The Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition! But, do you know it's history?

The Nutcracker is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a family’s Christmas Eve celebration. Alexandre Dumas Père’s adaptation of the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann was originally choreographed by Marius Retipa and then set to music by none other than Tchaikovsky!

Did you know that it premiered a week before Christmas in 1892 and was originally commissioned by the director of Moscow's Imperial Theater. It did not even premier in Western countries until the 1940's!

Regardless, it is one of the most well loved ballets to see at Christmastime, and I had the joy of photographing the dress rehearsal from YPAC of Yorkville's performance. Kara, a former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet performed as the Sugar Plum Fairy, as did the many outstanding dancers. Truly an amazing production!