Christmas FANTASTIQUE will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Lewis Auditorium, 14 Granada St., St. Augustine. Now in its fifth season, the original production from Zoika’s Dance tells the classic holiday story of “The Nutcracker” through the exhilarating language of dance, featuring ballet and contemporary dance styles including tap, hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and acro dance.
Professional dancers, acrobats, and magicians join young, local dancers on stage for the holiday extravaganza, thrilling for audiences of all ages.
Tickets range from $23 to $38, and may be purchased online at zoikasdance.com.
Christmas FANTASTIQUE invites audiences to share in young Clara’s Christmas Eve dream, as her Christmas tree grows tall, her toys come to life and she travels with a young Nutcracker prince to the Land of Sweets.
To create this magic, director Zoika Garcia has assembled a cast of 90 performers to bring their mastery and fireworks to the stage.
Clara, the story’s protagonist, will be portrayed by 12-year-old dancer Olivia Budd, alongside Emmett Kelly, 13, who will dance the role of the Nutcracker Prince. The exotic roles of Arabian will be performed by professional acrobatic dancers Julia Boyd and John Boyd, owners of Acro Fit of Jacksonville.
Professional dancer Jenne Vermes of Noise Complaint Tap Dance Theatre will dance the role of Sugar Plum Fairy, and Natalia Kieloch will dance the role of the Mouse Queen.
Professional magician Brett Blackshear will reprise his role as Clara’s Uncle Drosselmeyer and wow audiences with magic enchantment. The cast will also be joined by dancers from Ruby Dance Center of Tampa, who were recently selected to represent the United States as Team USA in the 2026 Dance World Cup in Dublin, Ireland.
Harpist Kathleen Blackshear will entertain audiences before the show.
Garcia and the cast look forward to sharing Christmas FANTASTIQUE with local children who are served by St. Johns County nonprofit organizations including St. Augustine Youth Services, the Betty Griffin House and Fostering Connections. Thanks to the support of community sponsors, Zoika’s Dance will provide complimentary tickets for these children to experience the holiday magic, as well.
“Sharing dance with the community gives us so much joy,” Garcia explained. “And sharing this holiday experience with children who might not otherwise be able to attend makes it so much sweeter!”
Sponsorship and marketing opportunities are available to support the production and its community outreach. For more information on becoming a sponsor, go to zoikasdance.com/sponsors.
Zoika’s Dance is a comprehensive dance school in St. Augustine that offers beginner to advanced classes in dance, as well as a wide range performance opportunities. To learn more, go to zoikasdance.com.
