Love, Community and the Magic of the Holiday Season: The Hip Hop Nutcracker Feature
For more than a century, the two-act classical ballet, The Nutcracker, has captivated audiences with enchanting music from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and intricate choreography from Marius Petipa. For more than a decade, a reimagined and contemporary version of the story, created by choreographer Jennifer Weber and writer Michael Fitelson, has captivated an entirely new audience.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker continues the original storyline with innovative digital graffiti and visuals. It transforms the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story from traditional 19th Century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City.
The plot stems from Hoffman’s 1816 short story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”, where a family’s Christmas Eve celebration turns into daughter Marie (later changed to Clara, and in this instance, Maria-Clara) and the Nutcracker Prince embarking on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets and learning the lessons of the holiday season. This time around, a holiday party and magical journey to the 1980s sets the scene for a heart-stirring and inspirational holiday event.
Photo courtesy of The Hip Hop Nutcracker |
The Hip Hop Nutcracker is brought to life by a powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, who opens the show with a short set.
This year’s tour includes Ryan Nebreja, who plays The Nutcracker. With a background in acting and breakdancing, being part of this show was the perfect opportunity for him.
“It encapsulates [the] love and joy that I have [had] the privilege to spread throughout the nation,” he said.
Nebreja relishes in the moments when he can really get a good view of the audience’s reactions. It is challenging to incorporate solo dances, choreography and acting seamlessly and in a way that propels the story. When the audience watches that come to life, there is no better feeling.
“I find hearing the reaction and seeing the audience’s smile on their faces have been the most rewarding,” he said. “I want them to take away the holiday spirit and the message of hip hop that Kurtis Blow mentions in the beginning of the show, especially the idea that two worlds that come from different sides of the world could come together and create something beautiful.”
The Hip Hop Nutcracker tour dates can be found here.
This year’s tour includes Ryan Nebreja, who plays The Nutcracker. With a background in acting and breakdancing, being part of this show was the perfect opportunity for him.
“It encapsulates [the] love and joy that I have [had] the privilege to spread throughout the nation,” he said.
Nebreja relishes in the moments when he can really get a good view of the audience’s reactions. It is challenging to incorporate solo dances, choreography and acting seamlessly and in a way that propels the story. When the audience watches that come to life, there is no better feeling.
“I find hearing the reaction and seeing the audience’s smile on their faces have been the most rewarding,” he said. “I want them to take away the holiday spirit and the message of hip hop that Kurtis Blow mentions in the beginning of the show, especially the idea that two worlds that come from different sides of the world could come together and create something beautiful.”
The Hip Hop Nutcracker tour dates can be found here.
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