Ballet Hispánico announces Palante Scholars in The Orpheum Dance Programs The Nutcracker

TANNERSVILLE — Ballet Hispánico, the nation’s largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic cultural organization and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, announces that their Pa’lante Junior Ensemble, from the pre-professional Pa’lante training program, will be joining in the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Dance Program in the ninth annual performance of The Nutcracker. Performances are Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday, December 15 at 2pm at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main St, Tannersville. Tickets range from $7-$30 and are available here, by email at boxoffice@catskillmtn.org, or by phone at 518-263-2063. 

The Catskill Mountain Foundation presents the world’s favorite ballet, The Nutcracker. Now in its ninth year, the Orpheum Dance Program’s Nutcracker has become a holiday favorite of residents of the surrounding Catskills and Hudson Valley. Featuring ballet stars of the future, this spectacular production has become one of the finest Nutcrackers in upstate New York.

The Orpheum Dance Program’s Nutcracker performances span two weekends, December 7-8 and 14-15, each featuring pre-professional dancers in principal roles. The first weekend will see students from Joffrey Ballet School New York take the stage, and the second will showcase the Pa’lante Junior Ensemble of Ballet Hispánico, with choreography by Rodney Hamilton. The young dancers will take on roles like the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen, Cavalier, and more. Alexander Scoloveno, from the renowned Aquila Theatre, will perform the role of Herr Drosselmeyer on both of the weekends. 

Ballet Hispánico is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and by the National Endowment for the Arts. 

The Pa'lante Program is Ballet Hispánico's full-time, daytime training programs which includes Pa'lante Scholars, Apprentices and Trainees. The Pa'lantes study and train under the unique Ballet Hispánico model and train in ballet and contemporary, learn Ballet Hispánico repertory, and have many performance opportunities. The Pa'lante Scholars study tuition-free and Pa'lante Apprentices and Trainees are a tuition-based program. Partial scholarships and tuition assistance are available. This exclusive program has limited enrollment and is open to all dancers of all backgrounds.

For over fifty years Ballet Hispánico has been a platform for Hispanic, Black and Brown youth to find their dreams in the dance world. We have made it our mission to shine a spotlight on these talented young dancers, uplifting their voices, and ultimately creating a central place for them on the world's foremost stages. As the professional division of La Academia, the Pa’lante Program will offer all students the opportunity to study full-time under the unique Ballet Hispánico training model and methodologies.

Ballet Hispánico was born from a bold vision to transform the world through the power of dance and reimagine how Latinx culture is celebrated on the global stage. Since its founding in 1970 by the trailblazing Tina Ramirez, Ballet Hispánico has been breaking barriers and reshaping expectations, using dance as a dynamic force for cultural expression, empowerment, and meaningful change.

Today, Ballet Hispánico proudly stands as the largest Latino cultural organization in the United States and an acclaimed "America’s Cultural Treasure." Through our three core pillars—the professional Company, School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnerships—we lead with purpose, uplifting the vibrant, diverse voices of the Hispanic diaspora. Our Company brings the work of visionary Latinx choreographers to life, delivering groundbreaking performances that ignite cultural dialogue and challenge artistic boundaries.

Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Eduardo Vilaro, who began his journey with Ballet Hispánico as a dancer in 1985, the company continues to chart new paths forward. Building on Tina Ramirez’s legacy, Vilaro has expanded the company’s impact, amplifying the intersectional stories of Latinx identities. Programs like Instituto Coreográfico, the Latinx Leaders Summit, and Diálogos foster innovation and leadership, nurturing the next generation of Hispanic artists and cultural leaders.

A true trailblazer in the world of dance, Ballet Hispánico has performed for more than 2.5 million people across three continents. As we look to the future, our unwavering commitment is to empower communities, inspire through the beauty of dance, and continue elevating Latinx voices on the world stage.

The Orpheum Dance Program brings together the best of dance training for all levels, exposure to professional dancers and standards and community engagement. Victoria Rinaldi, a former Metropolitan Opera Ballerina, teaches pre-ballet ages 4 to 5; Ballet I for Beginners; Ballet II after 2 years of dance training; Ballet III for Advanced and Pointe; and Contemporary Dance 8 and up. The program combines dance classes with two major community performances a year, The Nutcracker and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Rinaldi helps cultivate young dancers to reach their fullest potential while dancing alongside professional and pre-professional dancers from the most renowned dance programs in the country.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s (CMF) aim is to provide educational opportunities in the arts for youth and lifelong learners, to bring the experience of the arts to the Catskill community, and to support artists and art organizations in the development of their work through residencies. Since its founding in 1998, CMF has presented hundreds of music, dance, and theater performances; screened over 1,000 films to tens of thousands of audience members; provided studio arts classes to thousands of students of all ages; and served thousands of art-loving patrons in the Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop. The Catskill Mountain Foundation operates the Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter, the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville, and the Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts in Maplecrest, NY.

Since 1998, CMF has raised, generated, and invested close to $16 million in facility development and an excess of $42 million in programming operations, for a total investment in the Catskill community of over $58 million. Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations. CMF believes that the arts can transform the lives of those touched by it and can transform the community. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.