Six youngsters shine as Clara

UNDER-17S SHARE LEAD FEMALE ROLE ALONGSIDE INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

- Citizen reporter

This festive season, Cape Ballet Africa is bringing the timeless magic of The Nutcracker to MonteCasino's Teatro, with six talented young dancers sharing the enchanting lead role of Clara.

There's something uniquely heartwarming about The Nutcracker, a story that captures the wonder of childhood, the thrill of imagination and the magic of Christmas.

This December, Cape Ballet Africa (CBA) promises to deliver all that and more with its grand new production of the classic ballet.

What makes this year's production particularly special is the casting of six young ballerinas, all under 17, who will each take turns performing the role of Clara, the young girl whose Christmas gift, a wooden nutcracker, comes to life and whisks her away to a world of wonder and fantasy.

These rising stars hail from both Johannesburg and Cape Town, showcasing the breadth of South Africa's young ballet talent.

From Johannesburg, audiences can look forward to the performances of Scarlett Haslam, Maseroka Mothiba, and Chiara Szabo.

Meanwhile, from Cape Town, Gia Lipschitz, Erin Padoau, and Victoria Toweel will bring their own magic to the role.

Parktown North's Haslam, a pupil at Kingsmead College, already has an impressive stage record, having performed in Sleeping Beauty.