By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — For 11 years now, the perfect “season opener” has been staged in the High Country and it has nothing to do with football or basketball at either App State or Watauga High School.
No, leave it to the Carolina Snowbelles and Project Dance to swoop in with the warmest kind of holiday cheer, beauty and precision athleticism.
“A Snowbelle Christmas” will once again grace the Appalachian Theatre stage in Boone. Because the 2024 shows were so popular, Project Dance show director Cheryl Cutlip announced on Nov. 25 that this year’s Christmas performance features an expanded schedule, including an 8 p.m. curtain on Dec. 5 (Friday); two Dec. 6 (Saturday) shows, at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.; and two Dec. 7 (Sunday) shows at 1:30 p.m and 5:30 p.m.
“A lot of younger families have a hard time getting to the later evening shows, so we have moved things up a bit on Saturday and Sunday,” said Cutlip. “This is fun entertainment for the entire family, young and older alike. The shows are a great way to kick off the holiday season.”
This year’s performances feature some exceptional wrinkles, Cutlip explained, including vocal performances by Gennard and Christy Lombardozzi, as well as Chelsea Mudiam.
The Lombardozzis, said Cutlip, are accomplished professional vocalists, especially in the operatic style. Dr. Gennard Lobardozzi is a member of the faculty at App State’s Hayes School of Music, an associate professor of voice and the director of the Vocal Music Performance degree at the school. He established himself as a successful performer in opera, oratorio, and musical theatre repertoire and has been heard on stages throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Christy Lombardozzi holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Tennessee and is a graduate of the opera program at the Yale University School of Music. She has numerous operatic and theatrical roles to her credit.
Said Cutlip, “The Lombarozzis now have a child in the Snowbelles, Mabel, and she is one of our new Snow Flurries in the show. I knew her parents were incredible singers, so I asked if they would be in the show and they were gracious enough to volunteer. They are singing together and singing separately. Christy performs an opera that is oh, so beautiful. Gennard could do something similar but he is performing more standard tunes like ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town,’ which will be loads of fun. They will be doing an opening number that is more of a Broadway-style piece. They will also be singing a new piece, called ‘Cascade.’ Gennard also accompanies himself with a mandolin.”
Beyond the special music and vocals, Cutlip reported that the 2025 Carolina Snowbelles troupe includes 36 dancers for the Christmas show, the largest performing group they have had in the 11 years of Christmas-themed shows, which began in 2014.
“The larger group allows us to do more, to share more. The ranges are more diverse, starting from six years old to adult,” said Cutlip.
But there is a symbolic significance to that number, 36, too, tied to Cutlip’s long history with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
“This is the 100th anniversary of the Rockettes in New York City, which the Carolina Snowbelles are modeled after. There are 36 Rockettes on the stage at one time, so this is our nod to the Rockettes’ celebration this year,” said Cutlip.
Also new to the show is a piece called “Shine,” which Cutlip described as a very upbeat jazz number.
“In addition, There is a new piece called, ‘Cascade,’ which is a tribute to our heritage here in the Appalachian Mountains, to ‘Simple Gifts,’ which was later made famous as ‘Appalachian Spring’ that Martha Graham did as a more notable piece,” said Cutlip.
“We are also embracing our heritage in the Appalachian Mountains by including a short clogging (piece), which opens to a stage for moving snowflakes in a Berkeley style piece, to the tune and lyrics of ‘Lord of the Dance.’ This is really my tribute to the beautiful and spiritual heritage that we have in the Appalachian Mountains. It represents faith, hope and love. The moving snowflakes give the dancers an opportunity to unite and move together for one idea. I am excited to share it, but there are a lot of moving parts.”
Part of the “Snowflakes” performance features a special visual opportunity for the audience as the Snowbelles will be creating a “snowflake” on stage with an overhead camera and a live feed projecting the images upstage for the audience, to see the intricacies of the movements.
“It was really fun to create something in the studio knowing that you have all these elements. I actually had my son, Evan, come to rehearsal recently and fly a drone overhead. He was able to get a pretty good shot so I could get an idea of what it looks like from above and how to clean it up before the live performance in the show,” said Cutlip. “It is important for us to make adjustments thinking about what the overhead view will be like. In a regular stage performance, the dancers in the front are seen more but with the overhead live feed, all of the dancers will be seen, equally. Most of the movements by the dancers are from sitting or laying down positions in this piece. It is intricate, but also very different compared to how you might see us in our kick lines, for example.”
There will be kick lines, of course, too, which are the Snowbelles’ trademark moves reflecting the Rockettes’ influence. Cutlip was with the Rockettes in New York for 15 years and has brought that level of professionalism to the Snowbelles
“Our focus is not just training the dancers to dance, but the whole person. We teach them not just what to expect, but what is expected of them, too. A number of our alumni have gone on to grace the stage not just at the college level, but professionally, too. Gracie Epperson is now a member of the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. At 15, Journey Lockhart began getting contracts, including solo performances,” said Cutlip.
But the level of professionalism goes beyond the choreography and dance routines with the Snowbelles.
“Our lighting director for this year’s show comes all the way from Houston. Her name is Tiffany Schrepferman and I have worked with her before. She is terrific.”
Altogether, this year’s “Snowbelles Christmas” promises to again be fun and colorful, with an abundance of creativity in the hands and minds of the choreographers.
Tickets may be purchased online (https://www.thecarolinasnowbelles.com/) or at the door (subject to availability).
SUMMARY OF SHOWTIMES:
- Friday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
- Saturday, Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
- Saturday, Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m.(CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
- Sunday, Dec. 7, 1:30 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
- Sunday, Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
