November 30, 2010 > Nutcracker with Yoko and the Symphony Orchestra Nutcracker with Yoko and the Symphony Orchestra By Emma Victoria G. Blanco This holiday season, for the sixth consecutive year, Yoko Young's Dance and Performing Arts Academy will perform Tchaikovsky's beloved Nutcracker Ballet at Ohlone College's Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Dancers will be accompanied by the Fremont Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro David Sloss. Young is venerated by national dance organizations and often quoted in major publications. She is an internationally acclaimed master teacher, choreographer and competition judge. Young was born in Tokyo, Japan and learned Fujima, traditional Japanese dancing, at the tender age of four. She continued to study classical ballet under Sakiko Hirose of the Tokyo Ballet, Sulamith Messere and Aleksei Varilamov of the Bolshoi Ballet and Roy Tobias of the New York City Ballet. A Prima Ballerina and soloist for the Hirose Ballet Company and Tokyo Ballet Theatre, Yoko was featured in standards of dance including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and many more. She danced "Carmen" with the Opera de Paris in France and has appeared on Japanese television and in many American movies, television series and commercials. Young saw her very first Nutcracker ballet at the tender age of four and every year since, whether she was in Tokyo, San Francisco, London or France. The Nutcracker Ballet has become a tradition for her and her family. "It's just a part of the holidays... the decorations, the Christmas carols... the Nutcracker is a part of it," she stated. Young is devoted to putting on an authentic Nutcracker ballet each year and insists that every performance have "lots of beautiful costumes, lots of good dancing and lots of [talented] cast." This year, the role of Cavalier will be danced by Santa Cruz native, Gabriel Williams. He has danced with The New York Theatre Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet 2, Black Rock City Ballet, Madison Ballet, and the Sacramento Ballet. He has also performed works by Balanchine, deMille, Ashton, Tudor, Dwight Rhoden, Twyla Tharp, Trey McIntyre, Eugene Loring, Ronn Guidi and Carlos Carvajal among others. Once again, there will be special appearances by Fremont City Council members; including Councilmember (soon-to-be State Legislator) Bob Wieckowski who will repeat his role as Herr Drosselmeyer. Matinee performances will be followed Sugar Plum parties during which children will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with the costumed dancers. Tickets to the Sugar Plum Party are $7 and reservations are strongly recommended. With their dedication and commitment to showcase only the most professional performances, Yoko's dancers and the Fremont Symphony Orchestra's Nutcracker Ballet promises to delight this holiday season. Nutcracker Ballet Performed by Yoko's Dance and Performing Arts Academy Accompanied by the Fremont Symphony Orchestra Saturday, December 4 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, December 5 2 p.m. Smith Center for the Performing Arts Ohlone College 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont (510) 371-4859 www.fremontsymphony.org. Admission: $43-$48 adults, $20 children/students Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more Contact the Fremont Symphony Box Office: