Youth Auditions for
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet 

The 2019 performance of The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker was a smashing success. They return in 2023 as
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet! 

We are elated to have Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet (formerly Moscow Ballet) return to Seattle in 2023 for their Dance with Us program. American Dance Institute will once again be their host school.

Auditions will be held on Sunday, September 10, 11:00am at the American Dance Institute Shoreline studio, 1240 NE 175th Street, Shoreline, WA 98155.

Please remember that auditions are open to all greater Seattle students having at least one year of ballet training at the time of auditions and be currently enrolled in a local dance school.

To keep updated on auditions for 2023's performance please join our mailing list here. 

nutcracker, seattle nutcracker, Moscow Ballet, American Dance Institute

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet's Dance with Us program has brought tens of thousands of student dancers onstage to perform annually in a professional environment for 26 years – a once in a lifetime experience for many children!

                Nutcracker Performance Info 

When: Sunday, November 19, 2023 
Where:  Paramount Theatre, downtown Seattle
What Time:  2:00pm and 6:00pm (subject to change)

Nutcracker Seattle Audition Info 

When: Sunday, September 10, 2023 
Where:  American Dance Institute’s Shoreline Studio, 1240 NE 175th Street, 98155
What Time:  11:00am

Auditions are open to all dancers ages 6-18 in the greater Seattle area who have had at least 1 year of ballet training and are enrolled or will be enrolled in a ballet class for the Fall season.

If cast, dancers need to be available to learn the choreography from  
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet's audition director on September 10th after auditions and September 11th after school, and with ADI staff every weekend from September 23rd - November 12th.   Most performers will have a rehearsal on either Saturday or Sunday, but likely not both days.  Dancers must be available for whichever day/time they are assigned.  And there will be a mandatory all cast rehearsal on November 11th in Shoreline. Dress Rehearsal will be on the same day as the performance so students will need to be available all day on Sunday, November 19, 2023. 

There is a casting fee of $50.00 that will be paid to Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet when registering for auditions, and a $150 rehearsal fee that will be paid to American Dance Institute if cast.

Limited scholarships are available. Please inquire in the office: 206-783-0755


The Dancing Roles to be Cast For Seattle Performance

ACT I SCENES:

Party Children:  Ages 7-11, 6 girls and 6 boys (or girls dressed as boys)

Mice: Ages 10-12

Little Snowflakes: Ages 6-8 (Note: Must have 1 year ballet training)

ACT II:

Snow Maidens: Ages 10-14

Snow Sprites: 4 girls ages 10-14, pointe optional

Spanish: 2 dancers ages 8-10 & 2 dancers ages 12-18, pointe optional

Chinese: 2 dancers ages 8-10 & 2 older dancers ages 12-18, pointe optional

Russian: 2 dancers ages 8-10 & 2 dancers ages 11-18

French: 2 dancers ages 7-8

Arabian: 2 dancers ages 12-18, pointe optional

More information: www.nutcracker.com

There will be two performances in Seattle, 2:00pm and 6:00pm on Sunday, November 19, 2023

Join our 2023 Great Russian Nutcracker Mailing list for all the latest information.


The New York Times Says...

Moscow Ballet: ‘Great Russian Nutcracker’

When Russians are involved, there are bound to be certain advantages: a magnetic sense of theater, along with decent costumes and sets. This “Nutcracker” unfolds at Mayor Stahlbaum’s annual Christmas Eve Ball — a hot ticket, apparently — and features the dancers Ekaterina Bortiakova and Akzhol Mussakhanov in the leads, as well as new set designs by Carl Sprague, who is known for his work in films like “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” His Waltz of the Flowers scene is inspired by the gardens in the Grand Palace of Peterhof in St. Petersburg. 

Nutcracker, Moscow Ballet, American Dance Institute

60-100 Seattle dance students will dance with the Moscow Ballet in their Seattle performance of the Great Russian Nutcracker this November.

Behind The Scenes Of Seattle's Cutest Nutcracker Auditions

2017 Seattle area cast members for the Great Russian Nutcracker.


Komo Television's Seattle Refined recorded portions of Seattle's Moscow Ballet Nutcracker auditions and they interviewed participants at American Dance Institute's Greenwood Studios. 

Watch it now:Behind The Scenes Of The Cutest Nutcracker Auditions


Moscow Ballet Soloists/Audition Directors tour the country conducting auditions for student dancers at Moscow Ballet’s local host dance studios from August through October.

Student dancers, boys and girls, ages 6 to 18 years, who have at least one year of ballet training, may audition for ancillary roles in the Great Russian Nutcracker such as Party Children, Mice, Snowflakes, Angels and more.

The selected children will rehearse at our host dance studio: American Dance Institute, and perform in the Great Russian Nutcracker at Seattle's Paramount Theater.

Los Angeles Times, Lewis Segal, “Christmas cheer...virtuosity...faultless mastery”

 New York Times, Chief Dance Critic, “Knockout, brimful with feeling, kids...wide-eyed delight”

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Eric Harrison, “Dazzlingly shows Russian roots, sterling style”

 Calgary Herald, Stephen BonfieldTechnically supreme dancing, opulent, magical moments”

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