Ballet Jörgen - The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition

Holiday magic is made year after year by Ballet Jörgen’s traditional treasure The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition. Created by acclaimed choreographer and Artistic Director Bengt Jörgen to Tchaikovsky’s well-loved score, this delightful classic is a favourite that brings magic to the holidays.

Born from a collaboration with Kleinburg’s world renowned McMichael Canadian Art Collection, and with well over 100 costumes in richly coloured fabrics, The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition brings out the magic of Canada. 20th Century landscapes make up the stunning 30-foot backdrops, including Franklin Carmichael’s Church and Houses at Bisset (1931), Tom Thompson’s Snow in the Woods (1916), and L.L. Fitzgerald’s Trees and Wildflowers (1922). This is a beautiful Canadian work, and audiences are taken on Klara’s familiar, magical dream journey as she arrives in Canada and experiences winter landscapes filled with snowflakes, lumberjacks, Mounties, and creatures of the woods.

This celebration of the wonder of the season is based on the popular traditional story The Nutcracker and the King of mice by E.T.A. Hoffman, enjoyed by audiences for years. The ballet’s second act is remembered for its celebration of varied dances, and our charming divertissements of raccoons, loons, dragonflies, bears and cotton tail rabbits demonstrate Klara’s longing for the summer months as she travels excitedly through her dreams. The iconic, show-stopping pas-de-deux in the final act is lovingly danced by Lord and Lady Birch as they usher Klara safely home at the end of the adventure.

Ballet Jörgen’s Nutcracker is destined to become a national treasure that will warm the hearts of young and old alike. It is a holiday tradition that has showcased the magic of the season for years. Rediscover the joy of dance with the show that audiences flock back to again and again.

Choreography Bengt Jörgen C.M.
Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Set & Costume Design Sue LePage
Lighting Design Bonnie Beecher

For 37 years Ballet Jörgen has brought the joy of dance to countless individuals, families, and communities across Canada and beyond. While they are firmly rooted in their history as an exceptional professional ballet company, they have grown to be so much more! Today they offer a wide range of training and community programs across many dance styles to ensure dance is truly accessible for all Canadians. Whether you are looking to attend a performance, learn to dance, or engage with the arts for the first time; there is something for you under the Ballet Jörgen umbrella. You will be welcomed, educated, entertained, and be a respected member of a real and virtual community. As an organization they genuinely believe in our motto, Dance for All.