It’s difficult to call anything so delightfully upbeat a swan song, but on a recent Sunday afternoon, Ballet Vero Beach fans bid adieu to what has been a beloved Vero Beach holiday tradition for the last seven years – “The Nutcracker: In Swingtime!”
Making the final Gold Watch Gala performance even more special, Adam Schnell, founding artistic director of Ballet Vero Beach, made his Vero stage debut in the production, joined on stage by Ballet Master Camilo Rodriguez and returning alumni standouts Meghan Callahan, as a graceful and lovely Clara, Shannon Maloney, in a sassy gender role switch playing the Father opposite Rodriguez’s Mother, and Patrick Schlitt, a brilliantly expressive dancer in the dual roles of Headmistress and Mouse Queen.
They and roughly 40 other talented young dancers each danced their parts so perfectly the audience could have happily sat through another performance.
“I couldn’t miss this one, because Adam and Camilo are performing,” said Judy Roberts, who had volunteered at the recent Nutcracker Tea Party fundraiser. “I think it’s terrific; I think what they’ve brought to Vero Beach is very special. They add another dimension to Vero’s art scene. I hope everyone can make it to one of their productions.”
But, while the curtain closed on one Nutcracker, it did so to raise funds for a grander version next year; a full-scale, professionally-danced Nutcracker on the Indian River production created by Schnell. A champagne reception sponsored by Patisserie followed the performance, with dancers mingling with friends, family members and appreciative audience members, while getting a glimpse of the new ballet’s scene renderings.
When asked what made him choose to take to the stage once more, Schnell joked, “Poor judgment!” Although a performer at heart, his time has primarily been devoted to his work at Riverside Theatre and Ballet Vero Beach.
“I knew though that I wanted yet another way to show how passionate I am about the work Ballet Vero Beach does,” he added. “What better way to do that than to put myself in a situation that could result in an epic fail?”
While that most certainly didn’t happen, he said the physical and emotional aspects did take their toll.
“Everything I do in dance and the arts end up being much harder than I thought. The emotional part of performing is easy. The physical is much tougher. Not having been on stage in eight years and adding performer to the list of jobs I usually do in relation to Ballet Vero Beach has proved incredibly daunting,” said Schnell.
Among those jobs is choreographing an upcoming interpretation of Vero Beach composer Paul Gay’s “In Which Cio-Cio San Goes with Pinkerton,” as well as an “Anything You Can Do” ballet set to Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto. Those pieces, along with dancer Chloe Watson’s “Ophelia” danced to a commissioned score performed live by composer Sean McVerry, will be performed on Jan. 21 and 22 at the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center. For information, visit balletverobeach.org.