Help save our first Nutcracker!

Dear community members,

Greetings and thank you for stopping by! I am the Director of a small dance education program producing the first civic performance of The Nutcracker in Moscow, Idaho. My area of concentration within dance pedagogy lives at the intersection of somatic practice and community engagement--fusing the study of classical ballet technique and performance with contemporary training practices while building community. Now in our second year, we are excited to bring the first inclusive performance of The Nutcracker to our region as we welcome cast members from all across the palouse.

On December 1, 2022, the dancer cast in the lead roles of the nutcracker (act 1) and the cavalier (act 2) declined to uphold his commitment to see the performance through due to personal convictions regarding a beloved and cherished dance with the character of Mother Ginger (played by a beloved local, well respected drag queen) who was invited to our cast. His feelings about how certain dancers should interact in the movement onstage differed significantly from our own and after lengthy discourse, a resolution that met MMAC's standards of inclusion could not be reached and he chose to leave the cast at this time 2 weeks before the performance.

One of the most treasured tenets of our value system is inclusion--come as you are because you bring your own radical and unique brand of awesomeness that will always be home at Moscow Movement Arts Center (MMAC). We prioritize treating one another equally in the classroom, which carries over into our production and its message--a story of holiday magic, cheer, fellowship, and whimsical fantasy and adventure. These are the pillars by which we hope to continue to build this community tradition for generations to come. This dancer's choice shocked our cast, staff, faculty, volunteers, and community. Still, we will now, and always, stand by our belief that everyone has an undeniable human right to explore movement, community, and performance without feeling at risk of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. We are committed to holding a safe space for any and all who wish to explore the world of dance.

In the story of The Nutcracker, Clara and her enchanted nutcracker doll defeat the Mouse King and his army before traveling to the magical land of sweets, where she transforms into the Sugar Plum Fairy and dances an integral solo and duet with the cavalier in the culmination of the second act. The cast has been rehearsing three to five times a week since August, with many additional hours invested by our female lead, Mattey Stroemer. The resignation of her partner is devastating for any ballerina to experience, but we are committed to finding a solution for her and the entire cast.

Our solution comes in the form of a working dance professional, Ryan Beck, of Ryan's American Dance in San Luis Obispo, California. Ryan is a passionate dance educator and performer who champions the motto of his childhood mentor, Pat Jackson, "We are all born to shine." His California-based practice provides a positive, diverse space and is committed to facilitating education and personal expression. Despite his impacted holiday schedule, when we explained the situation, we were blessed that he answered our call with a resounding "Yes!"

While his help is truly the answer to our prayers, the financial reality of bringing an artist in this late from out of state is far greater than the contingency fee we were prepared for in our modest budget. I am hoping for your support in helping us fund the addition of guest artist Ryan Beck so that we can still perform our much anticipated, first region-inclusive performance of The Nutcracker. This presentation of a culturally sensitive and socially responsible version of a classic is integral to a community performance experience that welcomes and represents anyone who wishes to participate. Below I have offered a link to our performance information and the projected expense outline, which covers all aspects of Ryan's guest artist residency.

https://moscowmovementartscenter.com/

$ 1,007.........Roundtrip flight, fees, and taxes from San Luis Obispo, CA (SBP) to Spokane, WA (GEG) via United airlines as of December 10th (purchased Dec. 10th)

$ 0.........Lodging donated by the Peterson Barn Guesthouse, Moscow (THANK YOU!!!)

$ 300........Meals and transportation for 5 days/nights

$ 2,000....Guest Artist Fee (120 hours)

UPDATES 12/13 Current artist fees (will adjust with any additional donations) facilitated by the incredible generosity of our donors: $210 Aquasha DeLusty; $100 Mattey Stroemer; $100 Ashley Reeves

UPDATED 12/11 Any funds donated that exceed the proposed budget will be forwarded to those most directly impacted by this incident--Aquasha DeLusty (Mother Ginger) and production staff.

Thank you sincerely for any measure of support you may be able to offer. Anything will bring us closer to uniting as a whole cast and community for December 17th.