Nutcracker in the Lower

Tickets and Information

Visit the Nutcracker in the Lower website:
http://www.henrystreet.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AAC_PERF_nutcracker

Krumping rats and popping soldiers, crooked hats, and the Nutcracker ballet, re-imagined by the Urban Ballet Theater, will never be the same. Abrons hosts Nutcracker in the Lower for its ninth consecutive year, establishing a cultural tradition that is as diverse as it is relevant. Daniel Catanach, Artistic Director of UBT, is acclaimed for his movement vocabulary that innovates storytelling for both children and adults.

Nutcracker in the Lower explodes with daring and delight, twisting the classic story of Clara and her magical adventures to reflect Manhattan's cultural diversity. The party scene, traditionally depicted as an opulent 19th-century ball, becomes a holiday salsa fiesta. Classical ballet retains the traditional grace of the delicate "Snow Pas de Deux" and "Waltz of the Flowers." The Cavalier and "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is a Romantic interpretation of Clara's idealized family.

Tchaikovsky's original score remains largely intact throughout the ballet, injected with the baselines of hip-hop and the burnished cante of flamenco. Featuring students from Abrons' Dance Ensembles, Urban Ballet Theater's representation of such diversity is not only intentional, but also a natural expression of the multi-layered community of artists in the Lower East Side.