One of the most cherished holiday traditions is the New York City Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker. This year the show features over 150 dancers and musicians, plus more than 125 children in two different casts from the School of American Ballet. Thrill to the Christmas tree that grows to 40 feet, feel the chill when a realistic “snowstorm” hits, and enjoy the stunning beauty of the detailed costumes, such as the one for Mother Ginger, which weighs over 80 pounds. The 59th season is running now through Jan 4 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
Commemorate the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Horse at a spectacular pageant, performed by Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, that weaves together the grace and splendor of traditional Chinese arts. Choreographer Nai-Ni Chen and her dancers take audiences on a visually dazzling, culturally rich tour of 3,000 years of Chinese civilization. Inspired by the graceful lines of calligraphy as much as the thunderous motion of martial arts, this celebration of the Chinese New Year spins traditional and contemporary music and dance into a colorful mélange. Be enthralled Jan 26 at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts.
Danspace Project presents the evening-length premiere of Megan Kendzior's Witness, a new dance work that draws on detailed historical research of the Holocaust to present an investigative offering of “embodied historical fiction that dwells within a highly controlled, volatile environment.” The work questions the roles of those involved in the genocide, blurring the line between humanity and evil. The performance takes place at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery Dec 19-21.
The unconventional Momix dance company continues to surprise and amaze with their aweinspiring blend of light, props, shadows and flexibility of the human form. Their current showcase MOMIX remix continues their three-decade tradition of excellence in dance, with work from their repertory as well as a startling display of new ideas. It will be at the Joyce Theater through Jan 5.
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