Whose ‘Nutcracker’? Rethinking a Christmas staple.

For more than 50 years “The Nutcracker” has been synonymous with Christmas. Along with holiday cheer, the ballet generates anywhere from 20% to 50% of most ballet companies’ revenue. While many live performances of “The Nutcracker” have been canceled this year due to the pandemic, the classic ballet remains a beloved holiday tradition and inspires legions of children to take up ballet. 

But in recent years, many in the dance community have been asking how to reconcile this ballet that they love with the stereotypes that it has helped to perpetuate. They wonder if it is possible to transform “The Nutcracker” to remove its racial

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