" Nutcracker on Ice with Pasha is indeed great"***Finale -Nutcracker on Ice *** So here it is, the final two performances (December 17th 2000)
of the sensational sell-out 23 show run of Nutcracker on Ice, BeauRivage Resort in Biloxi, MS. - starring Pasha Grishuk as 'Clara', Sergey Tartykov as 'The Nutcracker Prince' and Eric Bohnstedt as
'Drossllemyer.' Principal ensemble: Sharon Wissel and Olga Zhiltsova. Cast: Suzanna Hodges, Taylor Lutzwick, Andrea Hydokovich, Laura Schwartz, Adam Van Eckhout and Wesley Higginbotham.
Producer: Jay Ward/TPM Productions,
Director: Mikhail Belousov (Russian Ballet on Ice),
Choreographer: Juliana Malkhaissants (Bolshoi Theatre), Pasha Grishuk.
A holiday season family favorite, the Nutcracker is without a doubt ballet's most beloved tradition.
"We are tremendously excited by this project" says Director Mikhail Belousov. "This is really an
extraordinary, "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. The overall result will be a breathtaking, professional production that the whole community will enjoy."
Nutcracker on Ice choreographed by Juliana
Malkhaissants and Pasha Grishuk to music composed by Petr Tschaykovsky, is the triumph of one of the great artistic collaborations of 21st century figure skating.
*** More than thirty thousand patrons have
so far lined up to see this> great adaptation of Tschaikovsky's Xmas classic in Biloxi. (BTW -although this presentation was part of the 'Russian Ballet of Ice' - of which Pasha is the 'Prima
Ballerina', it was decided to make the show more mainstream by adding additional jumps, spins and new elements than usual.)***
Everyone skater was in Nutcracker on Ice wonderful and did his best!
*** Here is the highlight of the show! - both pas de deux (adagios) between Pasha and her Prince were going very smoothly and to great applause in all the shows. Using extraordinary choreography with many excellent
new elements, lifts: Pasha on high - she on one leg; then one 'headbanger', one 'fishtail' and directly into the next lift where Pasha is held by one leg, with another; trailing on the stage - skating around him
five times. Pasha gets in to the act and throws in both a double sal and a double toe in the finale - and the curtain goes down to great applause!!! ***
Pasha has shown the world once again how to
combine wonderful choreography and breathtaking skating, using a combination of dancing, singles and pairs movements to create a theatrical extravaganza on ice!
Family and friends (Mom's/Dad's and
grandparents) of the ensemble cast have traveled (literally) from as far afield as Minnesota to see their boys and girls and take many photo's backstage, with Pasha (mostly.) *** J. Barry Mittan the
professional photographer arrived in time for the last show and took photo's of the actual performance - look for them in your fave skating magazine soon. After the final curtain comes down Pasha gives all the cast
a Xmas present and many group and individual photo's are taken on the ice.
*** All in all, a remarkable show from a great cast and crew! All that remains now is to have a party and go home the next day.
Sad,but life has to go on. Many new friends have been made, and everyone exchanges emails and phone numbers.
*** Till the next time :) Bye from Nutcracker in Biloxi!
