By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Arms, legs, elbows, and kneecaps flying in all directions, in perfect synchronization… Yep, it was the 2025 edition of “A Carolina Snowbelles Christmas.” The slick production featuring the Carolina Snowbelles and special guest performers was the best yet: entertaining, creative, bold and beautiful in all respects.
BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article (click any image for larger version and to launch Slide Show Mode)
Few live performances can possibly match the Snowbelles’ Christmas-themed show for getting in the holiday mood. Opening with “Happy Holidays,” featuring guest vocalists Gennard and Christy Lombardozzi, was the perfect introduction for what would come. And with seamless transitions deftly moving the pieces from one dance or musical piece to the next, it was minute-by-minute enchantment.
The show featured dancers from 6 years old to adults, including Emma Dees, a Snowbelle alum who turned professional and spent two years touring internationally in Costa Rica, Peru, and Southeast Asia before returning to Boone where she continues to train and perform. Serving as a teacher and choreographer for the Snowbelles’ parent organization, The Space @ Project Dance, Dees also serves as the organization’s Director of Student Life.
Also performing with the Snowbelles this year is Brooke Handy, yet another professional dancer and choreographer. After graduating from the North Carolina School of the Arts, Handy started work with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane company in New York City. Her adventures include the Kyoto International Arts Festival in Japan, the American Dance Festival and Paul Taylor Dance Company immersive, dance intensive workshops. Like Dees, Handy also dances, teaches and choreographs for The Space @ Project Dance and the Carolina Snowbelles.
An oft-featured performer for the Snowbelles in the Christmas themed show was local dancer and second-year choreographer Journey Lockhart. Beginning at age 15, Journey is already a signed professional actress and also competes in track and field. Not surprisingly, her dream job is to one day perform with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes of which the Snowbelles are modeled after.
Any of the Snowbelles looking for a step toward the Rockettes are in the right place, given that The Space @ Project Dance and Carolina Snowbelles director Cheryl Cutlip spent 15 years with the Rockettes and returns every April with the Snowbelles for live performances in an outdoor free concert on a pop-up stage in Times Square, where Broadway, 7th Avenue and 44th Street all come together. Under Cutlip’s direction, the Snowbelles Christmas performances showed off the hard work and athleticism of her charges, from the young “Snow Flurries” to the more veteran and accomplished Snowbelles.
A special added attraction for the 2025 show was incorporating vocal performances by Gennard and Christy Lombardozzi and Boone native Chelsea Mudiam. The Lombardozzis both have opera backgrounds, but also included more traditional Christmas music in their Snowbelles Christmas performances.
Christy has performed on stages throughout the U.S. and Europe. Gennard has been similarly successful as a performer in opera, oratorio and musical theater throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. He is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at App State’s Hayes School of Music. The Lombardozzis live in Blowing Rock and were anxious to perform in the Snowbelles Christmas show after young daughter, Maebel, became a member of the Snow Flurries.
While the Lombardozzis’ vocal training is clearly on display throughout all of their performances, Gennard’s playful interactions with the youngest dancers are as endearing as they are entertaining in several of the numbers.
This year, 36 dancers performed in “A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas.” The number was special to Cutlip, since 36 Rockettes perform in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall and that legendary troupe is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.
But with a new piece called,”Cascade,” Cutlip gave a nod to the Snowbelles’ Appalachian Mountains heritage, including music by the Lombardozzis as well as a brief clogging performance.
It all makes for a combination of beauty, wonder and poignant reminders of what the Christmas season is all about.
But enough of the text to read. Let’s look at the pictures!
BONUS PHOTOS: Click on any image for a larger image and to launch Slide Show Mode)
(All photographic images captured and processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports and Blowing Rock News)
