We are now looking for a sponsor for this event, so JM students can enjoy this experience entirely free of charge. Please contact us if you or your organization may be interested!
JM artists travel to Memorial Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the renowned Dorrance Dance company presenting their innovative interpretation of “The Nutcracker Suite.” The experience includes excellent center orchestra seating in the first three rows, with transportation and dinner.
As with all of our Pinnacle of the Arts events, we are working now to arrange an opportunity for JM artists to learn directly from the world-class artists and other experts associated with the performance. If something can be arranged, we will announce the details as soon as they are final.
Formed by renowned tap dancer and choreographer Michelle Dorrance, a MacArthur Fellow born and raised in Chapel Hill, Dorrance Dance brought together unique artists to preserve the rich tradition of tap and expand its artistic possibilities. Their mission has been a success, with the New York Times proclaiming, “With each performance of Dorrance Dance, tap expands.”
The company based in New York City performs around the world and has a vibrant educational outreach, featuring an intensive program for professional dancers, master classes, community workshops and lecture demonstrations in public schools.
Here’s how Carolina Performing Arts describes this program: “Dorrance Dance‘s The Nutcracker Suite is set to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s extraordinary 1960 reinterpretation of the Tchaikovsky score. Part seasonal concert, part tap ballet, the production transforms the Sugar Plum Fairy into a slinky Sugar Rum Cherry, turns the ‘March of the Toy Soldiers’ into a swinging brass ‘Peanut Brittle Brigade,’ and gives the original ballet’s pageant of national dances a fresh 21st-century twist.
“Drawing on the rich traditions of tap dance to tell the story of one of the most beloved works in the holiday canon, The Nutcracker Suite is filled with rhythm, virtuosity, humor, and heart. The result is a performance that celebrates the joy of tradition while reminding us that the stories we return to year after year still evolve.” Click here for a 28-second video capturing the vibe of this performance.
This event is part of our 2026-27 Pinnacle of the Arts series providing an opportunity for JM students to experience world-class arts. We are still seeking a sponsor for this event; please contact us if you, your company or your organization might be interested. Between 15 and 30 students attend each event entirely free of charge — including a meal and transportation.
👉 If you, your business or your nonprofit might be willing to sponsor an event for this or next season, please contact us! This is a remarkable opportunity to shape the lives of young artists.
📸 Photo courtesy of Dorrance Dance