A Princess Grace Awardee and three local U.S. Marines will dance in Ballet Theatre Company’s The Nutcracker at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford.

Cast of the Ballet Theatre Company Nutcracker. Photo credit: Thomas Giroir

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Ballet Theatre Company (BTC) proudly announces its 2016 production of The Nutcracker – which adds a military twist to the well-loved tale of young Clara and her magical Prince who travel through a Snow Flake Forest and a Battle Between Soldiers and Mice before reaching the Kingdom of Sweets.

Joining Artistic Director Roman Baca on stage this year are Ricardo Joel Torres Colon, a world-class male dancer and Princess Grace Ballet Fellowship Awardee, along with U.S. Marine veterans Samuel Smith and Jorge Valdez from West Hartford. An inspiring cameo appearance will include service-members from Fox Company 2^nd Battalion 25^th Marines.

Baca, a classically trained ballet dancer and Marine Corps veteran, is celebrating his seventh year as artistic director of BTC’s The Nutcracker. Baca’s Marine tie-in directly goes to support Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine initiative to ensure every child has a holiday.

The Marines will be joined on stage by Colon, who has danced principal roles at American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, and Washington Ballet. Colon brings a virtuosity to the production that will amaze audiences with his high-flying jumps and dazzling turns.

The entire cast includes more than 70 local youths and 13 professional dancers from New York City under the direction of Roman Baca, and is sure to delight fans from near and far.

BTC, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization is also honored to continue its 10-year seasonal tradition of offering a special free Nutcracker performance to more than 900 hundred local children from child advocacy organizations such as Hartford Performs, Autism Families Connecticut, and the Hillcrest Area Neighborhood Outreach Center (HANOC).

Performance dates are Dec. 15-18 at the Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities on the campus of the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford:

• Thursday, Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec, 17 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

For more information and tickets please call 860-570-0440 or visit www.dancebtc.org.

Ballet Theatre Company will perform The Nutcracker at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. Photo credit: Thomas Giroir

Ballet Theatre Company will perform The Nutcracker at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. Photo credit: Thomas Giroir

Ballet Theatre Company will perform The Nutcracker at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. Photo credit: Thomas Giroir