After 20 years, the Nutcracker Prince is now Snow King.
Chris Larsen, the original prince in Judy Russell's inaugural Nutcracker production, returns to the local dance studio to teach, dance and give back to the community where he got his start in ballet.
The Nutcracker goes Dec. 16 to 18 at Vanier Hall.
Larsen began at Judy Russell's Dance Centre at eight years old. Attending the National Ballet School of Canada in Toronto at 13.
"It was kind of a big move," said Larsen. "I just had a passion for dancing and I had this opportunity and I thought I might as well see where it takes me."
When Larsen was 16 he returned to Prince George when Russell choreographed the original Nutcracker for him.
"Judy basically choreographed the Prince and Clara during the summer for all the scenes I would be involved in, then I went off to school in the fall and came back a bit early before Christmas," Larsen explained. "I left knowing my bits and then came back to fit myself into the production."
After he graduated from the National Ballet School Larsen spent a year with the school doing an intensive grad year. He then travelled the world dancing with Ballet Art in Switzerland from 1994 to '96, Hong Kong Ballet from 1996 to '99 and joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet as a first artist in 1999 and was promoted to soloist in 2004. He was there for 10 years.
"I loved that company," he added. "It was a great environment to dance in and it's a leading company in the world. I was very fortunate to get a job there."
Larsen also starred in several productions including Benno in Swan Lake, Cavalier in The
Sleeping Beauty and Petruchio in The Shakespeare Suite.
He was at the peak of his performing years, still getting those great roles, when he decided he was ready to return to Canada.
"I wanted to start a different chapter in my life," said Larsen. "I had performed for many, many years and it was time for a change."
When he did retire, he didn't know that teaching was going to be an option for him and he was living in the Okanagan for about a year and a half before he moved back to Prince George.
"I started to teach two classes a week to see if that was a route I wanted to take," said Larsen. "I really enjoyed teaching and it was staying with dance but looking at it from a completely different point of view."
He went back to London, England and spent last summer at the Royal Academy of Dance to get his Professional Dancer's Teaching Diploma.
He now teaches full time at Judy Russell's dance centre.
"I have the utmost respect for Judy and it's nice to be in an environment that is very supportive and has this amazing facility," Larsen said. "Great students, great staff and it's just really nice to be there. It's kind of nice to start off my teaching where I began my dancing. I think it's quite ironic that the year I decided to teach is the 20th anniversary of the Nutcracker."
Larsen was not expecting to dance in the Nutcracker and it feels a little bit strange, he said.
"I am looking at it a little bit differently because I spend a lot of time in rehearsal coaching the Prince and Clara," said Larsen. "It's been a fantastic experience to be able to help those people doing the lead roles and share a little bit of my knowledge. Hopefully I will be able to teach by example rather than instructing all the time."
The 20th anniversary performance of Judy Russell's Nutcracker with the PGSO runs Dec. 16 to 18 with shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Reserved seats are $22 to $32 plus taxes and fees at Studio 2880, 2880 15th Avenue or call
250-563-2880.
