Chandler Jenette Davis of Windsor has been named to the lead role of Clara after auditions were held September 17th and 18th at Connecticut Concert Ballet for the 2011 production of the Nutcracker.

Chandler is the daughter of Glenn Davis, community responsibility consultant at Mass Mutual and a minister at The First Cathedral in Bloomfield, and his wife Dianne, senior territory business manager for Johnson & Johnson and a cofounder of World without Limits Health and Wellness Fair.

Chandler is an 11 year old sixth grader at the Metropolitan Learning Center where she is an honor student; she won a Student Achievement Award last year at the Poquonock School in Windsor. Chandler has also received an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Artists Collective in Hartford and has studied at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

She has been dancing for seven years and this is her sixth Nutcracker with CCB. Besides ballet, Chandler enjoys Praise Dancing at The First Cathedral, where CCB performed a preview version of the Nutcracker for the congregation on Sunday, November 27th.

At CCB, Chandler is a level 3 dancer in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. She spends six hours a week in classes that include ballet technique and pointe. Rehearsals for the Nutcracker are held outside of class time, Chandler rehearses at least six hours a week. She also takes a weekly seventy-five minute class as a Trainee in CCB's pre-professional track. Chandler says, "The most challenging part of ballet is pointe work and my turnout. I enjoy getting to learn new combinations."

In all, 250 accomplished cast members from Connecticut Concert Ballet will perform alongside professional dancers Mario I. Espinoza and Kimberly Van Woesik from Ballet Hispanico in New York City the first weekend, and with Darren McIntyre and Jennifer Grapes from Chicago, Illinois and most recently with the Milwaukee Ballet the second weekend. This most affordable Nutcracker in the area is known for elaborate staging, professional-quality costuming, intricate choreography and riveting dancing and has been a seasonal favorite for 37 years.

Performances will be held at the Bailey Auditorium, 134 Middle Turnpike East, on Saturdays, December 10, and 17 (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and Sundays, December 11 and 18 (2 p.m.).

Ticket Information: Preferred Front & Center Seats $35; General Admission $25, Child/Student/Seniors $15. Tickets are available online at www.connecticutnutcracker.com, by phone (860) 418-7294, at Dance Village, 171 Spencer St, Manchester, and Hairdresser on Fire, 176 Broad St, Windsor.

Connecticut Concert Ballet is a semi-professional 501(c)(3) classical ballet school and performing arts organization with studios in Manchester and Windsor, Connecticut and has 300 students from over 35 towns in the Greater Hartford area. For more information on the school please visit www.ctconcertballet.org or call 860-643-4796. For more information on Ballet Hispanico visit www.ballethispanico.org.