As the Christmas season gets under way, families are often looking for fun experiences that can become annual holiday traditions. Going to see a ballet company perform The Nutcracker is a great way to build enthusiasm for the holidays, while also introducing your children to the joys of a live show experience.
Taking little ones to see a ballet, however, can present challenges that other live experiences do not (sitting still, being quiet, etc.). Doing some work ahead of time will make the experience something that you and your children look forward to and enjoy, rather than just something to sit through, complain about, and ultimately fall asleep.
What is The Nutcracker ballet?
The Nutcracker ballet is a traditional story of a young girl who receives a Nutcracker for Christmas from her Godfather on Christmas Eve (who is sometimes portrayed not only as young Clara’s godfather, but also as the town’s toymaker), falls asleep under the Christmas tree, and enters a magical land. The doll comes to life, and Clara is taken on a magical journey to the Land of Sweets, where she encounters various enchanting characters your children will definitely want to meet.
Today the Nutcracker is a beloved classic and favorite Christmas event across the world, featuring the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, a duel between the Mouse King and the Nutcracker (with the help of his loyal tin soldiers), and dances that celebrate cultures around the world.
Where can I see The Nutcracker ballet?
Most ballet companies across the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world who celebrate Christmas, will perform the Nutcracker around the holidays each year. This is a choreographer’s dream ballet, as they have the charm of this classic tale set to the music of the legendary Pyotr Tchaikovsky, but the freedom to recreated the sets, lighting, and costumes in an innovative way that countless children across the globe will enjoy.
If you are in a major city, like Washington, D.C., Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City or Atlanta, keep an eye out for upcoming events. Principal dancers dream about performing the parts of Clara, the Nutcracker and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Personally, I always wanted to be a snowflake.
Most performances happen in larger theaters and performing arts centers, as the cast of The Nutcracker can be quite large. Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet used to recruit locals to dress in period costumes and stand around the living room set at the beginning of the Nutcracker. If you are a true Nutcracker enthusiasts, look into how you can become a non-dancing extra on stage.
When is the Nutcracker ballet performed?
The Nutcracker ballet is always performed around the Christmas holiday season, usually starting up just after Thanksgiving. Some performances will even start up to six weeks before Christmas Eve to maximize on the holiday season. Those mischievous mice need to have as much time as possible to freak out people as they scurry across the stage (just me? I find them very creepy even though I know it is usually little kids in those costumes).
What is the best age to see the Nutcracker Ballet with Kids?
Attending a performance of The Nutcracker can really be enjoyed by children of any age, depending on their level of maturity, interest and ability to sit through a show that typically runs around 90 minutes with one fifteen minute intermission. Once you’ve made the decision that your child is ready for this experience, there are many things you can do to prepare.
Challenges when seeing the Nutcracker with Kids
The first major challenge in taking kids to the ballet is that the story is told entirely through dance – no talking, singing, etc. Many kids and adults find this aspect of the ballet daunting and difficult to appreciate.
Interest can wane quickly if we feel like we don’t know what’s going on in the story and, as we all know with kids, waning interest quickly leads to behaviors that other audience members might not appreciate. But there is something you can ahead of time to tackle these challenges.
Preparing to see The Nutcracker
History of The Nutcracker Ballet
The Nutcracker ballet was first choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The ballet is based on the 1816 story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffmann.
The Nutcracker ballet premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1892. Unfortunately, the initial performance wasn’t a great success, but over time, it gained popularity and became a holiday tradition in many parts of the world.
Today, “The Nutcracker” is performed by ballet companies around the world during the holiday season, delighting audiences with its beautiful choreography and Tchaikovsky’s iconic music.
Teach your children about the Nutcracker before the show
One of the easiest and most important things you can do in the weeks before a performance of The Nutcracker is to read the story together. This way your kids won’t feel lost as they watch the ballet unfold. Trust me, as the Waltz of the Snowflakes begins (my favorite number in the ballet), your kids will want to know why these young dancers in white are flitting about the stage in the most amazing tutus.
Cliff Notes Version of The Nutcracker Story
If you are in a hurry, having just scored great tickets to The Nutcracker ballet on discount, here is a very quick synopsis of the story of The Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker story is a classic holiday tale about a young girl named Clara who receives a Nutcracker doll as a Christmas gift. On Christmas Eve, Clara dreams that the Nutcracker comes to life and leads her on a magical journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets.
In Clara’s dream, the Nutcracker doll transforms into a handsome prince, and together they battle the evil Mouse King and his army of mice. Clara helps the Nutcracker Prince defeat the Mouse King, and they are rewarded with a celebration in the Kingdom of Sweets, where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and the other sweets fairies.
The Nutcracker is a celebration of good versus evil. It teaches us that even the smallest and most insignificant creatures (mice) can be brave and heroic. It is also a reminder of the power of imagination and the importance of dreams.
Act by act description
Act I
On Christmas Eve, Clara and her brother Fritz are celebrating with their family and friends. Clara’s godfather, Drosselmeyer, a toymaker and magician, gives her a Nutcracker doll. Clara is delighted with her new gift, and she takes it to bed with her that night.
At midnight, Clara wakes up to find her bedroom transformed into a battlefield. The Nutcracker doll has come to life, and he is leading an army of toy soldiers in a battle against the Mouse King and his army of mice. Clara helps the Nutcracker Prince defeat the Mouse King, and they are rewarded with a victory dance.
Act II
The Nutcracker Prince takes Clara on a journey through the Land of Snow, where they are welcomed by the Snow Queen and her snowflake fairies. The Snow Queen and her fairies dance for Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, and then they continue on their journey to the Kingdom of Sweets.
Act III
In the Kingdom of Sweets, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her sweets fairies dance for Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, and then they perform a grand Pas de Deux.
At the end of the ballet, Clara wakes up from her dream and finds herself back in her bedroom with her Nutcracker doll. She realizes that her journey to the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets was just a dream, but she will always cherish the memories of her magical adventure.
Our favorite Nutcracker books to read ahead of time
The Nutcracker ballet is based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffman, and there are a lot of picture books available that tell the story (we love this one). Head to your local library or bookstore and find a version you like. While ballet companies may each choose to interpret the story a little differently, the basic storyline will be the same.
Making The Nutcracker part of your bedtime story routine in the weeks leading up to the show will help you and your child become very familiar with the story, which will make you both all the more ready to see it interpreted through dance.
If your children are very young, consider bringing the book to the ballet performance so they can reference each part of the story, similar to what adults do with the playbill throughout a ballet or Broadway show.
More Nutcracker story books for kids
- The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet
- The Nutcracker (boardbook) by E. T. A. Hoffmann (Author), Carly Gledhill (Illustrator)
- The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker: Press the note to hear Tchaikovsky’s music
The Nutcracker Music
Another thing you can do before you go to the show is to familiarize your child with the musical score. The Nutcracker ballet music was written by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a composer renowned for his ballet scores (he also wrote the music for Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty).
Download the soundtrack and play it often – in the car, while you clean, during imaginative playtime, etc. If you are at all familiar with the ballet yourself, talk about how the story fits with the music.
Having been in the Nutcracker many years myself, I would often “talk” my kids through the music as we listened – “Oh, the tree is growing!” or “Clara just fainted!”
Even if you don’t know how the story will fit with the music, though, simply making sure your child recognizes the music when they are watching the performance will help keep them more excited and engaged.
Nutcracker ballet characters
- Clara (or Marie, in some productions): A young girl who receives a Nutcracker doll as a Christmas gift.
- The Nutcracker Prince: A prince who has been transformed into a Nutcracker doll by the Mouse King.
- Uncle Drosselmeyer (also known as Godfather Drosselmeyer): Clara’s godfather, a toymaker, and a magician.The Mouse King: The villain of the ballet, who leads the mice in a battle against the Nutcracker and his soldiers.
- The Sugar Plum Fairy: The ruler of the Kingdom of Sweets, who welcomes Clara and the Nutcracker Prince into her kingdom.
Other important characters:
- Fritz: Clara’s younger brother.Herr and Frau Stahlbaum: Clara’s parents.
- The Snow Queen: The ruler of the snow forest.
- The Dewdrop: A fairy who dances with the Nutcracker Prince in the Kingdom of Sweets.
- The Cavalier: The Sugar Plum Fairy’s partner.
Keep in mind that not all productions have the same character names, especially if it is a modern or themed adaptation of the Nutcracker story.
When to see a Nutcracker performance with kids
Before you buy tickets, you need to consider the choices regarding what performance to see that will help you and your child get the most out of the experience.
Choose a matinée show if at all possible, when there are more likely to be many other families and children attending. Audience members won’t give you the evil eye if your son or daughter gets a little antsy or over-excited about what is happening on stage.
Afternoon shows also eliminate the worry about stretching bedtimes or trying to keep overly tired kids interested in the performance. Trust me, my youngest has fallen asleep in his seat, even as a tween, because the performance went so late past his bedtime.
Make sure you get to the theater early so you can look through the program together, and always read the synopsis. This will let you know exactly how this particular ballet company will be interpreting and presenting the story.
Warn your children ahead of time that the performance may look different from their story book or even recorded performances you may have watched in advance. Nothing throws a kid like the unexpected.
Getting there early also allows you to enjoy the atmosphere of the venue, crab a snack and use the restroom before the show begin.
Tips for Watching The Nutcracker ballet with Kids
Talking during a performance
Don’t be afraid to whisper with your child about what they are experiencing while they watch. As long as it isn’t constant or at a volume that would be distracting to those around you, it is fine to allow them to fill you in on how they are feeling or what they are thinking about what they are seeing. You can also whisper to them any explanations about what is happening on stage.
Bathroom Breaks
Make sure your child uses the restroom before the show begins to minimize the need to leave in the middle of the performance. If you do have to get up during the ballet, you may not be allowed back into the theater until intermission.
Intermission with kids
Be sure to use the intermission wisely: give your child a chance to stretch his legs, use the restroom, and/or get a drink and snack in the lobby.
This is also a great time to talk about the first half of the performance too. Ask your kids:
- What did she like best so far?
- What does he think is going to happen next?
Reread the synopsis for the second half and remind her what is coming up. Make sure you are back in your seat, ready to go before the second half of the show starts. Theaters will flash the house lights as a signal to audience members to begin to make their way back to their seats.
What happens when the show end?
Many children will think that once the curtain closes, the show is over. Give them a heads up that the dancers will come back out on stage to take a bow. This is when they can clap like crazy and make noise to show their appreciation for the hard work the dancers put into the show. Encourage your child to clap extra loud for their favorite ballet dancers, which gives them a job to do while you enjoy those last bows of the performance.
Special Offers and Extras at The Nutcracker
Many companies now offer Sugar Plum teas (an event with snacks and photo opportunities with some of the dancers in costume), or other opportunities for kids to interact with the ballet dancers before or after the performances.
These can be pricey, but can also create more of a connection with the characters that carries over to the performance, or add to the enjoyment of the experience for your child. This is a very popular pre-show (sometimes post-show) event, so be sure to look into it ahead of time as tickets often sell out.
Creating a Holiday Tradition
Learning to view and interpret a story told through dance and music is a totally different experience and requires different skills than reading a book or watching the Nutcracker movie. Having the forethought to put in a little work ahead of time will build anticipation and ensure an enjoyable experience for you, your child and those around you.
It will make going to see a performance of The Nutcracker an investment with great returns – creating a holiday tradition that your whole family looks forward to each year, and one that your child can one day pass on to their own children.
Attending the Ballet with Kids Throughout the Year
If you missed The Nutcracker, or you want to enjoy more ballet performances with your children, these guidelines will work for most ballet performances. Companies offer a full season of shows throughout the year, which almost always includes at least one other performance of a classic story or fairy tale your child may be familiar with (Coppelia, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote, Cinderella, etc.).
Once you and your child have found ways to enjoy the unique experience of attending a ballet together, you can do it many times throughout the year, building a great family tradition while also supporting the arts in your community.
Additional reporting and images by Amy Sessions
Excellent explanations and advice. Thank you for your help I was very worried about taking my seven-year-old granddaughter and her friend to see nutcracker. But now I have things to work with