NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet returns to Chattanooga
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Tivoli Theatre Foundation is hosting a popular Christmas tradition next Saturday, December 23.
The NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet is returning to Memorial Auditorium for two shows on Saturday.
This ballet has visited Chattanooga for over 30 years.
Local dancers will be featured in this event, joined alongside professional ballerinas from around the world.
Marketing director, Jocelyn Guelce said, “We are partnered with Ballet Esprit — they’re our ‘Dance with Us’ school. They’re bringing in 25 kids that are going to have the opportunity to dance alongside our international cast… Which is super exciting. We’ve got dancers coming in from 11 ballet capitals, a number of different countries. It’s a really collaborative, expansive project that the kids get to be involved in. I think that’s my favorite part for sure.”
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet returns to Chattanooga on Dec. 23. Image courtesy of Kendall Eaton with The Nutcracker Ballet.
Guelce also teased new features in the show– especially during Act Two.
“Act Two is going to have a unique land of peace and harmony instead of the ‘Land of Sweets.’ It is a really beautiful, unifying, authentic take on the Nutcracker… That really reinforces ideas of peace and harmony, internationally, which is really important,” Guelce said.
Along with this modern take on the ballet, there are also many new additions to the show.
“We have the Herald that is going to be introduced… A number of new props… We’ve got the birds that are coming in from the Czech Republic that are absolutely beautiful. It was amazing to see those on stage. The acrobatics are outstanding. So it’s really a cool opportunity for the kids and so much fun for the family to get to see,” Guelce said.
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet returns to Chattanooga on Dec. 23. Image courtesy of Kendall Eaton with The Nutcracker Ballet.
The nostalgia-inducing family tradition is shown in cities across the country.
Chattanooga has been one of the many stops on this tour for decades.
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet returns to Chattanooga on Dec. 23. Image courtesy of Kendall Eaton with The Nutcracker Ballet.
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet returns to Chattanooga on Dec. 23. Image taken from the official Nutcracker website.
“I know we’re super excited to again, bring back that feeling of the nostalgic family tradition. That’s really one of our key elements that rings true across all of our cities. That we have this traditional feel that we share with our communities and with our families. The Tivoli is historical, Soldiers and Sailors [Memorial Auditorium] being a part of that is historical. Being able to return to you all and share that with you for another year… We’re really excited about that,” Guelce said.
The ballet will be shown at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium next Saturday.
Tickets are sold online at the Tivoli Theatre Foundation.
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet returns to Chattanooga on Dec. 23. Image taken from the official NUTCRACKER! website.
