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5 Notable Nutcrackers—and 5 Non-Nutcracker Shows—to Catch This December

November 27, 2024

December brings with it a plethora of Nutcracker productions, but that’s not the only show on offer. Whether you’re looking for a memorable trip to the Land of the Sweets or would prefer something Sugarplum-free, here are 10 shows on our radar.

Got That Swing

A dancer in bright yellow pants and a checkered button down smiles easily as he kicks a foot forward, arms working in opposition. He leans into the movement and looks over his shoulder downstage. Behind him, other dancers stand and crouch in a semicircle, clapping and cheering him on.
Brian Lawton in SW!NG OUT. Photo by Robert Silver, courtesy Richard Kornberg & Associates.

NEW YORK CITY  Lindy Hop returns to The Joyce Theater with a seasonal twist. A Very SW!NG OUT Holiday revives the popular show, created by Caleb Teicher, Evita Arce, LaTasha Barnes, Nathan Bugh, and Eyal Vilner, with the addition of holiday-favorite songs and, of course, a post-show onstage jam session so audiences can join in on the social dancing themselves. Dec. 3–15. joyce.org.

All Eyes on Ailey

Nine dancers cluster around and support one who has dropped almost to the floor, her gaze uplifted. The dancers wear colorful rehearsal gear and are in a brightly lit studio.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater rehearsing Hope Boykin’s Finding Free. Photo by Danica Paulos, courtesy AAADT.

NEW YORK CITY  A quartet of premieres crowns Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s home season at New York City Center this year. Interim artistic director Matthew Rushing’s Sacred Songs draws inspiration from music that was originally part of Ailey’s seminal Revelations but later hit the cutting-room floor. Former company members Hope Boykin and Jamar Roberts each contribute a new dance, Boykin’s Finding Free arriving with a commissioned score by Matthew Whitaker and Roberts’ Al-Andalus Blues offering an abstraction of the golden age of Al-Andalus. And veteran dancemaker Lar Lubovitch creates his first work for the company, Many Angels, set to Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and inspired by the question “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” A 25th-anniversary revival of Ronald K. Brown’s Grace, a new production of Elisa Monte’s Treading, live music nights, repertory classics, and more fill out the five-week season. Dec. 4–Jan. 5. ailey.org.

Behind the Curtain

Two performers stand in front of a lush red theater curtain, looking nervously off to the corner, one hiding behind the other with hands on his shoulders. They are costumed identically—white sweatbands, blue button downs, black gym shorts over pink tights, white legwarmers, and ballet slippers.
Bence Mezei and Ilan Bachrach in Nature Theater of Oklahoma’s No President. Photo by Heinrich Brinkmöller-Becker, courtesy Helene Davis PR.

NEW YORK CITY   A group of security guards who are all former actors are hired to protect a precious theater curtain and the mystery it conceals, only for a rival company—made up of ex-ballet dancers—to arrive on the scene to steal the gig from under them. Oh, and the musical accompaniment is The Nutcracker. That’s the delightfully absurd premise of No President, which New York City–based performance-art group Nature Theater of Oklahoma brings to NYU Skirball Dec. 5–7 for its U.S. premiere. nyuskirball.org.

Alone, in Community

A dancer wearing gold netting over black briefs and bralette holds a long gold chain in their teeth. They lunge to the floor and arch back, supporting themself on one arm as their torso reaches parallel to the floor. They dance on a dusty patterned carpet, before a concrete wall splattered with white paint.
Urban Bush Women’s Haint Blu. Photo by Woosler Delisfort, courtesy 92NY.

NEW YORK CITY  Urban Bush Women continues its 40th-anniversary celebrations with Solo Meditations, a program comprising solos and duets from across the company’s repertory, some with live music, at 92NY. Dec. 6–7. 92ny.org.

Meet the March Sisters

Jo March (played by AnnaLee Rohovec), in her beautiful cream bridesmaid attire and floral headpiece, is being lifted by Fredrich Bhaer (played by Jacob Robleto) in his emerald green wedding attire. The photo is taken at the Little Women Ballet Spring Immersive Experience in a duet between Fredrich and Jo during Meg's wedding that captures Jo's strong-willed personality.
Anna Lee Rohovec and Jacob Robleto in Little Women Ballet’s Spring Immersive Experience. Photo by Edie Tyebkhan, courtesy Little Women Ballet.

LOS ANGELES  Throughout the year, Little Women Ballet has been presenting immersive experiences inspired­ by the Louisa May Alcott coming-of-age classic seasonally at Heritage Square Museum. This month, Emma Andres’ project culminates in an evening-length ballet, premiering at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre Dec. 7. littlewomenballet.com.

A Little Old, a Little New

Notable Nutcrackers proliferate on both sides of the Atlantic.

English National Ballet

Clara stands in sous-sus on pointe, holding a Nutcracker doll, beneath the boughs of a decorated Christmas tree, where it seems to snow.
English National Ballet’s Ivana Bueno. Photo by Jason Bell, courtesy ENB.

SOUTHAMPTON AND LONDON  Artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and choreographer Arielle Smith team up for English National Ballet’s new production, which debuts in Southampton at the Mayflower Theatre Nov. 28–30 before a blockbuster run at the London Coliseum, Dec. 12–Jan. 12. ballet.org.uk.

Ballet West

Two rows of four ballerinas balance in first arabesque on pointe, clusters of snowflakes raised overhead. The backdrop is of a snowy wood at dusk; fake snow falls to the stage around them.
Ballet West. Photo by Beau Pearson, courtesy Ballet West.

OGDEN AND SALT LAKE CITY, UT  Willam Christensen’s production of The Nutcracker, America’s first, turns 80 this year. Ballet West tours the classic to Ogden, Nov. 29–30, before settling in for its traditional run at Salt Lake City’s Capitol Theatre Dec. 6–28. balletwest.org.

Acosta Danza

A trio of dancers on a rooftop surrounded by impressive buildings. The Rat King and Nutcracker Prince each support Clara under one arm as they lift her overhead; their outside hands hold swords. Clara's arms are outstretched to either side as she looks down at the Rat King in alarm. She wears a vibrant purple dress and pointe shoes.
Acosta Danza in Havana. Photo by Eduardo Lara, courtesy Buchanan PR.

LONDON  Acosta Danza’s UK tour of Carlos Acosta’s brand-new Nutcracker in Havana, featuring an arrangement of the Tchaikovsky score by Cuban composer Pepe Gavilondo and projection and set design by Nina Dunn, alights in London at the Southbank Centre Dec. 10–15, before continuing in the new year. nutcrackerinhavana.com.

Cleveland Ballet

In front of a set evoking presents in front of a Christmas tree, the Nutcracker Prince kneels and offers a hand to Clara, who takes it and balances in a low back attitude on pointe.
Cleveland Ballet. Photo by Mark Horning & Co. Photography, courtesy Cleveland Ballet.

CLEVELAND  Artistic director Timour Bourtasenkov puts a bow on his first calendar year at the helm of Cleveland Ballet with a new classical production of the repertory staple. Dec. 13–22. cleveballet.org.

Saint Louis Dance Theatre

Featured in the photo is a female-presenting dancer with brown skin, wearing a large plumage head dress, a patterned feather dress, and a long black skirt. She is focused on the viewer and is elegantly wrapped around her dance partner, a male-presenting dancer with brown skin and black hair, wearing a white tuxedo jacket and black pants. A third dancer is dressed in a burgundy suit jacket, black pants, and burgundy heel boots, and is sitting with a cocktail at a small table next to the duet.
Saint Louis Dance Theatre’s Dave X McCall, Keenan Fletcher, and Nyna Moore. Photo by Pratt & Kreidich, courtesy STLDT.

ST. LOUIS  Jazz St. Louis and Saint Louis Dance Theatre­ come together for the Ellington Strayhorn Nutcracker, with artistic director Kirven Douthit-Boyd telling the story of a composer finding unexpected­ romance as he travels to the city’s Gaslight District to see a legendary musician for whom he hopes to write a song. Dec. 20–21. saintlouisdancetheatre.org.

92ny A Very SW!NG OUT Holiday aaron s. watkin acosta danza alvin ailey american dance theater arielle smith ballet west caleb teicher carlos acosta Cleveland Ballet elisa monte english national ballet Evita Arce Eyal Vilner hope boykin jamar roberts kirven douthit-boyd lar lubovitch latasha barnes Little Women Ballet london coliseum matthew rushing Matthew Whitaker nathan bugh Nature Theater of Oklahoma new york city center Nina Dunn nyu skirball Pepe Gavilondo Ronald K. Brown Saint Louis Dance Theatre the joyce theater Timour Bourtasenkov urban bush women willam christensen