Behind The Curtain

Talmi Entertainment's NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet, now celebrating its 33rd annual tour, has become a Christmas tradition for families across North America. In 2025, the production returns to over 100 cities, sharing the joy and magic that audiences nationwide have enjoyed for over thirty years.

Featuring renowned ballerinas and danseurs from the leading opera houses of the world, Broadway-level sets and costumes, and vibrant new choreography that fuses classical ballet, puppetry, and acrobatics, this holiday spectacular has won critical acclaim from audiences alike. Sold-out theaters attest to the enduring quality of Talmi Entertainment productions, which consistently deliver record-breaking seasons from New York City to Los Angeles.

The press confirms its artistic excellence: the LA Times states, "Disarmingly poetic…bravura expertise"; the Minneapolis Pioneer Press says, "Sweeps you up in the bliss of beauty"; and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette notes, "Stunning visuals, effortless dancing…full of joyful energy."

The show boasts award-winning principal dancers and a corps de ballet of 40 Vaganova-trained ballerinas and danseurs. Averaging 100 performances during November and December, this phenomenon combines the highest caliber ballet with historic international theatrical traditions, 10-foot-tall playful puppets, 9 intricately hand-painted backdrops, and hundreds of exquisite costumes.

The unique "Dance with Us" program allows thousands of local children to perform side-by-side with the professional company in roles created just for them. Audition Directors travel the United States each Fall to personally audition and rehearse aspiring student dancers, preparing them for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Community engagement also includes Creative Development Residencies, interactive workshops via New Horizons – A Children's Program for Life, and opportunities for local pre-professional musicians to accompany the principal ballerina through the Musical Wunderkind program.