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'Billy Elliot' Star to Dance the Nutcracker at the Occidental Grand Aruba

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  Site Where: J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 83, Palm Beach, Aruba
November 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM | by Jennifer Kester | 0 Comments

Just because Aruba is a warm-weather holiday travel alternative doesn't mean you can't still partake in traditions while you're there. The Occidental Grand Aruba is really trying to get you in the spirit by offering Nutcracker performances at the resort starring Kiril Kulish, the Tony Award-winning actor who was one of the original boxer-turned-ballet-dancer title characters in Broadway's Billy Elliot.

Having the 15-year-old Broadway vet in the Aruba resort is rather random, but nonetheless pretty cool. You can see how his ballet chops have fared since he left the Great White Way at the all-inclusive resort on December 29. His free performance as the Nutcracker prince will be exclusively for hotel guests as part of a holiday package.

Shows also will take place on December 30 and January 2, but those will be open to the public and cost $20. Hotel guests will also have to pay for tickets, which go on sale November 30. The January 2 show will be a special solo feature performance starring Kulish. Along with excerpts from the Nutcracker, Kulish will do other ballet, Broadway and tap numbers.

Of course, Kulish will have some backup for the Christmas classic. Leonid Kozlov Dance International, a ballet company from Ridegwood, New Jersey, will be making the trip to the Occidental for the string of shows. The live performance will take place in the resort's 750-seat ballroom.

Don't worry, you won't be stuck inside the whole time. As part of the holiday package, you'll also get to party on the sand at Palm Beach while devouring some barbecue—okay, it's not very Christmasy, but it is Aruba—on December 28. And you'll hit the beach again on New Year's Eve for an Aruban tradition where the bad luck of the past year burns away with a fireworks display.

Holiday rates start at $357, a 20 percent discount, between December 23 and January 3.

[Photo: Occidental Grand Aruba]

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