Luna Montana Joins Columbia Classical Ballet for The Capital’s Nutcracker

COLUMBIA, S.C. Luna Montana, a dancer and one of ballet’s best-known creators on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, joins Columbia Classical Ballet as a guest artist this December in The Nutcracker at the Koger Center for the Arts.

Montana will dance Dewdrop in the Waltz of the Flowers at the evening performances on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5. At the Saturday and Sunday matinees, she will dance the Russian Dance with her partner, Jordan Beasley.

Montana and Beasley are in Columbia the week before The Nutcracker. Artistic Director Joseph Phillips and the company’s artistic staff are available for interviews, in the studio and on TV. Interviews with Montana depend on her rehearsal schedule. Press and photographers are welcome at rehearsal at the company’s studio, 610 Harden Street in Five Points.

A New Production

This is a new production of The Nutcracker, new from the choreography to the costumes. The new Waltz of the Flowers is a first look at a Nutcracker rooted in Columbia that the company is building for the years ahead. It is being filmed at the Koger Center by a professional crew with eight cameras. Montana dances in the film, with the full company around her. The company will release it on YouTube after the performances.

The Capital’s Nutcracker is made by the company’s own artists. Artistic Director Joseph Phillips choreographs the new Waltz of the Flowers. Ballet Master Sergei Zolotarev creates a new Russian Dance. Irene Liu choreographs the Chinese Dance. Kiyomi Mercadante Ramirez and Dr. Jennifer Amrol, teachers at the School of Columbia Classical Ballet, also choreograph for the production.

“More than 2.5 million people follow Luna Montana. This December, she’s in Columbia. She dances Dewdrop in Columbia Classical Ballet’s new Waltz of the Flowers. In yellow. The yellow of the Carolina jessamine, South Carolina’s state flower. This is The Capital’s Nutcracker.”Joseph Phillips, Artistic Director

The Guest Artists

Luna Montana began her ballet journey at the age of three and has since grown into a passionate dancer, creator, and advocate for the next generation of dancers. Through her platform, she openly shares her experiences with body image and the pressures dancers face within the dance world. Her mission is to create a space where young dancers feel seen, understood, and empowered to embrace their authentic self.

Jordan Beasley dances with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, also appearing as a guest artist with American Contemporary Ballet and Pacific Festival Ballet. He began his training in dance in Los Angeles before continuing his studies at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Miami City Ballet. He launched his professional career with IAF Company, creating work as both a dancer and choreographer for music videos, commercials, and live productions. Jordan was a featured soloist in an immersive cabaret performance at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with notable performances at The Music Center Los Angeles and The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

Performances and Tickets

Public performances are Friday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 5 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, December 6 at 2 p.m., at the Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene Street. Tickets are $17 to $49, fees included, at columbiaclassicalballet.com/tickets or the Koger Center box office, 803-251-2222. Educational Outreach performances for schoolchildren are Wednesday, December 2 and Friday, December 4 at 10 a.m.

About Columbia Classical Ballet

Columbia Classical Ballet has presented the full-length Nutcracker since 1992. The company and the School of Columbia Classical Ballet are at 610 Harden Street in Columbia’s historic Five Points district. High-resolution photography of Luna Montana is available on request.