Plum Pair
Dance school founders bring out the best in Nutcracker
Galmont Ballet instructor Maria Slate helps student Lily Small with her tiara. STEVEN HICKS PHOTOS
The island of Cuba has a well-deserved reputation for political turmoil, stunning beaches, great baseball players and outstanding ballet dancers. Frank Galvez is one of the latter.
Galvez — who once accepted an invitation from Rudolf Nureyev to tour six countries performing in Swan Lake — is artistic director emeritus at Rockledge’s Galmont Ballet Centre for Dance Education. He and his wife, Lucia Montero, founded the Space Coast school of dance more than two decades ago.
Both have impeccable resumes. Born in Havana, Cuba,
Galvez made his ballet debut with Ballet Teatro Lirico of Havana in 1968. He left Cuba in 1975 to perform in 40 countries on three continents.
In 1979, he became the ballet master and principal character dancer of the Ballet Teresa Carreno in Venezuela. He has been ballet master for Nevada Dance Theater, Ballet Concerto Company of Miami, Ballet du Montpelier, Danzas Tipicas de Maracaibo and the Chamber Ballet of Zulia; and artistic director and resident choreographer for Dance Theater West, Ballet Nova, in Miami, and the Lexington Ballet Company of Kentucky.
A native of Venezuela, Montero is as comfortable with ballet as she is with modern dance. She served as ballet mistress for dance with Dance Theater West and Ballet Nova and was school director and assistant artistic director for the Lexington Ballet Company. Her versatility has also enabled her to perform in Spellbound in Las Vegas, and in productions of A Chorus Line and West Side Story. In 1990, she was recognized by Miami’s Asociacion Cultural de Criticos de Arte [Cultural Association of Art Critics] as soloist dancer of the year, for her role as Adela in The House of Bernarda Alba.
Galvez will tell you he is retired. Montero begs to differ. “Frank wants to die in the studio,” she joked. After two decades, she has also entertained thoughts of retirement, but then thought better. “Things are going so well, and I am having such a good time,” she said.
Galmont Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is a well-established holiday tradition at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse. ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ
The Flower Waltz corps with Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop.
SKILLS
Mother Ginger and her clowns with Clara, from Act II of The Nutcracker. ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ
For Galvez and Montero, nurturing students to blossom as artists and individuals is a job they consider a privilege. Many Galmont students have been accepted to major nationwide summer programs and professional ballet companies. Even if students opt for another career, many of the skills acquired while learning to dance — discipline, teamwork, attention to detail, confidence — will help them in whatever life paths they choose.
The school’s program is divided into graded levels of intensive training for students ranging from 3 to 18 years of age. For adults, there is a dance class as well as fitness class based on ballet principles. A pre-professional program serves students who want to hone their skills for the next level.
Galmont has been part of thousands of students’ lives.
“To say that Galmont has been a second home for me is an understatement,” said Maria Slate, a 2019 alumna who now serves as an instructor at the school.
“I trained at Galmont from the age of 5 years old until I graduated high school, and my experience has been nothing shy of incredible. I learned things that not only prepared me for a professional dance career, but so many valuable lessons about discipline, hard work, and that you can do anything you set your mind to. Now, being a Galmont Ballet staff member is really a full circle moment. I am honored to be able to teach the next generation of young dancers and to give them the same great experience that I had growing up.”
Fifteen-year-old Victoria Small has been a student at Galmont since 2017. This year she stars as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the annual production of The Nutcracker at Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse.
“Being a Galmont Ballet dancer means you are part of a family of people who love the art of classical ballet and who are always supporting each other, no matter what,” Small said.
Speaking of always supporting each other, Galmont and the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse have a long-standing relationship.
“Galmont Ballet holds a special place in the heart of our playhouse holiday season,” said the playhouse’s executive director and CEO Dr. Anastacia Hawkins-Smith. “Frank Galvez has an amazing history, emigrating from Cuba and making his dream a reality. Frank and Lucia were international ballet performers and have been creating beautiful performances on the playhouse stage, as the resident ballet company of the playhouse. They are eternally gracious, ever inspiring, and truly an example of the art and excellence at our theater.”
The Snow Waltz scene from Act 1 of The Nutcracker.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Galmont Ballet students work on their technique in class. ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ PHOTOS
While Galmont’s quality productions of classical and contemporary dances have been showcased at the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, Florida Tech’s Gleason Performing Arts Center and the Henegar Center for the Arts, the playhouse remains the place for Galmont — particularly during the holidays.
Choreographed by Galvez, Galmont’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, has been a playhouse holiday treat for close to 20 years. The massive show features a colossal, growing Christmas tree, snow flurries, mesmerizing magic tricks, stunning lighting, more than 120 elaborate costumes and sets, and 42 performers. The production pairs Galmont’s most talented students with international guest artists — it typically sells out each year.
“This glorious production only gets better with time,” Montero said. “The holiday magic of The Nutcracker is perhaps more significant than ever. But more than anything, it is an homage to our home venue on its 100th birthday.”
Slated for the weekend of Dec. 20 to 22, this year’s production stars two international guest artists in leading roles. Marcos Ramirez, who will portray the Nutcracker himself, is also a Cuban native. He joined the Cuban National Ballet School at age 17 and has since performed in Europe and the United States. The documentary, To Dance Like a Man, profiles his passion for the art form.
As the Cavalier, Ariel Morilla brings ballet experience that began when he was 10 years old and joined the Cuban National Ballet School. He has toured internationally through Europe, South America and the Caribbean, and is a current member of Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami.
For dancers such as Small, dancing in The Nutcracker is an unforgettable experience. As for Galvez, The Nutcracker at the Playhouse never gets old.
“I have many fond memories of watching our dancers — more than a thousand of them — perform The Nutcracker, sharing the stage with worldwide-known, international guest artists,” Galvez said. “Our dancers work very hard during Nutcracker season and the production is filled with challenging choreography that pushes them, every performance. It is an honor being part of the holiday tradition for so many families.”
Galmont student Charlotte Lynard dances the role of Clara in The Nutcracker. STEVEN HICKS
Clara & Friends Tea Party
Banyan Estates
1490 Marie St., Malabar
Sunday, Nov. 3, 2-4 p.m.
Highlights: Performance by Galmont Ballet dancers, tea, hot cocoa and special treats, meet and greet with characters from The Nutcracker.
Tickets are $50, to purchase call 321.208.7074.
Galmont Ballet Centre for Dance Education
5575 Schenck Ave.
Suite 11, Rockledge
321.208.7074
Instagram.com/galmontballet
Facebook.com/GalmontBalletSchool
Angels in the Kingdom of the Sweets perform in the Galmont production of The Nutcracker. ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ
The Nutcracker
Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse
330 Brevard Ave., Cocoa Village
Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21, 7:30 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21 and 22, 2 p.m.
Tickets are $23 to $40; available at
cocoavillageplayhouse.com or call 321.636.5050.
Maria Sonnenberg
Maria is a prolific writer and proofer for Space Coast Living and an adjunct professor at Florida Institute of Technology’s Nathan M. Bisk College of Business. When not writing, teaching or traveling, she can be found waging a one-woman war against her lawn and futilely attempting to maintain order among the chaos of a pack of extremely clueless wirehair dachshunds and an angst-driven basset hound.
