“The Nutcracker” is a holiday staple as much as a gorgeously garlanded tree, prettily wrapped present or warm mug of hot chocolate. Clara, Drosselmeyer and the Sugar Plum Fairy have been part of the holiday season since the ballet was first performed in Russia in 1892. While putting on “The Nutcracker” with your studio is sure to wow, why not try something new this year? These five holiday themes for dance performances are fresh and creative celebrations of the season.
1. A Christmas Carol
You’ve heard the story hundreds of times, but have you ever seen a ballet interpretation of the Dickens’ classic? “A Christmas Carol’s” dramatic scenes, from Fezziwig’s gleeful holiday ball to the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present whisking Scrooge from his bed and flying him across the city, lend themselves well to whimsical choreography. Bustling ensemble scenes set in the lantern-lit streets of Victorian England promise a festive performance that will have audiences experiencing the classic story in a whole new way.
2. The Steadfast Tin Solider
Based on a fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, “The Steadfast Tin Solider” is a love story that will have children wondering what the toys under their trees are really up to. A tiny tin soldier falls in love for a paper doll ballerina, and they dance and twirl together beneath the sparkling light of a Christmas tree until the solider gives the ballerina his heart. It’s no lightweight tale – the pair meets a heartbreaking end when a cold winter breeze from an open window sweeps the ballerina into the fireplace – but audiences will be enraptured by this sweet tale of tiny love.
3. White Christmas
Celebrate the season with vintage class and flair by performing this Irving Berlin classic. Two entertainers fresh from the army put on a Christmas show at a cozy Vermont inn with two lovely singing-and-dancing sisters. Spectacular sets, colorful costumes and some of America’s favorite Christmas songs will have audiences clapping and singing along during a performance of this holiday favorite from the Fifties.
4. The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Treat audiences to a fresh and energizing spin on a classic. “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” takes Tchaikovsky’s classic score and turns it on its head – literally. Fierce hip hop choreography breathes new life into the tale, injecting it with an energetic dose of modern, urban flair, trading Clara’s grand living room for the city streets. We’re sure you audience haven’t seen anything like it before – and that they’ll be on their feet cheering by the end.
5. A Winter Fairy Tale
Add another performance to your typical seasonal lineup with “A Winter Fairy Tale,” a traditional Russian New Year’s Eve story. The forest animals are having their Wintertime celebration deep in a snowy, enchanted forest when the Bat Queen swoops in and steals away an innocent bunny. The forest animals unite, along with a Magician and stunning Rose Maiden, to rescue the bunny in this delightful winter fable set to music by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.
[wpsm_video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHiue7rPSPY[/wpsm_video]
Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year by adding one of these festive and fresh themes for dance performances to your studio’s holiday lineup.
