James Whiteside presents FANCY NUT MIX, a Holiday Benefit Performance and Fundraiser!
Fancy Nut Mix is an online holiday benefit of Nutcracker excerpts featuring a cast of leading American dance stars, premiering December 20, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., free to watch on YouTube! Produced by Emmy-nominated producer and dancer Garen Scribner in partnership with Harlequin Floors, the evening will raise funds to provide dancers in need with portable Harlequin dance floors of their own, encouraging them to Take the Floor and dance into the new year!
Help us get Harlequin dance mats to more than 100 young dancers in need in this unprecedented time! With your help today, we can make our goal a reality. Happy Holidays!
Performance Info:
Fancy Nut Mix is a spectacle of Nutcracker magic, transporting audiences to the land of the sweets—the home of the Sugar Plum Fairy, portrayed and choreographed by Whiteside, en pointe. Joined by a cast to celebrate the suite of dances from the beloved land, the evening will also include a Soldier Dance duet, with James and Harper Watters (Soloist, Houston Ballet), an indelible and virtuosic Coffee, both created and performed by Whiteside and long-time partner Isabella Boylston (Principal, American Ballet Theatre), piping hot Tea served by Emmy award winning choreographer Al Blackstone and danced by Whiteside and Tiler Peck (Principal, New York City Ballet), Candy Canes, a tap duet for Whiteside and Demi Remick choreographed by dance artist Remick, and The Grand Pas de Deux featuring the voracity and classical chops of Whiteside and Isabella Boylston in the traditional choreography of Alexei Ratmansky.
The benefit will include guest appearances by Shannon Bobannon, James’ Journalist Alter Ego Persona, via live satellite, a first-ever interview with the Banksy of dance, satirical ballet-world-insider Ballet Moods, Jack Ferver and Reid Bartelme of Dance and Stuff Podcast, and a special and festive rendition of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas arranged by Michael Scales and performed by Whiteside and Anthony Santos, dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES
Aspiring dancers around the country will submit to win an at-home, 6.5 x 3.25-sized multi-purpose dance floor. The submission period will be open through December 31, 2020. The first winner will be announced during the Fancy Nut Mix stream on December 20 to kick off the holiday season of giving, and all other winners on January 8th, 2021.
Beginning December 10th, contestants can post a video to Instagram using #takethefloor2021, explaining how they will stand up and Take the Floor in 2021, and how having an at-home professional dance floor will make an impact in their lives. To be considered, dancers must follow James Whiteside (@jamesbwhiteside), Harlequin (@harlequinfloorsusa) and Take the Floor 2021 (@takethefloor2021) on Instagram. Dancers can film themselves doing James’s #takethefloor2021 challenge, seen on his Instagram page, or submit a dance video in their current dance space. Submissions should be no longer than 60 seconds, and all profile setting must be made public. Submissions close December 31, 2020. Open to US residents only.
*One winner will be announced during the December 20 virtual performance and awarded a Harlequin Dance Mat, a Dance Mat bag, a free month of virtual classes courtesy of the Kanyok Arts Initiative and a gift pack of other dance wear. All other winners will be announced on January 8, 2021.