Rachel Muhleisen, Maya Sullivan, Katie Muhleisen, Gianna Incorvaia & Delaney Roark Photo

From: Photo Flash: NUTCRACKER at The New Jersey Foundation for Dance and Theatre Arts

There is a chill in the air and winter is on its way.  Whether the glow in your home comes from Chanukah candles or the bright lights around the Christmas tree, you surely appreciate that this is a time of year when tradition is everywhere you look.  One of the most popular holiday traditions is "The Nutcracker." Peter Tchaikovsky's classic was first presented in Europe back in 1892. You may be familiar with productions by The New York City Ballet, or other repertory companies but the interpretation of The New Jersey Foundation for Dance and Theatre Arts is in a different category and is not to be missed. They have been presenting their spectacular rendition of "The Nutcracker" in the North Jersey area for 23 years.  The show is considered one of New Jersey's finest dance and theatrical presentations.  Reviews of the performance have hailed it as a superb production of "The Nutcracker" with a twist.  The "twists" are director Nancy King's special touches and whimsical additions. "It's fast moving", she says, "It's a story that has something for everybody, whether you are a child seeing a ballet for the first time or someone who has seen many performances." It would be impossible not to get excited talking to King. Her love for dance and theater come across in every word she speaks. The results are a Nutcracker that combines many different styles of dance and musical theater. The opening scene is a musical theater production of an early 1900's village celebration, including holiday vocalists and specially choreographed dances.