'Suite' Sisters

Fayetteville girls dance with the pros in ‘The Nutcracker’

Wryn Pitts and Sloane Pitts have taken ballet lessons for six years -- nearly all their lives -- but these sisters say performing in "The Nutcracker" with professional dancers has given them more confidence in their skills.

Wryn, 9, and Sloane, 8, will perform this weekend alongside professional dancers in the Moscow Classical Ballet's "The Nutcracker" at the Walton Arts Center. Ten other children from the area also were also selected for the production.

FAQ

‘The Nutcracker’

WHEN: 7 p.m. today, 2 & 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St. in Fayetteville

COST: $33-$47

INFO: 443-5600 or waltonartscenter.org

The Pitts sisters, both students at Vandergriff Elementary School in Fayetteville, also were selected to join the production in 2013.

"I learned I could do more ballet things than I thought I could," says Wryn says, remembering last year's performance.

The older sister says she is looking forward to meeting the other dancers and being on stage.

Besides learning more ballet skills, Sloane says she also enjoys meeting and making friends with the cast.

"It's a love fest," says Robert Friedman, producer of the show. "It's so inspiring for the children to be with the professional dancers and to see their dedication, joy and technique. And (the professional dances) are always so kind to the young dancers.

"Most of the dancers don't speak English," Friedman says, "but they communicate. That's what art does. It's a universal language."

Friedman says the production Fayetteville audiences will see is a traditional Russian "Nutcracker."

Parts of the performance "will date back to the original concept," he says, which debuted in 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"'The Nutcracker' is one of the greatest artistic ventures to turn children on to the arts. All the elements are there -- symphony, stage production, costuming, dance, story, acting, everything," Friendman says.

"It's their favorite weekend of the year," says Marci Pitts, mother of Wryn and Sloane. "It's fantastic the Walton Arts Center gives the opportunity to the community to be a part of a professional performance.

-- Kelly Barnett

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NAN What's Up on 12/19/2014

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