The Nutcracker has been a Colorado classic for 20 years and too often it has been the same old thing: tired and lifeless. Until now. This season the Colorado Ballet, which had a strong opening with Swan Lake, is having an even stronger performance of The Nutcracker. The ballet has been recently revised and provides a breath of fresh air to the 1892 production with eye-catching colorful costumes and choreography that differ vastly from other productions of The Nutcracker.

This year the ballet features new sets and backdrops including a look in Herr Drosselmeyer’s workshop in the opening scene and even a new living room for the Stahlbaum’s that includes an owl clock that flaps its wings and chimes at the eerie, mystical arrival of Drosselmeyer. The dancers even seem to have been re-vamped with an electric energy that makes the beautiful dancing even more mesmerizing; the Colorado Ballet Academy dancers are vivacious, beautiful dancers.

 Not only are the dancers dancing with new life, but the ballet has added humor which is rare for the ballet. The mice that visit Clara in her living room are funny, dramatic creatures. The Mouse King even joins in on the comedy when he dramatically dies and somehow manages to disco dance and meditate before he expires.

The best scene in The Nutcracker by far is the second act where Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive into the land of sweets and are greeted by angels and the beautiful Sugar Plum fairy. The entire second act is a mixture of beautiful dancing of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier, including exciting flips and jumps when the Russians present Clara with a gift and a hilarious scene with Mother Ginger fist-pumping and doing the sprinkler while on point.

This year The Nutcracker has taken a new life with gorgeous sets, fresh dancing and humor with the dramatic death of the Mouse King and Mother Ginger’s dancing. The Nutcracker is a must see this holiday season.