Top 3 San Diego Showings of The Nutcracker

One of the most iconic performances every holiday season is the showing of The Nutcracker. But with so many available within San Diego, which performance are worth going to see? Which shows are flawlessly classic, and which performances put a new spin on an old story? Finding the perfect Nutcracker show could take hours worth of research, and who has the time for that?

Don't worry, and don't skip your ballet festivities this year! We have all of your Nutcracker needs covered! Here are three different companies that are definitely worth seeing over the holiday season this year. Check them out below, and let us know if there are any amazing productions we've missed!

City Ballet of San Diego

The Nutcracker is showing December 11th-23rd at the Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego. Here, you will be greeted with a chorus of carolers as you walk into the theatre so that guests can begin the evening with songs of the season. This production has been awarded Best Nutcracker Production by the Tommy Awards for its elegance in costumes and scenery. The show is paired with the City Ballet Orchestra and chorus, which compliments the dancing perfectly. This tiny alleyway studio brings out the best in their production of The Nutcracker with costumes that have detail and are beautifully fitted. The choreography gives goosebumps to the audience, especially with the perfectly synchronized dances from the skilled dancers. When the show is over, guests can take pictures with the cast.

FINE Magazine was fortunate enough to view the City Ballet's version of The Nutcracker. Read our review here!

California Ballet Company

This show goes from December 12th-19th at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, 13th-20th at 1pm and 5:30pm, and 16th-18th at 7:30pm at the Civic Theatre. This production has been going on since 1968. This is the oldest and biggest production of The Nutcracker in San Diego. They are also the only company to have the San Diego Symphony play Tchaikovsky’s score. The choreography here is original and the dancers put their heart into continuing the tradition and beauty of this ballet. The costumes are good, the musicians incorporated into the show bring an elegant tribute to the original production, and the children are adorable to watch as they twirl across the stage.

A Culture Shock Nutcracker

Those who want to try a production of this family favorite with a little twist may enjoy A Hip Hop Dance Theatrical production of The Nutcracker. This is a re-interpretation of the E.T.A Hoffmann story and still honors the brilliance of the music with Tchaikovsky's score fused with contemporary music and fashion. This production takes place in January on the 1st and 2nd at 7pm, and on Sunday the 3rd at 2pm at Spreckels Theatre.

This is great show to see if you're not able to make the shows before Christmas but still would like to join in on the festivities. Angie Bunch is the founder of Culture Shock Dance and wants to bring the story of The Nutcracker to the twenty-first century, so she started story boarding in January of last year. This revision has brought a beatboxer to the meeting of Clara and Herr Drosselmeyer and his magic toys. Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s music will start out the show, but a mix of James Brown, One Direction, Daft Punk and Ylvis will be incorporated with dancers performing hip hop, breaking, and locking. The hope is that this production will be successful enough to become annual.

All three of these Shows are the best of their kind, and all three deserve praise. The only hard choice this year will be whether or not to see all three!