Dancing the dream

The Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara return to the stage at the McAninch Arts Center Friday with Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet's "The Nutcracker."

The performance will feature professional dancers, as well as suburban dance students from a variety of dance schools. Dancers train with Ken von Heidecke, head of Chicago Festival Ballet.

"It is a great experience for the younger children to get on stage if they are interested in dance. Ken works great with all of them," said Jennifer Navarro of Ginny Richardson Public Relations.

Once the dancers are chosen, they start rehearsals.

"Depending on the roles, the dancers practice at least once a week. For the larger roles, they practice multiple times per week, and even more frequently as the performances approach," Navarro said.

Main characters are played by professional dancers with impressive credentials. This year, the Sugar Plum Fairy is played by Teanna Zarro of Los Angeles. She received a full scholarship with Joffrey Ballet School and has danced with companies in New York, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Guillermo Leyva of Chicago, who trained in Cuba, is playing the Cavalier. Ariel Cisneros, who was born in Cuba and also trained there, is taking on the role of the Nutcracker Prince. He has been a guest artist throughout the United States, Europe and Brazil.

Vanessa Valecillos, who will portray the Snow Queen, has toured all over North America, South America, and Europe. The Snow King will be played by J.P. Tenuta, who danced in his parents' famed Academy of Movement and Music.

Jacob Brooks, who is a student at Chicago Academy for the Arts, will play the Mouse King.

The role of Clara will be shared by Ashley Michalek of Aurora, Emily Dix of Wheaton and Emily Tashjian of Lisle, who are all students of the Von Heidecke School of Ballet.

Performances are at the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage. The New Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kurt Muspratt, accompanies the performance.

Performances will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

If you go

What: Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet's "The Nutcracker"

Where: McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn.

When: 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Cost: $23 to $33

Details: www.cod.edu/artscntr/ or (630) 942-4000

Student dancers

Katie Guth, 13, Aurora

Ashley Michalek, 16, Aurora

Rebecca Bremer, 12, Des Plaines

Sofia Blacha, 8, Downers Grove

Roshni Gehi, 12, Lisle

Sandra Poh, 6, Lisle

Renata Findling, 9, Lisle

Ariana Zlioba, 11, Lisle

Inga Zlioba, 9, Lisle

Paige Hitzman, 14, Lisle

Emily Tashjian, 16, Lisle

Kristin Sink, 11, Mt. Prospect

Stephanie Mueller, 11, Naperville

Emily Dudley, 7, Naperville

Katie Shipley, 10, Naperville

Andrea Weyneth, 10, Naperville

Kate Canfield, 10, Naperville

Caroline Canfield, 6, Naperville

Emily Canfield, 13, Naperville

Anna Wallace, 7, Naperville

Isabella Newhuis, 7, Naperville

Victoria Newhuis, 12, Naperville

Kate Przybyl, 9, Naperville

Anna Przybyl, 6, Naperville

Maria Lewis, 10, Naperville

Alexandra Lewis, 6, Naperville

Noor Arjmand, 11, Naperville

Adel Wu, 8, Naperville

Sara Porto, 15, Naperville

Savannah Bowles, 14, Naperville

Annie Jensen, 16, Naperville

Molly McDonald, 16, Naperville

Linden Kovarik, 16, Naperville

Emma Eriksen, 14, Naperville

Hanna Tadevich, 14, Naperville

Melissa Meyer, 16, Naperville

Erica Woyner, 26, Naperville

Emily Dix, 17, Wheaton