What It's Like to Choreograph The Nutcracker Four Different Times

Choreographer Val Caniparoli started his ballet career by performing in Lew Christensen’s The Nutcracker with San Francisco Ballet in 1971. Today, he still performs with SFB as Drosselmeir, in the company’s current version by Helgi Tomasson. It takes Caniparoli a lot of concentration to stick to the choreography. “I have the four versions that I […]

This Pennsylvania Ballet Apprentice Landed a Principal Role in The Nutcracker

Pennsylvania Ballet apprentice Sydney Dolan is having a Nutcracker season she’ll never forget. Artistic director Angel Corella knew he’d found something special when Dolan attended his school’s week-long Company Experience summer workshop in 2016. Within days, he offered her a company contract— without realizing that she was only 15 at the time. She joined anyway. […]

Steal These Nutcracker Survival Strategies

Nutcracker season starts today at many ballet companies, including New York City Ballet. For corps members like Claire Kretzschmar, that means an always demanding schedule reaches a whole new level of busy. Here’s how she keeps herself going. Kretzschmar in the Coffee variation. Photo by Paul Kolnik, courtesy NYCB. • At night: A hearty meal, […]

We're Loving These Nutcracker-Themed Holiday Treats

‘Tis the season to have some fun in the kitchen. If you want to get more creative than simply baking another pumpkin pie, try these Nutcracker-themed treats—created by and for dancers. These recipes from former Boston Ballet and Joffrey Ballet dancers were first published in Dance Magazine‘s December 1990 issue. Today, they’re still guaranteed to […]