Two radically different takes on a holiday tradition return to the Pikes Peak Center this holiday season. In late November, audiences can feast on The Nutcracker, a traditional take celebrating Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s timeless score as well as exquisite choreography. Moving into mid-December, the center will host A Colorado Nutcracker, changing the setting from 19th century Germany to 19th century Colorado Springs, with the tale taking place in historic Glen Eyrie Castle.
With sugar plum fairies, a marching army of mice, dancing snowflakes, and, of course, an enchanted prince, the 1892 classical ballet by Tchaikovsky is a seasonal tradition for many across Southern Colorado. The Colorado Springs Philharmonic, featuring guest conductor Thomas Wilson, will join the Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale and the University of Oklahoma School of Dance in order to create an immersive world of holiday magic.
Pikes Peak Center Performances
- The Nutcracker
November 28, 29, 30
190 S Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs - A Colorado Nutcracker
December 13 and 14
190 S Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs
Founded in 1977 as a civic children’s choir, the Children’s Chorale has been entertaining concert-goers for almost fifty years. From humble roots it has grown to be an organization with five choirs and an annual enrollment of nearly 200 children in grades one through 12 throughout the Pikes Peak Region. The University of Oklahoma School of Dance is considered one of the leading dance programs in the nation for training in ballet and modern dance techniques.
“The first Oklahoma dance relationship started in the 90s with the Oklahoma City Ballet, which brought a whole traveling show, including everything from costumes to sets,” explains Alexandra Belone, marketing and communications manager for the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. “However, the University of Oklahoma School of Dance performed with us last year as well as this November as the OC Ballet is completely rebuilding their Nutcracker set.
“Many of the principal dancers from the Oklahoma City Ballet will be performing here in the Springs along with student dancers from the Pikes Peak region. One of the things that makes this weekend so special is that we spotlight a child at each performance to be a ‘Nutcracker for a Day’ chosen from a local children’s organization. The kids are dressed in costume and are part of the opening Ballroom Scene. This year the recipient is Centro de la Familia, which provides an array of services to Hispanic women and their children.”
‘A Colorado Nutcracker’
Now for something completely different. Join in the holiday magic of the Colorado Ballet Society & Colorado Youth Ballet's annual performance of A Colorado Nutcracker.
It’s Christmas Eve, 1907, at the beautiful Glen Eyrie home of railroad magnate and Colorado Springs founder Gen. William J. Palmer. His daughters Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjorie have made a special effort to bring holiday cheer to their doting father — who now uses a wheelchair due to a horseback riding accident in Garden of the Gods the year before. FOX21 News Director, Joe Cole, will be featured as Palmer and narrates the story as it could have happened that night.
"I was a guest artist and the very first Sugar Plum Fairy in the premiere of The Colorado Nutcracker in 2017," says Kate Walsh, artistic director of the Colorado Springs Ballet Society. She relocated to the Springs in 2021 from Sarasota, Florida, where she had been a principal dancer for the Sarasota Ballet for almost twenty years. "My family used to spend summers in Colorado Springs, and I saw a poster for The Colorado Nutcracker, and became a guest artist with the Colorado Ballet Society.
"When I retired from the Sarasota Ballet in 2021, we moved here and I purchased the studio from Patricia Hoffman,” she continues. “We really try to connect the classic story with Colorado where 'The Waltz of the Flowers' features our state flower the columbine, with Tesla as the character of Herr Drosselmeyer. There are about 160 cast members, all students from local schools, with ages ranging from eight to eighteen with only one professional guest dancer, who plays the Snow King."
A Colorado Nutcracker opens at Glen Eyrie Castle where the Palmer family has invited all the city’s founding families to their Christmas Eve party. This yearly tradition includes the Penroses, Tutts, McAlisters as well as the world-renowned scientist Nikola Tesla, who is preparing some magic for the celebration. Salvation Army workers would also bring local orphans to share in gift-opening and other festivities.
"The Colorado Nutcracker takes off when a young orphan girl named Clara is captivated by all the happenings of the day," Walsh explains. "Nikola Tesla notices her almost immediately and decides that Clara is the worthy young lady on whom he should bestow the most extraordinary gift of the season — an enchanted Nutcracker doll. At the stroke of midnight, Clara awakens to see a ferocious Rat King who came to challenge the Nutcracker Prince in battle."
Ultimately coming to life, Clara saves the prince, and in gratitude, he takes her through a Colorado winter wonderland to the delightful Land of Sweets. The performance has been consolidated to 115 minutes, and with no intermission, is very family friendly.