44 Chicago Children Selected to Dance with the Stars (of the Moscow Ballet) in Dec. 10th “Great Russian Nutcracker” at the Rosemont Theatre

CHICAGO, ILL – This holiday season 44 talented dancers representing Chicago and its suburbs will do more than dream about the iconic Sugar Plum Fairy, they will share the stage and spotlight with her as they perform alongside of the esteemed Moscow Ballet in a performance of “The Great Russian Nutcracker.” The performance takes place at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont.

The young dancers, ages 7-17, will perform important character roles in the annual classic holiday ballet.

The dancers were chosen after a lengthy audition process held in late summer that was overseen by representatives of the Moscow Ballet and SPACE co-founder and artistic director Altin Naska. Intensive rehearsals are held weekly to ready the young performers for this opportunity of a lifetime.

“The Moscow Ballet is one of the greatest names in the history of ballet,” said Altin Naska who has developed a strong professional relationship with the group over the past five years. “This is an unforgettable opportunity for the young dancers to share the stage with award-winning and internationally recognized principal dancers such as Karyna Shatkovskaya and Vladimir Tkachenko and is a moment that will last a life time.”

Moscow Ballet's “The Great Russian Nutcracker” has toured America and Canada for 19 years as the largest Russian ballet tour in North America. The production features larger than life puppets, nine hand-painted backdrops with 3-D effect, and hundreds of exquisite costumes.