Geoffrey Holder :: Bring your children to the Urban Nutcracker!

As imposing as the sparkling Christmas tree that rises to roof-top heights in the "Nutcracker" ballet, the legendary Geoffrey Holder at 6'6" and 80-years old, knows the value of... little ones.

"I do not dance for adults," he told EDGE in a phone call; "I dance for the little child sitting in the balcony. That is what is important. The inspiration an artist gives a child."

His hope for the flowering of the next generation lies in the inspiration artists can give a child.

For that reason he happily accepted the invitation to attend a performance of the Tony Williams Urban Nutcracker during its run at the Wheelock Family Theater.

For the tenth season Williams puts his exuberant take on the famous E.T.A. Hoffman story of a little girl and a magical Christmas gift. His production offers a sublime amalgamation of the Tchaikovsky score with Duke Ellington music and the George Balanchine choreography of the Russian, French influenced ballet interspersed with swing steps and (early on) a prologue with tap, hip hop, and flamenco.

Meet Geoffrey Holder

Mr. Holder is the special guest at a reception on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 6 pm (after the 1:30 pm matinee and prior to the 8 pm evening performance) at the Wheelock Auditorium, 200 The Riverway in the Boston. The Urban Nutcracker is performed by Ballet Rox through December 19, 2010 evenings on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and matinees on Sunday and Saturday.

The youngest of five children growing up in Trinidad, Holder was inspired by his older brother Broscoe who was a dancer and a painter and other brothers and sisters who were painters and musicians. Geoffrey began dancing at age five. He made his dramatic bow in Waiting For Godot on Broadway, performed on Broadway in the musical House of Flowers (by Truman Capote and Harold Arlen), and danced in Aida at the old Metropolitan Opera House, all by the age 27. Since, among dozens of projects, he's earned two Tony Awards for direction and costume design for The Wiz in 1974, made you laugh at his elegant sales pitch on TV ads for the "un-cola" drink, had featured film roles in the James Bond adventure Live and Let Die and Annie (where he played Pujab). His paintings are collected as are his photographs.

A renowned choreographer, his Prodigal Prince originally done by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (danced by Judith Jameson) has been revived by that company for its 2011 season.

"Bring a child to a museum, bring a child to the theater," Holder urges.

"Bring your child to the Nutcracker!

"And dress him up when you do!" adds the sartorially splendid Holder.

Tony Williams Urban Nutcracker danced by BalletROX at the Wheelock Family Theater, 200 The Fenway through December 19, 2010. For more info go to [email protected].