Nutcracker Tea will offer meet and greet with dancers

"The Nutcracker" debuts this holiday season as the first Aiken performance by Aiken performers.

In preparation for the Saturday, Dec. 19 performances of "The Nutcracker" ballet presented by the Aiken Civic Ballet, a special Nutcracker Tea will be held on Dec. 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Aiken County Historical Museum.

During the tea, the dancers will be in costume and available for a meet and greet with the public.

"This is the only chance for audiences to meet the dancers up close," said Diane Miller, co-director of the Aiken Civic Ballet.

"It will be a traditional nutcracker tea with a large array of nutcrackers on display," said hostess Sissie Brody. "It will be an old-fashioned nutcracker party. It will be dramatic with silver service."

Brody's mother was closely connected with the Aiken Civic Ballet and served as the first business manager back in the 1950s.

"I am doing this in honor of my mother who passed away when she was 50," said Brody. "It is such an honor to be asked. We are all so proud of the ballet. It's a hard performance, and they are working so hard."

As a part of the decorations, Brody is preparing four 7-foot tall painted nutcrackers with the assistance of Joel Kinder.

Tickets for the Nutcracker Tea are for sale at Unique Expressions, 1521 Whiskey Road. Ticket prices are $10 for one adult and one child, and each additional child is $3.75.

Tickets to the Dec. 19 performances are available by contacting the box office at the USCA Etherredge Center at 641-3305.

Visit www.aikencivicballet.com for more information about the Aiken Civic Ballet Dance Company.

Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.