artisticdirector,CarolRichmond.“It’ssohearteningtoknowthatthecommunitycontinues tosupportourmissiontostrengthencharacterand positivelyinfluencechildren’slivesthroughthe performingarts.We willcontinuetogrow and improve and bringonnewtalenttocarryonthatlegacy.” With that in mind, Dance Kids also announced they have named veteran professional dancer and teacherPhilipPeglerasitsnewArtisticDirector. Peglerhasmorethan30years ofexperienceinclassical ballet as a professional dancer and teacher. He was most recently Dance Kids’ BalletDirector. TheperformanceweekendbeginsDec. 7, 2018,withanothertraditionandagifttothecommunity;a free 10 a.m. Friday morning show given each year to the school children of the Monterey Peninsula. DanceKidsgiftsthe700-seattheatertotheunderservedyouthinthecommunity. There will be a 7 p.m. Friday night show, a Gala fundraiser on Saturday night, Dec. 8, 2018, at5 p.m. and show at 7, and the much-anticipated “Sugar Plum Fairy Champagne and Tea Party” at 12:15 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 9, followed by the show at 2p.m. The full-length ballet features more than 100 dancers ranging in age from 4 toadult; over 400 costumes and countless numbers of accessories, including headpieces, hats and gloves. This production requires countless hours of volunteer timeand elaborate set design featuring local scenes and landmarks. The

2. previousbudgetof$75,000hasgrowntoover $125,000withtheinclusionofthesymphony.Thefunds wereraisedby theDanceKids BoardofDirectorsandFriendsofDanceKids. Anewadditiontotheproductionthisyear willbeachildren’schoirunderthedirectionofDanceKids vocal and drama instructor Stacy Meheen. The choir of children ages 6-14 will perform a wordless vocalizationduringActI’sfinale,“WaltzoftheSnowflakes.” “It’sanangelicsound, it’squitelovely,”saysMeheen,whoistheexecutivedirectoroftheWharf Theatre and voice and drama teacher at Carmel River School. “It will be very special and very spectacular.” Meheen is seeking singers for the choir and has scheduled vocal auditions for children 6-14, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Carmel Academy ofPerforming Arts, Mission Street and Eighth Avenue, in Carmel. For more information, call (831)624-3729. Theentireproductionisopentoalldancersfromthecommunity and boastsaspiritofinclusiontoall that audition. Auditions and rehearsal begin in September. Andrea Paris Gutierrez, ofthe Los Angeles Ballet Academy, returns as choreographer, with five local rehearsal directors coordinating the production.Threeofthefivedirectorsare Royal AcademyofDance,London, certifiedinstructors. Three years ago, Dance Kids rebranded “Nutcracker; A Monterey Peninsula Tradition” and incorporated the Old Del Monte Hotel as the setting for the first act party scene and introduced famous characters associated with the Peninsula, such as Salvador Dali and JohnSteinbeck. Richmond says,"Thestoryline and choreographyremainthesameyetreflectthetraditionofthe heydayofthePeninsula intheearly ’20sand’30s." Inthenearfuture,theproductionwillannouncetheguestartistsperforminginDecember's productions. Setdesignerfortheproduction isNicoleBryant-StephansofBottega Design,andcostumesareby JoannePhelps. Inaddition,DanceKidsofMontereyCountywillonce againpresentperformancesof“Cascanueces:A Folklorico Nutcracker,” in South County schools inNovember. Now in its fifth year of touring Monterey County, the annual holiday tradition in story and dance celebratestherichcultureofMexico andcountriessouthoftheborder.Theideaofmelding European music and music from Spanish-speaking countries to create a “Cascanueces” has brought together mariachi musicians, folkloric choreographers and local balletdancers.

3. The November 2018 tour date of “Cascanueces” is reserved by South County schools early each school year in the anticipation of a colorful and educational assembly. The tour begins in San Ardo with performances in San Lucas, King City, Greenfield andSalinas. Sponsorships are now available for “Cascanueces” as well as in June for December’s“Nutcracker” performances. Call (831) 622-9008 for moreinformation. MontereyCounty Pops!wasfoundedin1985andnotonlyprovidestothecommunityfree,public pops- and-patrioticconcertsonholidays,butistheonlyorchestrainMontereyCountythatprovidesatuition- free,professionalperformanceexperiencefordisadvantagedstudentsintheirowncommunities. Their audience has grown to approximately 6,700 and 175 young, underserved performers created six professional-qualityperformancesincollaborationwiththeorchestralastyear. About DanceKids With over 24 years of production history, Dance Kids of Monterey County, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organizationfoundedbyRichmond,isproudofitswide rangeoftheatricalexperience thatsupportthe youthoftheMonterey Peninsula.Intheearlydays,productionsattheCarmelBalletAcademyincluded “Nutcracker”andoriginalspring musicalswrittenbyWalt deFariaandafull-lengthspringballet, produced at SunsetCenter. Dance Kids was known for fun-loving nostalgia surrounding the musical and drew from the community a range of young people and their families committed to theater. As it grew, its little venue could not handle the “Nutcracker” any longer, but continued at the venue for the spring musicals, until those too, outgrew the dance studio. “Nutcracker” moved to Sunset Center in 1995 and has remained there as its homevenueexceptfortheyearsthecenterwasbeingremodeled. Dance Kids “Nutcracker” has grown into a premier production eagerly awaited by cast andcommunity. The original vision of Dance Kids of Monterey County has been honored as well as surpassed in the ensuing years. This year is one of pivotal change andgrowth. StreetAddress: Sunset Center, Cottage #17 San Carlos Street at 10th Ave., Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA MailingAddress: P.O. Box 6225 Carmel, CA93921 Phone: (831)622-9008 Fax: (831)218-1293 Email:info@dancekids.org

4. Website:dancekids.org Contact: Marci BraccoCain Chatterbox PR Salinas, CA93901 (831)747-7455 http://www.dancekids.org