Bring the entire family to celebrate the beauty and pageantry of the holidays when Ballet Etudes presents its annual production of the beloved ballet, The Nutcracker, for five performances on Dec. 3 & 5, and Dec. 10 & 11, at Huntington Beach High School Auditorium.

Set to the timeless music of Peter Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara, a young girl who receives the gift of a nutcracker soldier from her mysterious godfather. During the night, magical events unfold: the Christmas tree grows taller, toy soldiers and little mice become larger, and Clara’s nutcracker turns into a handsome Prince who takes Clara on a magical journey to the Kingdom of Sweets, where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and a celebration of dances.

This enchanting, child-friendly, 90-minute traditional production is choreographed and directed by Ballet Etudes’ Artistic Co-Directors Megan Pulfer and Sasha Robertson, who were both cast members of Ballet Etudes’ first Nutcracker performance in 1997. The current cast includes over 100 children from Huntington Beach and surrounding cities. 

In addition to the HBHS performances, Ballet Etudes will showcase The Nutcracker at the Huntington Beach Public Library on December 13 and 14, 2016 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. for an abbreviated performance geared towards younger children. For more information on these engagements visit the public library website HBPL.org.