Atlanta Ballet prepares for 'The Nutcracker'

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Atlanta Ballet prepares for 'The Nutcracker'

Photos of the Atlanta Ballet rehearsing for 'The Nutcracker,' which will be at the Fox Theatre Dec. 11-27, 2009.

The Atlanta Ballet prepares the stage Thursday, Dec. 10 at The Fox Theatre, in anticipation of its Friday opening. According to the ballet's artistic director John McFall, the production crew specifically designed the show to fit the theater's 88-foot stage. 'Nutcracker' plays through December 27.

Stage technician Frank Dey puts the owl clock to the test while setting up at the Fox. The Atlanta Ballet uses live musicians for Tchaikovsky's score Dec. 11-13 only, then a recording is used for subsequent performances. Tickets start at $20.

Joshua Reynolds rehearses a romantic duet scene with Tara Lee on Nov. 17 at the Atlanta Ballet studio. The two of them have been dancing together for the last three years in the Nutcracker production.

John McFall observes a duet rehearsal of Peng-Yu Chen and Brian Wallenberg during practice. McFall is the artistic director and a fourteen-year veteran at Atlanta Ballet. The ballet's first production of Nutcracker debuted in April of 1959, not during the holiday season, and the company only performed Act II of Balanchine's Nutcracker. It wasn't until 1962 that Nutcracker was performed in its entirety.

Ballet instructor Dale Shields, her third season, works closely with Tara Lee during a morning rehearsal in November.

Heidi Parikh sews outfits for the cast of Nutcracker. She has been with the Atlanta Ballet for six years. The set and costumes evoke the era of Russia in which Tchikovosky lived.

All outfits and costumes are done and tailored in-house at the Atlanta Ballet. More than 8 tons of scenery, lighting and props are used in each Nutcracker production and 300,000 watts of electricity are used, more than enough to light a stadium.

The Atlanta Ballet's Daniel Mayo (left) and Peng-Yu Chen (right) rehearse for 'The Nutcracker' Tuesday, Sept 8, 2009.

The Atlanta Ballet's Nadia Mara listens to artistic director John McFall (not pictured) during rehearsal.

An Atlanta Ballet dancer's bag, filled with pointe shoes.

The Atlanta Ballet's Peng-Yu Chen spins en pointe during rehearsal.

Anne Tyler Harshbarger (left) and Kelsey Yip (left) dance en pointe.

Anne Tyler Harshbarger's foot, seen up close in a pointe shoe.

Atlanta Ballet fellowship student Kelly Prather puts on her pointe shoes before rehearsal.

Pointe shoes are stocked in cubbies for each dancer in the shoe room at the Atlanta Ballet studios. Most dancers go through at least a pair a week, if not a performance.

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The Atlanta Ballet prepares the stage Thursday, Dec. 10 at The Fox Theatre, in anticipation of its Friday opening. According to the ballet's artistic director John McFall, the production crew specifically designed the show to fit the theater's 88-foot stage. 'Nutcracker' plays through December 27.

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