TAMPA, Fla. — Some of the top ballet students in the world are in Tampa for the holidays, gearing up to lead the Straz Center's annual "Nutcracker" extravaganza Dec. 21-23. Tickets start at $20.
The Next Generation Ballet School at the Straz is a world-renowned magnet for ballet talent.
One of their current stars is 18-year-old Vitalii Malinovskyi from Ukraine.
With his family back home during turbulent times, Vitalii —who will play the Prince in the "Nutcracker" — said focusing on dance is a brief respite from worrying about loved ones back in Ukraine.
"When I'm dancing, I clear my head," he said. "It's very hard because I am seeing family in Ukraine, and because of war, it's so scary."
For more information on Next Generation Ballet and "Nutcracker," go here.
