14-year veteran choreographer Deanna Karlheim Stanton to star alongside her daughter, Layla.
This holiday season, the Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company (HSCDTC) will move its annual, family-favorite classical ballet presentation of The Nutcracker to the historic Malco Theatre. The venue provides a perfect, historically rich stage for one of the world’s most celebrated ballets.
Leading the company of professional and aspiring dancers is Deanna Karlheim Stanton, an exquisite professional dancer and highly sought-after choreographer who has guided the production for the past 14 years.
This upcoming season holds unprecedented significance for the production as Deanna will be joined on stage by her daughter, Layla, who is making her official theatrical debut as the little crown bearer angel attendant in Act II.
The Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company is excited to present an adaptation based on Marius Petipa’s original, historic—though unfinished—interpretation of the classical ballet. Petipa fell ill before completing the full choreography, leaving his trusted assistant, Lev Ivanov, to finalize Act II and create the majority of the iconic diverting dances seen today. The company takes immense pride in preserving this precise archival lineage while giving the local community a continuous holiday tradition.
The organization is honored to anchor the rich heritage of this production with the beloved members of the Stanton family. Audiences will experience Deanna Karlheim Stanton dancing the iconic, technically demanding role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, beautifully mirrored by her daughter Layla performing as her angel.
Information regarding performance schedules, venues, and ticket portals will be accessible on the company’s official platform. Visit hscdtc.org and Facebook: Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company.
