The Children’s Nutcracker Celebrates its 10th Anniversary Production Dec. 13 & 14       The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio celebrates its 10th Anniversary production of The Children’s Nutcracker, making sugar plum dreams come true for families looking to take in all the joys of the season with this Christmastime classic performance made for the whole family. From the pre-show holiday market with eats and treats, holiday shopping + photos with Santa and the cast to the incredible production with a magical cast of award-winning, inspiring young artists dancing alongside world renown principal artists …. it’s a beloved San Antonio holiday tradition not to be missed!!     Hoping to delight your little ones and impress visiting guests this holiday season? Look no further than The Children’s Nutcracker, 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. 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.     Feel-good Festivity Presenting The Children’s Nutcracker at the Lila Cockrell theater, a 2,300-seat venue nestled in the shadow of Downtown San Antonio’s iconic Tower of the Americas and right alongside the equally alluring River Walk destination, allows visitors to plan a day of winter fun capped off with a performance. Mosey along the River Walk’s magical holiday light display and stop to play at Yanaguana Gardens, a year-round wonderland of outdoor amusements in nearby Hemisfair Park. Make sure to arrive early at the venue where a holiday market in the lobby will offer audiences the chance to purchase gifts like tutus, “magic” wands, play swords, ornaments, and, of course, nutcrackers. Famished families can treat themselves to sweet and savory delights from the Kingdom of Sweets and warm up with hot cocoa. Starstruck patrons can pose for pictures with Santa Claus and costumed cast members like the Sugar Plum Fairy.     Magic Meets Mastery Since its founding 10 years ago, the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio has been on the vanguard of youth performing arts, combining a passion for diversity and accessibility with professional artistic standards to provide award-winning dance instruction (through its affiliated school, the Dance Center of San Antonio) and productions of the highest caliber that include roles for children as young as three years old and modified opportunities for performers of all abilities. CBSA performers and Dance Center students have studied with acclaimed Master Ballet Teachers and the most talented local choreographers, won numerous international awards, and accepted scholarships to prestigious ballet institutions like 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. CBSA Founder and Prima Ballerina Vanessa Bessler is a nine-time consecutive winner of Youth America Grand Prix’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year, an acknowledgment of her dedication to finding and cultivating young, local talent. The Dance Center was recently recognized as among the top 2.5 percent of ballet institutions in the nation. The resulting performances—which have expanded to include not just traditional ballet but multidisciplinary Broadway-style musicals, like this season’s nearly sold-out world premiere of The Polar Express: The Musical—are heartwarming in their inclusivity and jaw-dropping in their production value, aligning with Bessler’s belief that “the arts are for everyone.”       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.     WHO:  The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, the region’s leading independent dance company for children and young adults. WHAT:  The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents The Children’s Nutcracker   WHEN:  Fri, Dec 13, 7 PM  & Sat, Dec 14, 3 PM   Note: Holiday Market and Photos with Santa and cast opens one hour prior to showtime.   WHERE:  The Lila Cockrell Theatre,  200 E. Market Street,  San Antonio, TX 78205   Visit Ticketmaster for ticketing information.       About the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio 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. For more information, visit childrensballetofsanantonio.org or call 210-462-7660. Mission: 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.