Ballet Co.Laboratory Presents NUTCRACKER IN WONDERLAND Next Month

This holiday season, Ballet Co.Laboratory presents a traditional classic with an enchanting twist. Nutcracker in Wonderland will be performed on December 11-12, 2021 at Ted Mann Concert Hall on the University of Minnesota campus. A tale for a modern era, this original ballet sparkles with seasonal magic and gives a nod to the progress in our ever-changing world. Weaving together storylines and characters from The Nutcracker and Alice in Wonderland, this reimagination of two quintessential tales follows a grown-up Clara on a whimsical adventure of self-discovery.

With a cast of 100 dancers from the professional Company and School of Ballet Co.Laboratory, this production gives new meaning to the famous Tchaikovsky Nutcracker score. While many characters in Nutcracker in Wonderland will be recognizable to audiences, there is one notable difference - there is no Nutcracker Prince. Instead, there is Alice, a childhood friend of Clara's who challenges her to live boldly and believe in herself.

Artistic Director and Choreographer Zoé Emilie Henrot believes it is stories like Nutcracker in Wonderland that will begin to change the historical perception of what ballet is and who it is for. While the Nutcracker ballet has long been a holiday tradition, Ballet Co.Laboratory's production is one of the first full-length versions to remove the racial stereotypes that appear in Act II of the original ballet. There is no trip to the Land of Sweets in this version. Rather, Alice and Clara take on the fierce Rat Queen, waltz through the Land of the Snowflakes, and embark on an adventure through the mysterious Wonderland.

This production is just one example of the organization's work to move ballet into the 21st century while developing a new standard for the art form. "The Nutcracker ballet was created in 1892...129 years ago. As a choreographer, it is important to me to create art that imitates life, which means that like life around us, art must continually change as well," shares Zoé Emilie Henrot. Ballet Co.Laboratory continues to encourage artists and arts patrons to seek out discovery over fear and foster originality over stereotypes. Nutcracker in Wonderland is a prime example of this. Henrot adds, "how much more magical is the art of ballet when we mirror the society we live in? I think that is a tradition to keep alive in the years to come."

As the curtain rises on this year's production, audiences will be treated to new characters, expanded scenes, and refreshed choreography. To complete patrons' holiday experience, Ballet Co.Laboratory will also treat their guests to pre-show carols and a chance to "mingle and jingle" after performances with professional dancers.

Tickets begin at $22 and are available for purchase online at balletcolaboratory.org/season or by contacting the Ballet Co.Laboratory Box Office at 651.313.5967.

All guests will be required to wear a mask at this event.

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