NORD/NOBA Center For Dance presents a FREE performance of The Nutcracker Suite and Other Winter Performances

The NORD/NOBA Center for Dance, a cultural community partnership between the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) and the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) offering free dance programming to local youth, invites the community to a FREE Performance of The Nutcracker Suite, Saturday, December 12, 4:00pm at Dixon Hall, Tulane University. The production features student performances by the NORD/NOBA Center for Dance Pre-Professional and After-School Dance Programs, as well as special guest appearances by participants of the CFD’s program for senior citizens.

Approximately 170 dancers representing all five NORD Centers will grace the stage to perform The Nutcracker Suite. Immediately following the concert, each child in the audience is invited on stage to meet the characters and receive a holiday treat!

In addition to the Nutcracker performance, the various NORD centers will also host open houses to celebrate the achievements of the young dancers. This fall, more than 280 students are studying dance tuition-free through the NORD/NOBA Center For Dance.

December 7, 6pm – Cut Off NORD Center, 6600 Belgrade Street (Westbank)

December 8, 5pm – Annunciation NORD Center, 800 Race Street (Lower Garden District)

December 8, 6pm – Behrman NORD Center, 2529 General Meyer Avenue (Algiers)

December 9, 6pm – Treme NORD Center, 900 N. Villere Street (Treme)

December 9, 6pm – St. Bernard NORD Center, 1500 Lafreniere Street (Gentilly)

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA); the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Arts Council of New Orleans (ACNO); a Community Arts Grant made possible through the City of New Orleans as administered by ACNO; a grant from the Louisiana State Arts Council through the Louisiana Division of the Arts and the NEA.

Currently celebrating its 40^th Anniversary Season, NOBA is the Central Gulf region’s premiere presenting and service organization dedicated solely to the art of dance.  NOBA’s dynamic Main Stage season annually features a diverse array of world-class companies and artists.  Each year NOBA provides concerts, classes, workshops and lectures to more than 25,000 area dance enthusiasts of all ages.  In addition, NOBA’s nationally recognized award-winning education programs provide the youth of our community access to quality arts programs with 2,500 activities annually through performances, classes, and workshops, more than 90% of which are free.  The NOBA programs are a recipient of the 2005 Louisiana Governor’s Arts Award, and 2005 Big Easy Classical Arts Award.