Goh Ballet is thrilled to announce Frances Chung, Principal Dancer with the world-renowned San Francisco Ballet Company, as featured guest star of Goh Ballet’s 2015 production of The Nutcracker, which is returning to The Centre in downtown Vancouver, this holiday season.
Ms. Chung, a Vancouver native and Goh Ballet Academy alumnus, will be guest starring as the iconic Sugar Plum Fairy and will be joined onstage by Carlos Quenedit, also Principal Dancer with the San Francisco Ballet, who will play the Cavalier Prince for performances from December 20th to the 22nd. Distinguished artists Noelani Pantastico and James Moore, Principal Dancers from the Pacific Northwest Ballet, will perform the roles on December 17th, 18th and 19th.
“I am so happy to be coming back to my home town of Vancouver to perform with Goh Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker,’ said Ms. Chung. “Having toured and danced in all the major cities, this will be my first time performing in Vancouver since I moved to San Francisco after graduation. I can think of no better production to be a part of. The music, costumes and choreography of The Nutcracker are all beloved holiday traditions and I can’t wait to perform in front of my hometown audience.”
Described by San Francisco Examiner as “Triumphant” Otherworldly, Weightless and Serene,- Ms. Chung graduated from the Goh Ballet Academy and was immediately invited to join the San Francisco Ballet Company in 2001, followed by a promotion to Soloist in 2005 and Principal Dancer in 2009.
The Vancouver native holds an impressive resume with countless coveted accolades, starring in multiple major lead roles such as Giselle and Myrtha in Tomasson’s Giselle; Grand Pas de Deux, Queen of the Snow and Sugar Plum Fairy in Tomasson’s Nutcracker, as well as leads in Swan Lake, The Shostakovich Trilogy, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, Lifar’s Suite en Blanc and MacMillan’s Winter Dreams. In 2000, she was a finalist and prizewinner at the Prix de Lausanne, the world’s premier youth ballet competition as well as the recipient of silver medal, top honour at the Adeline Genêe Awards in London.
Carlos Quenedit
A Cuban born dancer, Quenedit began his career in ballet at Cuba’s National Ballet School. From there, he developed his passionate and sumptuous dancing style at Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Ballet de Monterrey, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet. Quenedit joined the San Francisco Ballet in 2012 as a Soloist and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2014. He has since starred in numerous world-renowned ballet productions, including as Tomasson’s Prince in Nutcracker, as Romeo in Romeo & Juliet and as Albrecht in Giselle.
Noelani Pantastico
Born in Oahu, Hawaii, Pantastico was passionate about dance at a young age, joining the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in 1994. After years of attending summer programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Pantastico joined as an apprentice in 1997. A year later, she was promoted to Corps de Ballet, which was followed by a promotion to Soloist in 2001 and to Principal Dancer in 2004. Pantastico showcases a diverse dance career, taking lead roles in Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Apollo, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, and Swan Lake.
James Moore
A San Francisco native, Moore began training in his home city before transitioning to the School of American Ballet in New York City. Beginning his career at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 2001, Moore is noted for his ability to enhance the emotional complexities in his roles. Three years after joining the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Moore became a member of the Corps de Ballet in the Pacific Northwest Ballet, followed with a promotion to Soloist in 2008 and to Principal Dancer in 2013. His leading roles include Balanchine’s Coppelia, Kent Stowell’s Nutcracker and Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel.
The Nutcracker is one of the world’s most recognized ballets, cherished by both children and adults alike. Originally written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the performance debuted in 1892 and has since become a tradition for the holiday season, beloved by families around the world. Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker will be presented from December 17 to December 22 at the Centre in downtown Vancouver, with performances featuring local and international artists.
Be sure to watch these amazing dancers as they mesmerize audiences with their stunning displays of virtuoso dancing while bringing the story to life. Tickets for this iconic production are available now at www.ticketmaster.ca
