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The Nutcracker
Urban Ballet Theater’s interpretation from the Lower East Side
Urban Ballet Theatre’s – Nutcracker from the Lower
Set on the Lower East Side, among krumping rats and popping soldiers, crooked hats, and the Nutcracker ballet, re-imagined by the Urban Ballet Theater, will never be the same.
The Abrons Arts Center hosts Nutcracker in the Lower for its ninth consecutive year, establishing a cultural tradition that is as diverse as it is relevant. The production is filled with a colorful array of dance, including flamenco, hip-hop, African and Chinese, and this Nutcracker features students from the Abrons Arts Center’s dance program performing along with the Urban Ballet Theater’s seasoned professionals.
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. The battle scene can easily be imagined in a crumbling subway station as gigantic mice and crisp toy soldiers wage war over the heroine’s fate.
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. And, Tchaikovsky’s original score remains largely intact throughout the ballet, injected with the baselines of hip-hop and the burnished cante of flamenco.
Check out Encore Events for more info here.