The Academy of Ballet Arts performs and participates in numerous events throughout the year. Our St. Petersburg Ballet Company presents its annual production of The Nutcracker, along with a Spring Performance each season. In addition, our dancers perform at a variety of venues across the Tampa Bay area, and our instructors proudly participate in the Great American Teach-In.

2025 Nutcracker Ballet

Presented by The St. Petersburg Ballet Company

Videos of each performance are available for purchase. Your purchase not only helps cover the cost of production, it also supports the mission of the Academy of Ballet Arts—to provide professional dance instruction to students of all ages.

2 PM Performance

Video of the Entire Performance of Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 2:00 pm. Run Time: 95 Minutes.

7:30 PM Performance

Video of the Entire Performance of Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 7:30 pm. Run Time: 95 Minutes.

Both Performances

Video of Both Performances on Saturday, December 6, 2025. Run Time: 95 Minutes each.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

The story of the “Nutcracker” begins on a magical Christmas Eve in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1872. It is told through the eyes of an eccentric toy-maker, Herr Drosselmeyer and his beloved God-daughter, Clara. Clara must find the courage to believe in the power of love for the enchanted Nutcracker Prince in order to save him from the evil Mouse King.

The Ballet features dancing children, mischievous boys, a Siamese Warrior, toy soldiers, giant mice, sword fights, Snowflakes, Spanish dancers, Buffoons, Waltzing Flowers, and the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

Performed at

The Palladium Theater

253 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Cast:

ACT I, SCENE 1 (THE PARTY)

Dr. Stahlbaum: Jalen Williams
Mrs. Stahlbaum: Michelle Kuusela
Clara: Lillian Stephenson / Annie Cabral
Fritz: Silas Scott
Anya: Ullr Todd
Clara’s Cousins: Ella Borton & Ariella Davis
Clara’s Friends: Olivia Mantilla & Athena Emmert
Baby Stahlbaum: Maya Capar
Dancing Party Girls: Clementine Scott, Madeleine Bouchard, Alice Laventure, Tirienne Higgins, Heidi Dozark, Ullr Todd, Audrey Stephenson, Nora Mantilla, Hayley Hedrick, Rowan Pierson
Party Boys: Davis Beasley, Artemis Emmert, Casen Vermillion
Brother -In- Law: Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Governess: Lyla Notchick
Housekeeper: Gwen Connors
Maids: Greta Walker & Harper Bishop
Drosselmeyer: Troy Reamsnyder
Nephew: Joshua O Berry
Party Parents: Kristin Vermillion & Justin Vermillion, Denise Highshaw & Trent Manke, Alexis Walker & Jay Walker, Isabelle Poole & Sloane Perler / Ana Verano
Siamese Warrior: Drew Travis Robinson
Dolls: Breslyn Vermillion & Valerie Brice
Sugar Plum Fairy: Ana Verano / Amy Louise Davis

ACT I, SCENE II: (THE BATTLE)

Clara: Lillian Stephenson / Annie Cabral
Drosselmeyer: Troy Reamsnyder
Sugar Plum Fairy: Ana Verano / Amy Louise Davis
Baby Soldiers: Ullr Todd, Caroline Beasley, Scottie Walker, Sheridan Neary, Ellis Lenhardt
Baby Mice: Ada Parish, Kalisa Barbato, Kira Barbato, Elena Contreras, Aurora Emmert, Roman Barbato
Nutcracker Prince: Joshua O Berry
Soldiers: Clementine Scott, Madeleine Bouchard, Alice Laventure, Tirienne Higgins, Heidi Dozark, Silas Scott, Casen Vermillion, Athena Emmert
Battle Waltz: Ella Borton, Annie Cabral / Lillian Stephenson, Ariella Davis, Olivia Mantilla
Mouse King: Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Mice: Annabelle Bergeron, Zuri Jenkins, Corina Schriver, Valerie Brice, Breslyn Vermillion, Elena Muhari, Sunny Highshaw, Beata Higgins

ACT I, SCENE III: (KINGDOM OF SNOW)

Snow Queen: Lyla Notchick / Ana Verano
Snow King: Jalen Williams / Adam Boreland
Snowflakes: Amy Louise Davis, Harper Bishop, Gwen Connors, Sloane Perler, Anna Honsinger, Yara Hemadeh, Isabelle Poole, Greta Walker / Lyla Notchick
Clara: Lillian Stephenson / Annie Cabral
Nutcracker Prince: Joshua O Berry

ACT II, (LAND OF SWEETS)

Sugar Plum Fairy: Ana Verano / Amy Louise Davis
Cavalier: Adam Boreland / Jalen Williams
Clara: Lillian Stephenson / Annie Cabral
Nutcracker Prince: Joshua O Berry
Sugar Rose: Harper Bishop / Gwen Connors
Sugar Rose Court: Elena Muhari, Breslyn Vermillion, Beata Higgins, Corina Shriver
Maidens: Audrey Stephenson, Nora Mantilla, Hayley Hedrick, Artemis Emmert
Angels: Maya Capar, Ada Parish, Kira Barbato, Elena Contreras
Chocolate (Pas): Anna Honsinger / Yara Hemadeh & Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Chocolate (Corps): Clementine Scott, Madeleine Bouchard, Alice Laventure, Tirienne Higgins, Heidi Dozark, Athena Emmert
Marzipan (Lead): Greta Walker / Elena Muhari
Marzipan (Corps): Corina Shriver, Zuri Jenkins, Breslyn Vermillion, Beata Higgins / Sunny Highshaw, Elena Muhari / Greta Walker, Valerie Brice
Coffee: Sloane Perler / Harper Bishop & Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Tea (Lead): Sunny Highshaw / Beata Higgins
Tea (Corps): Ella Borton, Olivia Mantilla, Ariella Davis, Annie Cabral / Lillian Stephenson
Buffoons: Sheridan Neary, Caroline Beasley, Scottie Walker, Ullr Todd, Ellis Lenhardt, Davis Beasley
Lead Candy Cane: Drew Travis Robinson
Candy Cane Corps: Audrey Stephenson, Nora Mantilla, Hayley Hedrick, Artemis Emmert, Silas Scott, Rowan Pierson
Waltz Of The Flowers: Sloane Perler, Lyla Notchick, Harper Bishop, Gwen Connors / Beata Higgins, Anna Honsinger, Valerie Brice, Amy Louise Davis / Zuri Jenkins, Yara Hemadeh, Greta Walker, Isabelle Poole
Grand Pas: Ana Verano & Adam Boreland / Amy Louise Davis & Jalen Williams

Crew:

Stage Manager: Elisa Duka
Stage Crew: Rico Navedo, Bianca Rotondo
Set Design: Troy Reamsnyder
Choreographers: Marsha Wilson, Michelle Kuusela, Troy Reamsnyder, Isabelle Poole
Technical Director: Troy Reamsnyder
Scenic Painters: Troy Reamsnyder, Denise Highshaw, Isabelle Poole
Costumes: Troy Reamsnyder, Denise Highshaw, Michelle Kuusela, Viktoria Muhari, Lily Delhagen

ABOUT St. Petersburg Ballet Company:

The St. Petersburg Ballet Company is the official company-in-residence at the Academy of Ballet Arts Inc. (a 501(c)3 Nonprofit). The Academy has trained professional dancers since 1969 and provided professional productions through the St. Petersburg Ballet Company since 1971.

In addition to our guest artists the two institutions have launched the careers of dozens of local residents: Calvin Royal III (Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre) Saela Rivera-Martinez (Houston Ballet) Eileen Gerdes (San Francisco Ballet) Danielle Glynn (Ballet Palm Beach); Marquis Floyd (Dance Theatre of Harlem, Bad Boys of Ballet) and Briana Reed (Former member of Alvin Ailey).

Please Consider Supporting Our Mission

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2025 Spring Performance

Saturday, May 3rd at 7 PM &
Sunday, May 4th at 3 PM

Reserved Tickets: $30

In this performance you will see the first release of brand-new choreography by Michelle Kuusela & Isabelle Poole with additional works created by Marsha Wilson & Suzanne Pomerantzeff, exploring the beauty of friendship and love. These heart -touching pieces are mesmerizing incarnations of emotions that dance can capture in art form. Our performance features everything from contemporary ensembles and pas de deux, to classical works. We will also present Act 2 from the romantic ballet Swan Lake. A ballet featuring a beautiful musical score, love, heartbreak, and triumph. This is a performance enjoyable by all, with something for the child-like wonder, the music enthusiast, and the lover of dance.

The St. Petersburg Ballet Company is the official company-in-residence at The Academy of Ballet Arts (a 501(c)3 Nonprofit).

The Palladium

253 Fifth Ave. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 822-3590

Welcome to the 2024-2025 Ballet Dance Season! With so much in store this year, we wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates and insights before the season gets into full swing.

Upcoming Performances

The Academy of Ballet Arts will be performing selections from our Summer Intensive Programs at the ArtWalk this Saturday, September 9, 2023. The following performances will take place in the studios located in the Pruitt Art Center:

Events