Event Review: The Rock School's Nutcracker 1776

This past weekend I had the pleasure of seeing The Rock School for Dance Education’s Nutcracker 1776. The word stuck in my mind as I left the theater was “joy.” The dancers’ smiles were infectious, and the audience was giddy with “oohs” and “aahs” throughout the show.

Ballet sometimes get a bad reputation for being “stuffy” or “rigid,” but this rendition of the Nutcracker was just plain fun to watch. Some numbers in the performance featured groups of very young dancers, which made it a sweet and heartwarming experience, but this was not your typical student performance… The talent packed onto this stage was extraordinary and the jaw-dropping moves just kept coming! The dancers not only executed steps with perfect technique, but they also exhibited just the right touches of emotion to compliment the story. The choreography, especially in the second act, was fresh, exciting, and super-impressive (from stunning lifts to amazing acro moves to incredible turn sequences).

I looked around the packed theater and saw joy in the faces of the audience from start to finish. This show, on so many levels, emanated the holiday spirit.

Article written by Hannah Lorenzo.