Dana Benton
Dana Benton was born in Hamilton, Ontario in Canada, where she began her training with Lou and Pauline Zamprogna at The Dance Centre. At the age of 9, Benton was accepted to the National Ballet School in Toronto where she trained for eight years. Benton graduated from the National Ballet School with Honors in Academics and was awarded the Peter Dwyer Award for Excellence in Dance. Upon graduating in 2000, Benton received a contract with the Alberta Ballet Company in Alberta, Canada. She spent one year with the company as an apprentice. In 2001, Benton joined Colorado Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member and in 2007, Benton was promoted to Soloist. With Colorado Ballet, Benton has worked with many well-known choreographers and repetiteurs including Val Caniparoli, Bronwen Curry, Judith Fugate, John Gardner, Thierry Michel, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Jessica Lang, Edwaard Liang, Donald Mahler, Amanda McKerrow, Michael Pink, Brian Reeder, Domy Reiter-Soffer, Dwight Rhoden, Amy Seiwert, Paul Sutherland, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Doug Varone, Shelly Washington, Septime Webre, Christopher Wheeldon and Lila York. Since joining Colorado Ballet, Benton has performed many Soloist and Principal roles. Her notable roles include Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Swanilda in Coppélia, Cow Girl in Rodeo, Ave Maria Pas de Deux, Clara in The Nutcracker, Gulnara in Le Corsaire, Tinker Bell in Peter Pan, Pink and Aqua in Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, Red Girl in Celts, Lucy in Dracula, Princess Florine and Diamond Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Pas de Trois in Swan Lake, Peasant Pas in Giselle, Flower Girl and Cupid in Don Quixote, Hermia and Peaseblossom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Bomb Squad in In The Upper Room, and Lead Souvenir Lady in the Great Galloping Gottschalk, and the featured role in Amy Seiwert's Traveling Alone.

Adam Still
Adam Still is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from the Harid Conservatory where he trained under Svetlana Osiyeva and Olivier Pardina. While at Harid, he received the Rudolph Nureyev Education Fellowship. He received additional training at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Jacob's Pillow summer programs. Still joined the company in 2009 and was promoted to Soloist in 2012. While at Colorado Ballet, some of his notable roles include Prince in The Nutcracker, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Lead Gypsy in Don Quixote, and Peter in Peter Pan. He has also worked with choreographers such as Lila York, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Matthew Neenan, Amy Seiwert, Brian Reeder, Edward Liang, and Jodie Gates.

The “Nutcracker Sweet” Tea Party is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season! This annual event is newly redesigned this year with a whimsical candy buffet, a savory buffet with hot & cold appetizers and pastas from the Strawberry Cafe, festive new decorations, and enchanting opportunities to meet the characters from the ballet, including Clara, the Mouse King, and the Sugar Plum Fairy!( Bring your cameras for photo opportunities!) Guests will be seated at white-clothed tables of 10 (seating will be reserved), and each guest will go home with a party favor of their very own Nutcracker. Don't miss this special event that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Following the 2 pm matinee performances at Jackson Academy Dec 7 and 8. To purchase tickets, please click the “Buy Tickets Online” link on the homepage.