The Hip Hop Nutcracker, a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music, is a holiday mash-up sure to please the entire family. Produced by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and co-commissioned by United Palace of Cultural Arts, The Hip Hop Nutcracker makes two NY Metro-area stops during its second North American tour of 23 cities from Los Angeles to New York.
The hit holiday show has two shows at United Palace in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan on December 3 and an afternoon performance at New Jersey Performing Arts Center on December 17.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker is “a generous dose of contemporary spirit sure to heat up even the most restless and wintry of souls” according to The New York Times, while CBS-TV raved, “The Hip Hop Nutcrackerturns Tchaikovsky on his head, in the coolest possible way.”
Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber and adapted by Mike Fitelson, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a full-length production performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ and a violinist. While Act I faithfully contemporizes the traditional Nutcracker narrative arc, Act II reimagines what happens when the mysterious Drosselmeyer casts a spell on Maria-Clara and her prince, allowing them to travel back in time to the moment when her parents first met. Digital scenery transforms E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story set to the streets of New York. The dance work celebrates love, community and the magic of New Year’s Eve.
Special guest MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, will open the show in several cities with a short set before rapping the introduction to The Hip Hop Nutcracker.
“Three years ago, the world premiere of The Hip Hop Nutcracker was a unique holiday event that united hip-hop fans, families, and classical music and dance audiences – so many different people in our community – under one roof. This Nutcracker‘s dance crew, along with rap legend Kurtis Blow, simply electrified our theater,” said David Rodriguez, NJPAC’s Executive Vice President and Executive Producer. “We are excited to share this new classic with audiences across the country.”
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