Chocolate Ballerina Company's All-Black THE NUTCRACKER To Return To Philadelphia For The Holiday Season

Chocolate Ballerina Company, a service organization which supports the hidden talents in youth and adult artists of color in the Philadelphia region, has announced the return of their widely popular all-Black production of The Nutcracker. Chocolate Ballerina's The Nutcracker: Dipped in Chocolate will play at Drexel University's Mandell Theatre for one weekend, December 17-18, 2022. Show times are 1:30PM and 7:00PM on both days.

"We are excited to continue our annual celebration of Black excellence with our production Nutcracker: Dipped in Chocolate," notes Chocolate Ballerina Company founder and artistic director Chanel Holland. "The Chocolate Ballerina community rallied around our 2021 production, which sold out in minutes. We are thrilled to ring in the holidays with the return of our signature production, and look forward to more chocolate-dipped Nutcrackers in years to come."

The classic Tchaikovsky ballet will feature an all-Black cast who will tell the story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince. The well-known music and tale will take on a special Chocolate Ballerina Company twist when it is presented in Philadelphia. For instance, Clara and her Prince will experience music from Brazil, Egypt, and of the Carnival and hip-top traditions. The cast will feature Chocolate Ballerina Company's Premier Prima Ballerinas, plus dancers from across the tri-state region. The 2021 production was widely acclaimed across numerous media outlets, including Buzzfeed, ABC News, and FOX29 Philadelphia.

Chocolate Ballerina Company illustrates the struggles and successes of African-American culture through dance. Founded in 2017 by Holland, Chocolate Ballerina Company engages underserved communities through dance, to inspire and instill a sense of hope, discipline, and confidence through training and through professional development. The company offers free dance classes, outreach programs, pop-up performances, masterclasses, and more, both digitally and in-person.

Tickets to The Nutcracker: Dipped in Chocolate are available online at https://DippedinChocolate2022.eventbrite.com. Additional pop-up performances, including one with Chocolate Ballerina Company's partner Please Touch Museum, will be announced at a later date.

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