Ballet Manila, Steps Dance Studio team up for 'The Nutcracker'
MANILA, Philippines — Two of the country's largest dance companies will join forces to stage the beloved ballet "The Nutcracker" as a special Christmas season offering.
Steps Dance Studio and Lisa Macuja-Elizalde's Ballet Manila will perform the production featuring Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famous music at Makati's Samsung Performing Arts Theater from December 11 to 13, 2026.
This will be the first time that the Circuit Makati venue will stage the ballet popularly performed during Christmas given its story.
A young girl named Clara receives a Nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve, when at the strike of midnight, the doll comes to life and accompanies Clara through adventures through the Kingdom of Snow, the Land of the Sweets, and encounters with the Mouse King and the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Designer and 2024 CCP Gawad Para sa Sining for Theater recipient Gino Gonzales will create the costumes and sets, while the lighting will be handled by 2023 Aliw Awards Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Monino Duque.
Ballet coach and choreographer Jeffrey Espejo will oversee the production that will feature dancers from Ballet Manila and Steps Dance Studio.
Tickets for "The Nutcracker" this December are already available via the TicketWorld website.
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