Tag: Lila Cockrell Theatre

Ballet, Beauty, and Holiday Cheer: The Children’s Nutcracker at the Lila Cockrell Theatre

Transport your family to a magical winter wonderland with The Children’s Nutcracker. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

San Antonio, TX —The Children’s Nutcracker is a truly enchanting, family-friendly adaptation of the classic Christmastime ballet. Presented on December 13 and 14 by the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, the region’s foremost institution for youth dance instruction, this dynamic production infuses the timeless elegance of The Nutcracker ballet with CBSA’s mission to create professional-grade performance opportunities for pint sized prima ballerinas, supremely talented young adult dancers and inspiring special needs performers. Ticket information is available through Ticketmaster.

The 10th anniversary winter wonderland production takes place at the magnificent Lila Cockrell Theater, located amidst the famous San Antonio Riverwalk’s famed holiday light display. The 90-minute runtime ensures young audiences stay enthralled and inspired, while pre-show opportunities to visit Santa, shop at an onsite holiday market, and indulge in mouthwatering treats from the Kingdom of Sweets create the perfect atmosphere to kick off the holiday season.

Eagerly anticipated auditions draw hundreds of regional applicants hoping to secure a spot on San Antonio’s top stages and dance alongside world-renowned guest artists. This year, international ballet masters and principal artists Aliaksandra Krukava and Nurlan Kinerbayev, both experts in ballet’s acclaimed Vaganova method made famous by the likes of Anna Pavlova, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev, return to lend their expertise to the choreography and staging of The Children’s Nutcracker, as well as dance the principal roles for the December 13 performance. These acclaimed dancers have performed leading roles in classical ballets for numerous companies throughout Europe and the United States, including the Russian National Ballet. Their presence on a San Antonio stage is truly a unique opportunity, made possible by CBSA.

The production is sure to satisfy audiences familiar with the 19th century tale of young Clara and her magical Nutcracker Prince, and dazzle those experiencing the cherished tradition for the first time. All the grandeur of Tchaikovsky’s original ballet score and the classic elements of The Nutcracker legacy are retained in The Children’s Nutcracker, while the energetic pace is designed to entrance younger audiences from start to finish.

Adding to the holiday cheer is the knowledge that proceeds from The Children’s Nutcracker support CBSA’s civic altruism. To date, the company and the affiliated Dance Center of San Antonio has provided life-changing educational and performance opportunities to nearly 2,500 young dancers from South and Central Texas, performed for more than 35,000 Title I schoolchildren and 2,000 underserved community members affiliated with Bexar County youth and family service organizations, and awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to special needs, boys’ dance, and financial needs-based students.

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents The Children’s Nutcracker

Friday December 13, 7p.m. and Saturday December 14, 2p.m.

Note: Holiday Market and Photos with Santa and cast opens one hour prior to showtime.

The Lila Cockrell Theatre
200 E. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s Children’s Nutcracker returns

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents The Children’s Nutcracker and Holiday Market, a magical holiday extravaganza. Photo: Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, used with permission.

An enchanting tale filled with all the magic of the holidays, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has been captivating the hearts and minds of audiences for decades. This timeless story of a young girl whose beloved doll comes to life and takes her on wonderous journey has inspired many a young dancer to take the stage and has fostered a love of the arts in the young, and young at heart. (Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2022)

This year, the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio will return to the Lila Cockrell Theatre to present a Broadway level production of this favorite holiday family tradition. Combining immersive and interactive elements each performance is an event that includes shopping, sweets, and Santa. With a condensed 1.5 hour run time, it will keep event the youngest theatregoers engaged.

The fun starts from the moment guests enter the theatre and discover themselves in a festive holiday market where they can browse the extensive selection of dress-up items, including tutus and Sugarplum Fairy wands, Mouse King swords, as well as home décor including ornaments and, of course, nutcrackers. Hair and makeup stylists will be on site to offer magical makeovers transforming little ones into regal royals for a glittering good time. Key cast members from princes to queens, and fairies, along with Santa himself, will be on hand for photos on a first come first served basis. Because no holiday is complete without treats, there will be plenty of holiday fare including cocoa, holiday cookies and other seasonal favorites along with hot dogs, mini-burgers, and popcorn.

Award-winning dancers and a talented array of young performers share the stage for this production filled with dazzling costumes, multimedia integrated scenery, and even an interactive surprise or two for the audience members. More than just ballet, The Nutcracker celebrates the traditional dances of cultures around the world, showcasing a variety of disciplines and talents including vocalists, actors, gymnasts, special needs artists and more. CBSA founder and former Prima Ballerina Vanessa Bessler, leads the talented youth who range in age from 3-19 and include internationally acclaimed classical dancers alongside gifted special needs artists. A seven-time Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Teacher Award winner, Bessler created CBSA to serve as a gateway for young artists interested in pursuing a professional dance career. The elite artists have had the privilege to train in some of the world’s best academies including the Royal Ballet School in London, the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, and the School of American Ballet in New York City, to name a few. Through recognition, awards, and scholarships from the most prestigious ballet competitions and schools in the world for many of its dancers, CBSA has elevated San Antonio to the world stage, making it a strong player in the arts world.

Friday, December 9, 7p.m.
Saturday, December 10, 2p.m.
Saturday, December 10, 7p.m.
Holiday Market and Photos with Santa and cast opens one hour prior to showtime.

The Lila Cockrell Theatre
200 E. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
Tickets are available online.  

Admission proceeds and holiday market profits directly benefit CBSA in fulfilling its mission to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds. Donations from the event will benefit dance scholarships for special needs and underserved youth, as well as the transportation and organization of several hundred Title 1 school students to attend each performance. Funds also go to the production costs of theatre, costumes, lights, and special effects that allow these dancers to perform in San Antonio’s top theatres in professional productions as part of their professional level training.

The award-winning Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is an authentic, professional-level ballet company that produces professionally staged productions showcasing San Antonio’s most talented children. Dancers are selected by invitation or audition. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is a nonprofit organization 501(c)3.

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) seeks to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds.