new york city center
the nutcracker suite

From the fleet-footed imaginations of tap dance stars Michelle Dorrance and Josette Wiggan, and their collaborator and downtown theater darling Hannah Heller, comes this jazzy new vision of the holiday tradition. Part seasonal concert, part tap ballet, The Nutcracker Suite is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping revelation set to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s extraordinary arrangement of the Tchaikovsky classic.

The festivities begin with a host of holiday favorites, from “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to “Jingle Bells,” interpreted by “powerhouse” (The Washington Post) vocalist Aaron Marcellus and Dorrance's incomparable dancers, accompanied by live music. Then it’s through the glittering curtain to an uptown Christmas party, where this Nutcracker story begins.

Whether it’s a tap battle with the Rat King or a big band Waltz of the Flowers—and don’t forget the Soft-Shoe of the Snowflakes—Dorrance and her collaborators offer a joyful riff on beloved material that’s the perfect start to your family’s holiday season.