Call 303-466-5685 to purchase tickets!
Friday, December 20th, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Pricing
Guest of Honor: Free
Family member: $10
About
Colorado Conservatory of Dance (CCD) is proud to present a special version of the traditional, Denver Metro’s family favorite ballet, The Nutcracker for people with special and sensory needs. Colorado Conservatory of Dance is in its twelfth year of offering Dance Expressions – a program which uses dance to build critical developmental skills and physical strength and flexibility for children with special needs ranging from Cerebral Palsy to Down Syndrome. Building on their expertise with this core program, CCD has developed a theatre experience for people with special needs. Thanks to generous contributions from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and other supporters,CCD is pleased to offer free or deeply discounted admissions to the production.
CCD was the first organization in Colorado to adapt traditional performances to allow patrons of all abilities to participate in this annual holiday tradition. We are very eager to bring back to the stage this beloved tradition for our patrons to enjoy this 8th annual special performance.
For the sensory-friendly performance, the conservatory alters the typical house rules, fostering the opportunity for audiences with special needs family members to feel welcomed in a theatre setting. The performance looks and feels identical to others on the calendar offered to the general public, but allows for authentic reactions among its audience members that may otherwise be seen as distracting in a typical theatre setting.
Sensory Friendly Show Details:
House lights are left up to prevent total darkness
Sound levels are adjusted to a moderate, consistent level to avoid surprises or distractions
Guests of Honor are encouraged to bring assistive technology into the theatre and may react to the story on stage in ways that feel correct to them (including standing, walking around, taking breaks, etc.)
Seating is limited to no more than half the house to ensure each audience member has adequate space around them.
This performance is only for those with sensory needs and their guests.
“Our family has been going since 2016 and this event has become an annual family tradition that we look forward to every year. My ten year old daughter Eve has a complex genetic disorder. She is profoundly deaf, has low-vision, has global developmental disabilities and has most recently been diagnosed with both autism and intellectual disability. With this performance she is able to stand right in front of the stage (for visual access), dance/move, and she has complete freedom just to exist as the beautiful person she is without constraints or judgment. There is truly no other event like this where my entire family can be comfortable and truly feel and be welcomed and accepted for who we are. The ability to meet the dancers up-close afterwards is also extremely fun and an exciting part of the experience for both my kids. Here are some photos from the last in-person event in 2019. Eve is in the green and her little sister Aria is in the red. As you can see from their expressions, this was an opportunity to experience true joy on the part of everyone involved.”
