Canada’s Ballet Jörgen will return to Guelph’s River Run Centre on Tuesday, December 22 and Wednesday, December 23, at 7:30 p.m. with performances of The Nutcracker, a Canadian Tradition.

Ballet Jörgen premiered this quintessentially Canadian Nutcracker in 2008 to rave reviews. Choreographed by Bengt Jörgen to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s much loved score, this delightful re-working of the timeless classic is born from a collaboration with the world-renowned McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

The Nutcracker features as backdrops, three works by Canada’s 20th Century landscape artists – Franklin Carmichael’s Church and Houses at Bisset (1931), Tom Thomson’s Snow in the Woods (1916) and L.L. FitzGerald’s Trees and Wildflowers (1922).

Set in the early 1900’s this homegrown Nutcracker brings to life the magical tale of a little girl’s Christmas dream and her grand journey through our northern landscapes filled with snowflakes, trilliums and crea- tures of the woods.

“The charming production … features beautifully rendered backdrop reproductions of iconic works by Carmichael, Thom- son and FitzGerald and is ideally suited for young audiences. With its Edwardian setting in Algonquin and all its animal characters, from beavers and bullfrogs to skunks and squirrels, Jörgen’s new …. Nutcracker is adorable even before it starts wagging its tails.” (Michael Crabb, National Post)

In September, 45 young dancers from Guelph and surrounding communities auditioned for a variety of roles in this year’s Guelph performances. At the September auditions, 24 dancers were selected, with one from this group subsequently chosen to tour with Canada’s Ballet Jorgen to communities across Ontario.

Dancers touring with the ballet company rehearse in Kitchener and Toronto, while dancers performing in the River Run shows rehearse at Royal City School of Ballet and Jazz in downtown Guelph. This Nutcracker Youth Program provides young dancers with the opportunity to perform with a professional dance company and, for those considering a career in dance, an invaluable opportunity to experience the inner life and working of a ballet company.

Inspiring and connecting with Canadians for over 25 years, Canada’s Ballet Jörgen makes ballet and Canadian choreography a meaningful part of Canadians’ lives through performance, education, and community engagement.

This acclaimed com- pany ensures communities large and small, urban and rural have access to a professional ballet experience.

Renowned for ballets that combine innovation, warmth, humour and beauty, they are the only professional Canadian ballet company with a repertoire consisting exclusively of original works.

Canada’s Ballet Jörgen is the recipient of the 2011 National Arts Centre Award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring and recognizes the company’s leadership role in the development of touring by professional dancers and companies in Canada.

Reaching every province with over 600 events annually, Canada’s Ballet Jörgen is the most widely toured of this nation’s professional ballet companies – a true national treasure. Visit the company at their website www.balletjorgen.ca

For the River Run performances, all seats are reserved. Adult tickets are $49/$45, senior tickets are $47/$43 and student tick- ets are $34/$30. Premiere seating price is $69. Prices include HST. This is an eyeGO performance. Tickets are now on sale at River Run Centre Box Office at (519) 763- 3000 or 1-877-520-2408 or www.riverrun.ca The Guelph Mercury Community Partnerships Program generously makes possible these performances and the involvement of local dance students.

In the spirit of seasonal giving, the community is invited to Share The Magic and support the work of Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County. By pledging a ticket at the discounted price of $20, patrons can give a seat to a child or family who might otherwise not be able to share the Nutcracker magic. The box office is able to assist those wishing to give to Share The Magic.