double degree in dance and fashion, continues to work with his family on The Nutcracker, including as this year’ s designer of the title character’ s costume.
Jalil and Quaneisha have both found a home with Britani and their theater / dance family at Pep & Pizzazz, as well. Quaneisha has been a makeup artist for The Nutcracker, and Jalil is in charge of this year’ s lighting operation.
With Britani Shoemaker, it all ended up being about family, and it started with family, also. She said her family would go see The Nutcracker when she was a child, and the experience had an inspiring effect on her.“ I always loved it, and thought it was such a magical experience – something my family and I would always get dressed up for and go see,” she said.“ I looked forward to it every year, and when I opened my own studio, it was always something I had kind of wanted to maybe tackle one day.” And tackle it she did, marshalling the whole project from day one with an eye on creating something for children and families to look forward to around the holiday season.
“ The hope there was that it would be that same kind of magical experience that I had with my family as a kid, that we would be able to have that here in Somerset – a Christmas tradition for our community!” said Shoemaker.
The beginnings of what has become a community tradition started with her friend Steven Montalvo, a professional dancer she met in New York City.
“ He wanted to get out of the city for a bit, so I talked him into moving to Somerset for three months and helping me put together the first Nutcracker, and that’ s how it all started,” she recalled, noting that they conceptualized and co-choreographed the first show together.
Another fortuitous meeting took place in New York City which helped the show get started: Montalvo met a lady who was a dance professional there who had been producing The Nutcracker and had several set pieces for sale.
Shoemaker said those set pieces had been designed and constructed by professionals in the NYC theater scene, and her supportive parents drove all the way up there to retrieve them.
Many of those same pieces are still used in the production today, and over the years many talented theater enthusiasts in the local area have maintained them and have created new pieces, as well.
Shoemaker noted that Jaclyn Troxtel is in charge of this year’ s sets and props for the production.
When she was a child, Shoemaker got the chance to perform in The Nutcracker herself with the encouragement and guidance of Patty Grider and Marti Sallee, and was in dance class even before that at the age of three.
Shoemaker said that her faith journey has been a big part of her dance and business career, and she is grateful for the opportunity to make the love of dance available for children in her community through Pep & Pizzazz.
For more information regarding Pep & Pizzazz or The Nutcracker, check out the studio website at www. peppandpizzazz. com, or their Facebook page.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays From Everyone At Premier Properties Of Lake Cumberland!
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875 S Hwy 27 • Somerset
December 2025 SEKY- Southeast Kentucky Life • 9