CCBB Trivia

Pacific Northwest Ballet School student in Nutcracker. © Angela Sterling

Did you know that.....

1. Even though The Nutcracker ballet was not appreciated in Russia where it originated, there are more than 2,000 Nutcracker performances in the U.S. each year.
2. Nutcracker  the book written by E.T.A. Hoffmann was illustrated by Maurice Sendak who is best known for his children’s books, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN. Beyond his award-winning work as a writer and illustrator of children’s books, Sendak has produced both operas and ballets for television and the stage.
3. George Balanchine choreographed Circus Polka to be performed by real live elephants.
4. Ballet was invented in Italy.
5. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was one of the greatest Russian composers of all time. He wrote the music for three of the most famous ballets: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. CCBB's End of Year Open Day performance in 2010 was Swan Lake. In December 2011 the Open Day performance will be The Nutcracker and in December 2012 - Sleeping Beauty.
6. 98% of enrolments at CCBB are by Referrals and Internet Searches.
7. CCBB Ballerinas are from Gorokan, Lake Haven, North Gosford, Terrigal, Somersby, Mannering Park, Watanobbi, Lake Munmorah, Doyalson, Long Jetty, Woongarrah, Wadalba, Noraville, Budgewoi, Kanwal, Buff Point, Cessnock, Abermain, Maitland and Cliftleigh
8. CCBB's website has had 5,645 unique hits and 15,829 page views since February 2010 and CCBB's blog has 866 unique hits since October 1 2011

Ballet facts 3 and 4 from the book "A Child's Introduction to Ballet" by Laura Lee.