Tag: dance

Rising Stars Shine in the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s Nutcracker

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio has your ticket to a world of winter wonder. Photo: Infinite Photography SA.

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio Brings Holiday Magic Back to the Stage

San Antonio, TX — Cherished traditions make the holidays truly special, and this year, the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is once again lighting up the season with spectacular productions sure to captivate audiences of all ages. (Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2025)

A Beloved Holiday Classic Returns

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s enchanting production of The Children’s Nutcracker returns to the iconic Lila Cockrell Theatre December 12–14. Audiences can expect breathtaking choreography, lavish costumes, and stunning scenery brought to life by some of the most talented young dancers in Bexar County.

For families seeking a magical holiday tradition, this professional-level production is one you won’t want to miss.

A Decade of Excellence in Youth Performing Arts

For more than ten years, CBSA has been a leader in youth performing arts, pairing professional training with exceptional performance opportunities. Under the guidance of acclaimed Artistic Director Vanessa Bessler, Master Ballet Teachers, and top local choreographers, CBSA dancers have earned international awards and received scholarships to prestigious institutions such as:

  • John Cranko School (Stuttgart Ballet, Germany)
  • Royal Ballet School (London)
  • School of American Ballet (New York City)

Rising Stars Bring ‘The Children’s Nutcracker’ to Life

CBSA’s mission to elevate young artists, including pint-sized prima ballerinas, gifted young adult dancers, and inspiring performers with special needs, is on full display in this year’s production.

Honoring Tchaikovsky’s original score and the classic Nutcracker tradition, the 90-minute performance is perfectly crafted to keep younger audiences engaged from beginning to end.

This season’s featured dancers include Daniela Quiroga, Jaida Soleman, William Bessler, Joaquin Marsh, Inez Dunne, Louise Picha, and Gigi Natho, who will perform beloved roles such as Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Cavalier. Opulent costumes, magical sets, and exquisite choreography promise to delight both longtime fans and first-time viewers of this timeless tale.

Festive Fun Begins Before the Curtain Rises

Guests can get into the holiday spirit early with a charming pre-show holiday market featuring unique gifts and collectibles. Families can enjoy seasonal treats, take photos with Santa, meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and cast members, and enjoy joyful performances from the San Antonio Academy Wildcat’s Chorale and Mariachi Orgullo del Sur.

Event Details

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio Presents: The Children’s Nutcracker

Show Dates & Times

  • Fri, Dec 12 — 7:00 p.m.
  • Sat, Dec 13 — 2:00 p.m.
  • Sun, Dec 14 — 2:00 p.m.

Note: Holiday Market and Photos with Santa and the cast open one hour prior to showtime.

Location:
Lila Cockrell Theatre
200 E. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205

About the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio

The award-winning Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional-level ballet company that showcases the city’s most talented young dancers. Performers are selected by audition or invitation, and receive extensive training and performance experience.

Mission:
To inspire excellence and prepare children for creative, productive lives through dance by offering world-class training and performance opportunities to talented youth from all backgrounds.

‘The Last Real Showgirl’: Diane Christiansen’s Ode to Showbiz Survival

‘The Last Real Showgirl’ by Diane Christiansen. Photo: Amazon

“The Last Real Showgirl” by Diane Christiansen is a dazzling, heartfelt memoir that takes readers behind the velvet curtain of old Vegas glamour and other such clubs around the world, including Paris, Montreal, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and New York. With charm, wit, and vulnerability, Christiansen recounts her journey from a small Illinois town girl to a star showgirl in the golden age of Las Vegas-like entertainment. Her voice is unapologetically authentic, brimming with the confidence of a woman who knows she lived a life few could imagine.

It begins in 1969 when Diane auditions, with butterflies in her stomach, for the Rockettes at Radio City Music hall as a 17 year old high school student. Her first professional job takes her to Montreal, where the training was so intense, she often wishes she could quit and go back home. The thought of returning to a turbulent home life was her incentive to tough it up and keep going. Her persistence pays off, as she is soon traveling the world from one exotic locale to another, all the while dating some of the men she meets along the way. All in all, she was a dancer, a showgirl, and an actress, and ultimately, the #1 acting coach in Hollywood.

The chapters are short and the first person narrative is immersive and engaging. With vivid language, her story unfolds as readers get glimpses of her struggles: “It had profoundly quenched my parched soul like an endless fountain of inspiration and had given me a glimpse of the reality to all my dreams of becoming a great dancer and actress.”

Highlights include Chapter 3: Meet My Mom & Dad where she gives her parent’s backstory and the home life she was fleeing and Chapter 12: Insomnia that describes her struggle with diet pills and the insomnia they caused her.

Christiansen manages to capture the sparkle and grit of showbiz. She doesn’t shy away from the sacrifices and pressures that came with the spotlight, nor does she downplay the camaraderie, artistry, and pride of being part of a now-vanishing world. Her stories are vivid and entertaining, painting a portrait not just of herself but of a bygone era where beauty, discipline, and performance reigned.

Overall, “The Last Real Showgirl” is a celebration of resilience and self-definition. Diane Christiansen’s story is a love letter to showgirls past and present—a reminder that strength can be found in sequins, and history can be told through high kicks and hard work. A captivating read, it’s recommended for readers intrigued by performance, identity, and the magic of old Las Vegas.

“With each storm, we grow a little more into the soul we are meant to become, like branches on a tree that have been struck by lightning. I could feel the accelerated growth inside me at this juncture.”

*The author was contacted for an honest review of this book and received a copy. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Related post: Sequins, Spotlight, and Stories: A Look at Diane Christiansen’s Dazzling Memoir

Sequins, Spotlight, and Stories: A Look at Diane Christiansen’s Dazzling Memoir

‘The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ’70s Onstage’ by Diane Christiansen. Photo: Amazon

Showgirls are known for their dazzling blend of beauty, confidence, and theatrical glamour. Their elaborate costumes, precision choreography, and magnetic stage presence create a spectacle that celebrates femininity, fantasy, and performance art. Often associated with Las Vegas or classic cabarets, showgirls evoke nostalgia for a bygone era of entertainment while continuing to evolve with modern flair. Visually appealing, they also possess a charisma and skill which they bring to the stage. Audiences are drawn to the magic, energy, and escape showgirls offer—a vibrant celebration of artistry, elegance, and the enduring power of performance.

If you’ve ever been curious about what it’s like to be a showgirl, consider the new memoir by Diane Christiansen. “The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ‘70s Onstage” gives readers an insight into the reality of being a showgirl in the ’70s — in the heyday of star-studded productions from Paris to Las Vegas. It’s a true story, by a real showgirl, that’s filled with surprises. (CS Lewis Publicity, 2025)

Diane Christiansen‘s career has spanned five decades as an actress, dancer, author, director, producer, writer, costume designer, and studio owner. She is an acting coach to many acclaimed actors on television shows like Euphoria, This is Us, Dickinson, Stranger Things, Sandman, Quantum Leap and countless other well-known and popular TV shows and movies.

“The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ‘70s Onstage” by Diane Christiansen – During the 1970s, showgirls represented the pinnacle of club and resort entertainment. In the modern age, very few shows left in Las Vegas, the resorts, or Paris feature showgirls at all. This memoir presents in her own words the life of Diane Christiansen, the last real showgirl.

As a teenager, desperate to get out of Illinois and into the glittering world of professional dance, Diane visits Montreal and discovers the electrifying world of French Cabaret. This kicks off a chain of events which finds her, before long, in Paris, dancing with a giant seahorse on her head at the world-renowned Lido de Paris. From opium dens in Paris to comedy clubs in the Bahamas, the arc of Diane’s dazzling career spans the globe, all before she is 28. This insider perspective on the industry presents the singular life of the last real showgirl, while also capturing the swansong of a thrilling era in stage entertainment.

Showgirls were powerful women in charge of their own careers — and well-paid, valued players in the flashy world of sequins, feathers, step-kicks, and lavish productions. Most were classically trained dancers who traveled the globe and planned their post-showgirl futures well in advance. They were nothing like the forlorn characters in recent movies.

In her candid, rollicking memoir, Diane Christiansen recounts her years as a showgirl — an iconic symbol of sexy, top-shelf entertainment rarely seen today. She offers an insider’s view to the alluring world of elaborate costumes, dance routines, the meaning of “Semi-Nude” and “Nude,” and life backstage, onstage and offstage. She delves into loves, losses, and her high-flying life. 

Ballet, Beauty, and Holiday Cheer: The Children’s Nutcracker at the Lila Cockrell Theatre

Transport your family to a magical winter wonderland with The Children’s Nutcracker. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

San Antonio, TX —The Children’s Nutcracker is a truly enchanting, family-friendly adaptation of the classic Christmastime ballet. Presented on December 13 and 14 by the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, the region’s foremost institution for youth dance instruction, this dynamic production infuses the timeless elegance of The Nutcracker ballet with CBSA’s mission to create professional-grade performance opportunities for pint sized prima ballerinas, supremely talented young adult dancers and inspiring special needs performers. Ticket information is available through Ticketmaster.

The 10th anniversary winter wonderland production takes place at the magnificent Lila Cockrell Theater, located amidst the famous San Antonio Riverwalk’s famed holiday light display. The 90-minute runtime ensures young audiences stay enthralled and inspired, while pre-show opportunities to visit Santa, shop at an onsite holiday market, and indulge in mouthwatering treats from the Kingdom of Sweets create the perfect atmosphere to kick off the holiday season.

Eagerly anticipated auditions draw hundreds of regional applicants hoping to secure a spot on San Antonio’s top stages and dance alongside world-renowned guest artists. This year, international ballet masters and principal artists Aliaksandra Krukava and Nurlan Kinerbayev, both experts in ballet’s acclaimed Vaganova method made famous by the likes of Anna Pavlova, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev, return to lend their expertise to the choreography and staging of The Children’s Nutcracker, as well as dance the principal roles for the December 13 performance. These acclaimed dancers have performed leading roles in classical ballets for numerous companies throughout Europe and the United States, including the Russian National Ballet. Their presence on a San Antonio stage is truly a unique opportunity, made possible by CBSA.

The production is sure to satisfy audiences familiar with the 19th century tale of young Clara and her magical Nutcracker Prince, and dazzle those experiencing the cherished tradition for the first time. All the grandeur of Tchaikovsky’s original ballet score and the classic elements of The Nutcracker legacy are retained in The Children’s Nutcracker, while the energetic pace is designed to entrance younger audiences from start to finish.

Adding to the holiday cheer is the knowledge that proceeds from The Children’s Nutcracker support CBSA’s civic altruism. To date, the company and the affiliated Dance Center of San Antonio has provided life-changing educational and performance opportunities to nearly 2,500 young dancers from South and Central Texas, performed for more than 35,000 Title I schoolchildren and 2,000 underserved community members affiliated with Bexar County youth and family service organizations, and awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to special needs, boys’ dance, and financial needs-based students.

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents The Children’s Nutcracker

Friday December 13, 7p.m. and Saturday December 14, 2p.m.

Note: Holiday Market and Photos with Santa and cast opens one hour prior to showtime.

The Lila Cockrell Theatre
200 E. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205