17 TTB professional dancers selected to perform featured roles in Nutcracker Key West at the Tennessee Williams Theatre This December, The Tallahassee Ballet will take its professional dancers beyond the capital city and to the Florida Keys for a first-of-its-kind touring engagement in Key West. Seventeen professional dancers from The Tallahassee Ballet will travel to Key West to join the cast of Nutcracker Key West, presented at the Tennessee Williams Theatre December 3–7. The dancers will perform featured and principal roles throughout the production, including the Dolls in the Party Scene, numerous divertissements in Act II, the dancing roles in the Snow Scene, and the leading roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. But this is no ordinary Nutcracker. Created in 2005 specifically for Key West, Nutcracker Key West transforms Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday ballet into a tropical island fantasy, drawing inspiration from Key West’s maritime history, coral reef, underwater world, and unmistakable local character. The production brings together hired professional dancers and members of the Florida Keys community to create a Nutcracker unlike any other. “Nutcracker Key West was built to celebrate everything that makes the island of Key West unique, from its maritime history to the reef just offshore,” said Matthew Rawls, Artistic Director of Nutcracker Key West. “The professional dancers of The Tallahassee Ballet bring the classical technique and versatility to make that world come alive. Seeing them share the stage with our local artists and young performers, I know Key West audiences are in for a Nutcracker they will never forget.” For TTB, the engagement represents an exciting new chapter for the company’s professional dancers—and a significant opportunity to showcase the talent cultivated in Tallahassee on another Florida stage. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for our dancers and for The Tallahassee Ballet,” said Lauren Hernandez, CEO of The Tallahassee Ballet. “Our professional dancers dedicate themselves to their craft every day, and the opportunity to take their artistry to another community and perform in such a distinctive production is incredibly meaningful. We are proud that the talent and professionalism of our dancers are being recognized beyond Tallahassee.” The engagement also comes with an unusual artistic challenge. TTB’s dancers and artistic staff are preparing for two productions of The Nutcracker simultaneously. Following their Key West engagement, the dancers will return home to Tallahassee to perform The Tallahassee Ballet’s own The Nutcracker, at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, December 19–20, including four performances and two school performances. The 2026 production marks the 40th anniversary of TTB’s The Nutcracker and will feature current dancers alongside TTB alumni, continuing a beloved holiday tradition in Tallahassee. For several months, TTB’s professional dancers and artistic staff will move between the two productions—learning different choreography, characters, staging, costumes, and artistic interpretations while preparing to perform each at a professional level. “It is a tremendous amount of work, but it is also an incredible artistic opportunity,” said Meagan Helman, Artistic Director of The Tallahassee Ballet. “Our dancers are being challenged to step into two very different interpretations of The Nutcracker. Key West has its own visual language and storytelling rooted in the island, while our Tallahassee production carries 40 years of history and tradition. Having the opportunity to experience both is something our dancers will carry with them throughout their careers.” For The Tallahassee Ballet, the Key West engagement is about more than performing in a new location. It is an opportunity to demonstrate the caliber of professional artists working in Tallahassee, provide dancers with valuable touring experience, and expand the reach of a company that has served Florida’s capital city for more than five decades. “Professional dancers need opportunities to grow—not only through the roles they perform at home, but by experiencing new stages, new artistic environments, and new audiences,” Hernandez said. “We are excited to see our dancers represent The Tallahassee Ballet in Key West, and then come home and share that same artistry with our Tallahassee audiences during our own 40th anniversary Nutcracker celebration.” About The Tallahassee BalletFounded in 1972, The Tallahassee Ballet is a nonprofit professional dance company dedicated to presenting exceptional classical and contemporary ballet while providing opportunities for professional and emerging artists. Through performances, education, and community engagement, TTB contributes to the cultural vitality of Florida’s capital city and beyond. The post The Tallahassee Ballet Joins The Nutcracker in Key West first appeared on Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.The post The Tallahassee Ballet Joins The Nutcracker in Key West appeared first on Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. ...read more read less