Professional dancer and Australian native, Aaron Smyth and State Street Ballet Profession, Kate Kadow.

International dance star Aaron Smyth from Australia will join the Ventura County Ballet (VCB) in the role of “Nutcracker Prince” in their 17th annual production of The Nutcracker at Oxnard Performing Arts Center, November 21 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. and November 22 at 2 p.m. Performances will be accompanied by the 52 piece Ventura College Symphony Orchestra.

This will be Smyth’s fifth appearance with the company. VCB Executive Director Kathleen Noblin stated, “We are thrilled to have Aaron back dancing with us for his fifth season. He is a wonderful role model. It is a joy to watch our pre-professionals dance with such a fine young man and to have him serve as mentor to so many them.”

“It is really fun to work on such a holiday classic like The Nutcracker, and to dance with pre-professionals that have big dreams to be amazing dancers,” expressed Smyth. “It brings me back to the days when I aspired to be a professional dancer. It is an honor to mentor others that have the same passion that drove me.”

Smyth was a scholarship student to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of the American Ballet Theatre New York. He has danced with the Royal Ballet, London, Joffrey Ballet, Chicago, and was a silver and bronze medal recipient at the International Ballet Competition 2014, and recently was a quarter finalist with Season 10 of America’s Got Talent.

Other featured performers: Alexandra Roth, 17, Ballet Academy Ventura’s “2015 Dancer of the Year” will dance the Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop Fairy.

Jazmine Quezada, 15, also named Ballet Academy Ventura’s “2015 Dancer of the Year” and the first recipient of VCB’s Ronald Noblin, MD Scholarship will dance the role of Snow Queen.
Natalie Burkhart, 13, 2014 and 2015 scholarship to State Street Ballet Summer Intensive will dance the role of Clara at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, November 21 and November 22.

Sophia Parker, 13, American Ballet Theatre Young Dancer, New York will dance the role of Clara at Ventura College Performing Arts Center, December 4, 5 and 6th.

In addition, there will be three days of performances at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center which are on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.

VCB strives to connect artists, audience and community with artistically engaging performances. VCB features national and international ballet stars performing alongside pre-professionals and students, which provides unique training, production experience and mentorship for the next generation of dancers. For more information and for tickets, which are only $15 for children, visit www.venturacountyballet.com.

More about Aaron Smyth:
Smyth’s professional dance career began at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City on a full scholarship. Shortly after, he was promoted to ABT II under the direction of Wes Chapman. With ABT II, Smyth performed in many new choreographic works including leading roles in Jessica Lang’s “La Belle Danse,” “Vivace Mottifs” and “Oblivion.”

Smyth was “Showcase” Australian Dancer of the Year in 2006. He won the silver medal from the Beijing International Ballet and Choreography competition in 2013, and performed at the Beijing International Ballet Awards Gala and Seoul International Dance Gala in Korea. Smyth also performed at the International Olympic Committee Gala at the Royal Opera House in honoree of the London Olympic Winter Games.

About the Ventura County Ballet Company and Ballet Academy Ventura:
Celebrating its 17th year, the Ventura County Ballet Company features professional dancers as well as VCB pre-professionals and students from Ballet Academy Ventura, the official school of the VCB.
Kathleen Noblin, a recipient of the City of Ventura 2008 Mayor’s Arts Award, founded Ballet Academy Ventura in 1992 as the official school of the Ventura County Ballet where the company is in residence. She has served as executive director of the company since its inception.
For more information, or to sponsor an upcoming ballet or educational program, call (805) 648-2080 or visit www.venturacountyballet.com.