Peninsula Lively Arts to Present Three Interpretations of THE NUTCRACKER This December

Peninsula Lively Arts will present three interpretations of The Nutcracker this December, offering audiences a range of experiences from a family-friendly introduction to a traditional full-length ballet and a contemporary reimagining through hip-hop dance.

The season opens with Nutcracker Sweets on December 6 and 7 at 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. at Studio One in San Mateo. Created for children ages 3–9 and their families, the 60-minute version features dancers from Peninsula Ballet Theatre and students from the Peninsula School of the Arts, performed in full costume and accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s familiar score.

On December 20, the Hip-Hop Nutcracker brings an urban twist to the story at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, with performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Directed by Stuck Sanders with choreography by Alée Martinez, the production blends breakdancing, turfing, flexing, and other street dance forms with Tchaikovsky’s music and original remixes. The cast includes artists from Tribe, Poisen, Str8 Jacket, Feline Finesse, Cyber Yoga, Paola, T Dot, and Nasty Ray.

The season concludes with the traditional Nutcracker ballet on December 21 at 2 p.m. at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, choreographed by Gregory Amato, Artistic Director of Peninsula Ballet Theatre. The full-length production features over 135 performers, along with the Masterworks Chorale and the Skyline High School Snow Chorus under Adam Green’s direction. New this year are two Act II divertissements: a Chinese dance by Ye Feng (Feng Ye Dance Company) and a Persian dance by Sharlyn Sawyer (Ballet Afsaneh), bringing additional cultural depth to the performance.