The holiday season brings not only festive gatherings and twinkling lights to South Florida – it means it’s time for “The Nutcracker” ballet. For many, it’s an annual tradition, heading to the theater to hear composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s enchanting music and seeing ballet dancers interpret the story of a girl named Clara who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve. The family-friendly story is often a child’s first introduction to the ballet, and for many young dancers, their first big chance to perform.
South Florida has several “Nutcracker” productions to choose from, from professional companies to dance schools, and from traditional performances using famed choreographer George Balanchine’s interpretation, to mash-ups with contemporary dance styles.
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida
Founded in 1997 and based in North Miami Beach, the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida attracts internationally acclaimed artists. Artistic Director Vladimir Issaev is a worldwide renowned Ballet Master who has choreographed and lent his expertise to dance companies in Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia and Japan, among others.
At the time of this writing, Vladimir was teaching masterclasses and training teachers at a school in Kuala Lumpur.
As he has for the last 27 years, IIssaev choreographs and directs the Arts Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker,” says Ruby Romero-Issaev, executive director and Vladimir Issaev’s wife.
“One thing important to note is that the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida is not a school. It is a professional company that has 27 professional dancers who come here from 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. It is their job,” says Romero-Issaev. “All of the principal roles are performed by company members.” The professional dancers are accompanied by children from Vladimir Issaev’s School of Classical Ballet.
The production has special effects and more than 365 costume pieces and some 156 headpieces, she says. But what really sets the company’s performance apart is its choreography, says Romero-Issaev.
“It is Vladimir’s choreography. It is not Balanchine. It’s different from many others, but it gives the essence of the family story of the holidays,” she says. “The music is Tchaikovsky, the music that is well known around the world. What makes our performance unique is that the choreography has been created in such a way that the audience feels that they are inside the production. They’re close to the dancers; they’re close to what’s happening and they don’t feel that wall (between the audience and performers).”
Romero-Issaev says the interpretation iss fun and festive. “It’s very enjoyable. It’s not slow. It’s not boring. Everything happens very quickly. It’s not something that is repetitive,” she says.
“That’s what makes it unique.”
The performance has endured for more than a quarter of a century, but Vladimir Issaev is constantly looking for ways to enhance it, his wife says.
“It is the 27th anniversary of the company’s performance, but Vladimir is constantly changing and improving his choreography and adapting it to the skills of the dancers today,” says Romero-Issaev. “The dancers are much more skilled today than 25 or 50 years ago. So he has improved that choreography, but keeps the traditional mood and storyline and style of Russian choreography.”
If You Go
WHAT : Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida’s “Nutcracker”
WHERE: The Parker, 707 NE 8th St., Fort Lauderdale
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22
TICKETS: $30, $45 and $60
INFORMATION: (305) 947-3998 or
The Parker
Kirova Dance Academy
What started as a traditional ballet academy evolved into a Hallandale dance school that experimented with contemporary choreography, then mash-ups of the two, according to Marina Stoeva, studio director of Kirova Dance Academy.
“In addition to ballet, we teach ballroom, hip hop, contemporary jazz and acro (gymnastics),” says Stoeva. “So we try to incorporate all of those styles of dances into ‘The Nutcracker’ recital in winter.”
Kirova Dance Academy is not a professional company, but a dance school for students ages three to 18. Still, the academy tries to challenge students with creative choreography like its “Nutcracker: Reimagined.”
“This is our second year of doing this, of doing ‘Nutcracker: Reimagined,’” says Stoeva. “Last year we did more of a modern take, a bit further from the traditional story. So instead of having the usual Clara and Fritz (Clara’s little brother) in the house, we had a boy lost in these magical realms traveling through them with a little ballerina who was similar to Clara, but not quite … This year, we’re trying to stay closer to the original story.”
Contemporary dance and an innovative interpretation of the traditional tale have been weaved into the storyline, she says
“The soldier and mice fight scene has been turned into a hip hop dance-off battle,” says Stoeva. “The Mouse King will do a paso doble, a dance that traditionally symbolizes the Spanish Toreador fights — the bullfight. In this case, the King will be the Toreador and his opponent is the Nutcracker.”
Stoeva says the choreography incorporates students from many dance disciplines.
“The school, founded in 2010, started as a ballet school, but has since evolved,” she says. “Ballet is still the main focus, followed by ballroom, then the contemporary styles. We want to give all of the kids an opportunity to participate in the recital. This was a good way of doing it.”
If You Go
WHAT : Kirova Dance Academy’s “Nutcracker”
WHERE: Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, 3800 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19
TICKETS: $25 and $30
INFORMATION: (954) 777-2055,
Showpass
or
Kirova Dance Academy
Grand Kyiv Ballet
Displaced ballet dancers from the Ukraine have found a place to practice their artistry with the Grand Kyiv Ballet, which has toured around the world and throughout the United States. The ballet will make a stop in South Florida on their tour.
It is under the artistic direction of Oleksandr “Alex” Stoianov, who founded the company in 2014 and began touring in France. The company has performed in China, Spain, Holland and Norway, among others. The current U.S. tour includes 105 performances in 90 venues, says spokeswoman Julie Furlong.
“There are two troops out on tour simultaneously right now,” she says. “Both are dancing Nutcracker, and a brand new ballet, Snow Queen. Each troop is made up of approximately 65 percent Ukrainian dancers — something like 60 total dancers out on tour.”
Furlong says the company attracts accomplished dancers from around the world.
“These are the finest dancers, many of whom trained in Ukraine at the prestigious Kyiv State Choreographic College,” she says. “It is the Ukrainian artistry and choreography — which is likely different than a U.S. interpretation” that sets them apart from other “Nutcracker” productions, says Furlong.
Company members also see themselves as cultural ambassadors, she says.
“They are very much ambassadors of the country. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, artistic director Oleksandr “Alex” Stoianov had this motivation to present this work to the American people, their new “cultural frontline,” says Furlong. “Once the war started — Alex and his wife, both principal dancers of the Grand Kyiv Ballet, and she the director of the (Kyiv State) Choreographic College, helped more than 200 dancers and students evacuate the country. They found schools all over the world for the students, and started four ballet companies worldwide to help keep the dancers working and studying.”
If You Go
WHAT : Grand Kyiv Ballet’s “Nutcracker”
WHERE: Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, 3800 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill
WHEN: 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29
TICKETS: $79, $99, $119, $129, $149
INFORMATION: (954) 777-2055 or
Showpass
On Pointe Dance Studio
The Davie dance studio puts on an annual “Nutcracker” production each year, with most of its students participating in the production. Founded in 2015, On Pointe Dance Studio is under the direction of Damaris Suarez.
If You Go
WHAT : On Pointe Dance Studio’s “Nutcracker”
WHERE: Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center on the campus of Nova Southeastern University Campus, 3100 Ray Ferrero Junior Blvd., Davie
WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14
TICKETS: $25, $35 and $45
INFORMATION: (954) 999-5243 or
On Pointe Dance Studio
Miami City Ballet
If it’s a spectacle of a “Nutcracker” you’d like to see, Miami City Ballet’s annual professional production features more than 100 dancers, a live orchestra and elaborate costumes and staging. George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” features the timeless, signature choreography that many come to expect from the holiday dance tradition.
In 2017, celebrated fashion designers Isabel and Ruben Toledo used Miami as the influence to reimagine costumes and set designs for the Miami City Ballet with vibrant colors and a South Florida feel.
If You Go
WHAT : Miami City Ballet’s George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker”
WHERE: Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14; 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15; 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, Wednesday, Dec. 18 and Thursday, Dec. 19; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21; 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23 and noon Tuesday, Dec. 24
TICKETS: $38 to $299
INFORMATION: (305) 929-7010 or
Miami City Ballet
