The Inland Pacific Ballet is set to return to the Bridges Auditorium this weekend for their annual performance of Tchaikovsky’s classic, “The Nutcracker.”

The IPB has delighted audiences across the inland region for the past 21 years. “The Nutcracker” is a yearly holiday staple that thrills Claremont audiences, according to Ballet Mistress Jill Voznick.

The cast is almost entirely comprised of locals from throughout the Inland Empire, including 25 Claremonters. Artistic director/co-founder Victoria Koenig, who is spearheading the play, is also from Claremont.

Most of the Claremont residents in the ballet are children who will be portraying bon-bons, angels and candy canes, as well as soldiers, mice and orphans.

During a dress rehearsal Wednesday evening, ballerinas clad in beautiful ensembles pirouetted across the stage in one of the final opportunities to fine-tune their performances. Ms. Voznick, seated in the nearly empty Auditorium, heaped praise and advice through a hand-held microphone.

The dancers have been training hard for the performances. Adults started rehearsals on November 1 while children started practicing a month earlier, according to Ms. Voznick.

There will be three performances throughout the weekend at Bridges—a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening performance at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 5 and a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Sunday, December 6.

Tickets are available on the IPB’s website at http://www.ipballet.org/nutcrackerInfoPage.php

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com