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Snow Queen Ballet from California Contemporary Ballet
December 18 – 20, 2009


The Snow Queen is Hans Christian Anderson’s classic winter-time fantasy world where Good prevails as personified by a little girl named “Gerda” who saves her friend Kai from an evil spell. The Snow Queen ultimately eradicates Evil when she reverses the spell. Presented by the California Contemporary Ballet, be transported into another world, the world of The Snow Queen, through dazzling performances by the professional cast from Europe and Southern California. Brilliant lighting and set design, gorgeous, ethereal hand-sewn costumes, and an original, moving musical score enhance the enchantment of this timeless fairy tale.

Where: Glendale Community College’s theater, located at its Performing Arts Theater, 1500 N. Verdugo Rd., Glendale CA. 91208.
Show Times: 7:30 p.m. on December 18 and 19 and matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20.
Tickets: Advance purchase tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students. ($30 for adults and $25 for students at the door.)

For tickets or information, call 818-790-7924 818-790-7924 , ccballet.net or snowqueenballet.com.


California Contemporary Ballet Ups the Ante with New Professional Principal Cast, a final performance of up and coming Czech Republic male star, a 12-year ‘Snow Queen’ Veteran and Career Cast Members from Glendale, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Orange County

For three days, thousands of ballet and holiday entertainment seekers are transported to Hans Christian Anderson’s fantasy world where good prevails as personified by a little girl named Gerda who saves her friend Kai from an evil spell. Evil is set right when the spell is ultimately reversed by the Snow Queen.


This year’s The Snow Queen marks the 12th annual presentation of a great holiday and winter-time fairy tale presented by the professional non-profit company, California Contemporary Ballet. Brought to life by the creative vision of the company's Artistic Director and choreographer, Erin Holt, the Snow Queen ballet is presented complete with brilliant lighting and set design, custom hand sewn costumes, an original moving musical score by Randall Michael Tobin. The career dancers of the company transform audiences to another world- the world of The Snow Queen. The professional principal cast will be accompanied by the California Contemporary Youth Ballet. For three days, Friday through Sunday, December 18 -20, 2009, the CCB will perform at the Glendale Community College’s theater, located at its Performing Arts Theater, 1500 N. Verdugo Rd., Glendale CA. 91208. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on December 18 and 19 and matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20. Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and $30 for adults and $25 for students at the door. For tickets or information, call 818-790-7924 818-790-7924 ccballet.net snowqueenballet.com.


For Erin Holt, the company’s visionary choreographer and Artistic Director, the 2009 production of the annual The Snow Queen is an evolutionary milestone marked by changes within the company which began primarily as a youth organization. Today, the company is one of Southern California’s burgeoning professional dance companies featuring the talent of career dancers and Holt’s unique brand of classical ballet and contemporary dance. In an effort to continue the encouragement of young dancers in their pursuits toward a career in dance, CCBallet continues to establish a youth division within its organization, California Contemporary Youth Ballet, consisting of career motivated pre-professionals will appear in supporting roles along-side the company’s professional principal cast in the Snow Queen ballet.
Visiting starring dancer from the Czech Republic Filip Stanek, a graduate of the Janacek Conservatory in Ostrava, Czech Republic has enjoyed the ballet and his role so much that he has returned each season since 2007 to dance with the company. Due to demands on his career in Europe, this may be the last opportunity for audiences to see his outstanding performance and portrayal of his starring role- that of “Kai” who suffers at the hand of the Snow Queen. This year’s ballet also features exciting new principal dancers from around the Southland, local Glendale and Tujunga dancers in starring roles such as the portrayal of “Gerda”, “an Enchantress”, “A Crow” ect… and one Pasadena-based principal cast member who has danced through the show’s evolution, having performed in all 12 of the show’s seasons as he has risen through the ranks to the starring role of Prince.


Says Holt, “We always wanted to offer a refreshing holiday presentation of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen versus the standard Nutcracker fare. We finally feel that we have developed a technically strong and dramatic professional ballet company that can tell the story full of winter-time fantasy combining both the light and sometimes dark aspects of the tale.” The charming fairy tale’s metaphors and messages embrace values of love, learning, staying true to ones friends, persistence toward obtaining goals and over-coming obstacles…obstacles such as evil spells, raging rivers, tress that are alive and creatures of the forest. Says Holt, “This is a story that is as relevant today as it was when written by Hans Christian Anderson. The lessons learned and the stories characters are appealing.” Holt sites this appeal for the company’s 12 year success of the show and points out that the company continues to change and update the ballet for its audience. This year there is an effort to magnify the mood of fantasy where forest creatures perform Aerial ballet, the use of other effects and choreography. Holt says, “The ballet is held dear in the hearts of the company’s loyal fans of all ages who return to enjoy the production each year to be enchanted by the story and mesmerized by the performances, which have continued to be developed and has evolved from year to year.” CCB’s The Snow Queen ballet features more than 60 dancers who portray characters that meet up with the young Gerda along the path she travels during her quest to find her friend Kai. The Snow Queen is a pleasant alternative to the numerous Nutcracker productions at reasonable ticket rates.

Whether audiences enjoy the performance featuring a child Snowflake or dancers from their youth ballet who play flowers, gypsies, trees, or the remarkable talent of the company’s professional career dancers in the starring roles, the entire company of California Contemporary Ballet passionately take their audience on a journey to the inner realm of the Snow Queen.