Nutcracker Season; Why Everyone should watch the ballet this Christmas
There’s a common misconception that ballet is a ‘rich’ sport and expensive to watch – but this could not be further from the truth. It’s completely possible to spend more on a night out than on tickets to the ballet; and here’s why you should go to the ballet instead.
Ballet as an art form is beautiful, full of dancers who have dedicated years to the sport and improved themselves every day to do what they love for a living. Many little girls and boys dream of making it as a professional dancer, and the few that make it deserve all the support they can get.
A night out to the ballet is the perfect excuse to get dressed up for a date, or to take your friends and family and immerse yourself in the iconic storyline of The Nutcracker – a Christmas staple.
For those unfamiliar with the storyline, here’s a quick summary! Clara is gifted a nutcracker for Christmas, and that night, he comes to life, saving Clara from the Rat King and his army. Clara’s magician uncle transforms the nutcracker into a prince and Clara is then taken to The Land of Snow – an iconic end to Act One.
Act Two begins in the land of sweets where we meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier. Clara is rewarded for her bravery in the battle with the Rat King with a plethora of dances – my highlights include The Arabian Dance and The Waltz of the Flowers. As a finale, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier perform their iconic pas de deux (a duet).
The dream unfortunately comes to an end, and the ballet concludes with Clara waking up by her Christmas tree, the nutcracker doll safely ensconced in her arms.
The more reputable ballets such as Birmingham Royal Ballet and The Royal Ballet in London start their tickets at £38 in the upper circle and stalls, both of which still afford an incredible view of the stage. Times are flexible, with usually both a matinee and evening performance, allowing for day trips to the city or an activity to add to a weekend adventure.
Closer to home, the Northern Ballet in Leeds and the Scottish Ballet based in Glasgow also perform The Nutcracker in the December/January period, with many tickets on sale.
Tchaikovsky’s iconic score brings out the young child in all of us, drowned in a sense of nostalgia for our own childhood dreams. I’d highly recommend making a trip to watch the Nutcracker this December and reliving the magical childhood that most of us experienced that comes with Christmas.
