José Mateo Ballet Theatre Celebrates Anniversary of The Nutcracker

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker returns for its 36th season this year. 14 performances of its original version of the world’s most popular ballet will be presented at The City of Boston’s Strand Theatre in Dorchester, where JMBT’s professional company debuted in 1987. Magical, thrilling, inspiring, and affordable, José Mateo’s The Nutcracker creates memories that will last a lifetime.

Artistic Director José Mateo’s production honors the traditional style of The Nutcracker but breathes new life into each of its scenes through imaginative choreography and spectacular dancing. JMBT’s The Nutcracker was recognized by Boston Magazine as “Best of Boston 2020 Best Family-Friendly Show”.

Over 100 children ages 6-18 will dance as Clara, Party Children, Mice, Soldiers, Polichinelles, Cherubs, and Angels. The children will join international guest artists from renowned dance companies including Da’von Doane, former Principal Dancer of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Maria Perez, former JMBT summer student and current Soloist with Mauro Ballet Company in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Mary Thompson, Principal of The Brookline Ballet School and former JMBT principal dancer, serves as Nutcracker Artistic Associate, helping to set the choreography of the professional roles.

This year, more than 8,000 audience members will experience the magic of JMBT’s holiday tradition as the company returns to Dorchester’s vibrant Strand Theatre for its 36th season of The Nutcracker. Committed to its mission to make the ballet accessible to all audiences, JMBT works with over 20 local social service agencies to provide 5,000 free and reduced Nutcracker tickets to under-served groups through its Community Ticket Access Program.

JMBT’s Dorchester School: In Dorchester Beyond The Nutcracker

In keeping with its long-term vision to provide dance opportunities to all in the Boston area, JMBT continues to expand its Young Dancers Program in the Dorchester Studio located at Upham’s Corner. This year’s Nutcracker features over 15 local children from the greater Dorchester area. Classes at the Dorchester Studio are offered to children ages 3 and up and are open to boys and girls of all backgrounds. In addition, the Dorchester Studios offers a new Teenager’s Introduction to Ballet class designed for teens ages 11-18 with little to no dance experience for whom there has traditionally been little opportunity to learn ballet. More information about JMBT’s Dorchester programming can be found at: http://www.ballettheatre.org/young-dancers-program-dorchester/

Nutcracker Tickets and Performance Dates

http://www.ballettheatre.org/tickets

Tickets available starting at $25.
Saturday, Dec 7 at 2:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 7 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, Dec 8 at 1:30 PM
Sunday, Dec 8 at 5:00 PM
Friday, Dec 13 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 14 at 2:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 14 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, Dec 15 at 1:30 PM
Sunday, Dec 15 at 5:00 PM
Friday, Dec 20 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 21 at 2:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 21 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, Dec 22 at 1:30 PM
Sunday, Dec 22 at 5:00 PM

About José Mateo Ballet Theatre

Founded in 1986, José Mateo Ballet Theatre is one of America’s leading producers of new ballets, one of the area’s most reputable ballet schools, and the originator of Dance for World Community (DWC), a project created in 2008 to expand the organization’s mission that has always focused on equity and diversity in dance performance, training and community programs. Over the past 30 years, Cuban-born Artistic Director and Founder, José Mateo has developed his unique vision of using the power of dance to inspire and engage today’s diverse audiences in creative, non-traditional ways. In 2018, Mateo received the state’s highest award, the Commonwealth Award for Achievement from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Hailed by Boston Magazine as “Best of Boston 2020 Best Family-Friendly Show” The Nutcracker has become an anticipated annual season since 1988. Until 2019, the Company regularly presented Mateo’s highly acclaimed concerts at its own Sanctuary Theatre in its Harvard Square home at Old Cambridge Baptist Church and continues to present The Nutcracker at Dorchester’s Strand Theatre. The School offers an innovative model for a high-quality academy with a humanistic approach to ballet training that fosters diversity and inclusion at both its Cambridge campus and Dorchester satellite program.

Visit http://www.ballettheatre.org/ for more information about JMBT.

This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.