New Ballet Brings THE SAN JOSE NUTCRACKER Home For The Holidays

Visions of sugarplums and Silicon Valley landmarks will dance across the screen this holiday season when New Ballet presents The San Jose Nutcracker: Home for the Holidays, a festive yuletide treat streamed in partnership with Hammer Theatre Center.

A twist on the classic Nutcracker tale, this joyful holiday production called "delightful...as imaginative as it is captivating" by Metro Silicon Valley tells the well-loved story of Clara and the Nutcracker while incorporating historical references to the heritage that has made Santa Clara the center of innovation it is today. The stream presented is a recording from a past production of The San Jose Nutcracker, danced live to a full orchestra, at the Hammer. The San Jose Nutcracker: Home for the Holidays will begin streaming 7:00pm, Saturday, December 12 (with on-demand access through December 31). For more information or tickets (pay-what-you-can), the public may visit www.hammertheatre.com.

Presented in partnership with History San Jose, The San Jose Nutcracker: Home for the Holidays features choreography by New Ballet Artistic and Executive Director Dalia Rawson set to sections of Tchaikovsky's beloved score. The story begins at a festive holiday party hosted by young Clara, her brother Fritz, and their family in San Jose at the turn of the last century. When fascinating Uncle Nikola and his electric gifts make an appearance, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince begin a fantastic journey to a winter wonderland called "The Valley of Heart's Delight," where they meet the Sugarplum Fairy as well as characters inspired by Santa Clara Valley during the orchard era.

New Ballet was founded in March 2016 by local dancer, teacher, and choreographer Dalia Rawson, filling a void in downtown San Jose for a professional ballet school. Offering an additional focus on dancer health and child development, the organization provides ballet instruction as well as performances. With a certified teaching staff, New Ballet is one of only five schools designated as an American Ballet Theatre Certified School nationwide. The company has pivoted during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic by offering online classes and live streamed performances.

Owned by the City of San Jose and operated by San Jose State University, the Hammer Theatre Center is a state-of-the-art performance venue located in the heart of downtown San Jose at 101 Paseo De San Antonio, between 2nd and 3rd Streets. The Hammer's latest tech innovations, crowdfunded by the community and installed over the summer, will allow the venue to continue offering its community vibrant productions through streaming now, while large public gatherings are prohibited, as well as in the near future, when only smaller groups may be allowed in the audience. It also offers an alternative for the distant future, when public gatherings may once again be prohibited, and/or to provide accessibility to those unable to attend a live event in person. The 528-seat theatre has presented an array of offerings including outstanding professional productions, community-based works, SJSU shows, and concerts, as well as dance, music, talks, film screenings. In its 2018-19 season, the Hammer presented nearly 200 events, drawing more than 57,000 audience members. The Hammer's mission is to serve the community through artistic and educational programming that express the unique characteristics and diverse cultures of Silicon Valley.

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