Performances by the Fossemalle Dance Studio add to the holiday festivities on Sagunto Street
The little town of Santa Ynez held its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum. Crowds of parents, children, friends, and neighbors gathered in the courtyard of the museum and inside the Parks-Janeway Carriage House to hail in the Christmas season.
There were activities for the children, a visit from Santa, and live Christmas music.
The feature event was the tap and ballet performances by dancers from Fossemalle Dance Studio, dressed in festive costumes.
As guests surrounded the roped-off stage, and children nestled on the floor, the dancers entered the stage and performed two tap dancing routines to much applause. They were followed by ballet dancers performing to music from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.” The ballerinas, dressed in long, white, diaphanous costumes, performed a gracefully choreographed routine as children sat wide-eyed, looking on.
“They danced like gentle snow flurries on a winter’s day, drifting through the air then landing gracefully on the dance floor, ever so beautifully,” said one of the attendees who preferred to remain nameless.
For their final ballet performance, the ballerinas, wearing red, white, and gold costumes, in keeping with the Christmas theme, danced around an imaginary Christmas tree, to the delight of the audience, who vigorously applauded their efforts.
After a short break, everyone left the museum to attend the lighting of the majestic 55-foot-plus tree on Sagunto Street.
As crowds gathered, children began to chant, “Light the tree! Light the tree!” and the countdown began. The moment arrived, the switch was hit, and the huge tree lit up as everyone cheered with delight.
The event was sponsored by Santa Ynez Beautiful and the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce.
Photos by Devyn Marseilles
