Dorrance Dance dazzles with jazzy Nutcracker

Tinsel merged with Tchaikovsky last Thursday evening when the talented Dorrance Dance troupe took to the Soraya stage to present Dorrance Dance: The Nutcracker Suite.

It was a fiesta of creativity and rhythm as tap shoes kicked pointe shoes aside for this ebullient and jazzy take on the Holiday season classic.

The evening began with vocalist Aaron Marcellus leading a jazz ensemble and taking us through a swinging series of festive favorite tunes such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Brighten the Corner Where You Are,” “Good Morning Blues,” “Sleigh Ride,” Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” and – of course – “Jingle Bells.” 

Michelle Dorrance’s critically acclaimed tap dance company, Dorrance Dance, features a large cast of superstar dancers and singers paired with gorgeous sets and vibrant costumes designed by Andrew Jordan.

Co-creator and co-choreographer Michelle Dorrance teamed up with Hannah Heller and Josette Wiggan-Freund—the latter who features as the Sugar Rum Cherry—to conceive their highly original Nutcracker production, infused with the traditions of American jazz music and tap dance. Michelle Dorrance made her Soraya debut in the fall of 2023, appearing with ballet superstar Tiler Peck and a troupe of the best dancers in America. Among the many ballet talents onstage, Michelle Dorrance really stood out as the tap dancer who brought power, rhythm, and drive to her exuberant performance.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday classic ballet is the tale of a young girl, Clara, who receives the gift of a nutcracker doll at her family’s Christmas party. In her dreams that night, the nutcracker doll comes to life as a handsome prince who joins her on a magical journey. Together, they travel to lands filled with dancing snowflakes, waltzing flowers, a mouse army and other exotic characters, all brought to vivid life on stage.

The 1960 musical adaptation by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn is a genuine reimagining, both faithful and original in its interpretation. In this whimsical riff on The Nutcracker there’s a journey through snow to a fantasy land of dancing sweets. We are treated to a big band version of Waltz of the Flowers, with the dancers adorned with Andrew Jordan’s exuberantly oversized floral headdresses, all set to a swinging horn section.

For the Waltz of the Snowflakes number we hear the gentle sound of shoes swirling in sand ‘soft shoe’ style, while fluffy snowflakes drifted from above.

In the Rat King’s tap battle Clara scuffles with oversized mice with the help of a nutcracker brought to life by her magician godfather.

One of the standout moments is the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” thrillingly re-envisaged as Sugar Rum Cherry. Here, tap takes on an unexpected but exciting role; Dorrance’s choreography transforms the soloist’s pirouettes and leaps into complex tap rhythms and rapid footwork, capturing the essence of the fairy’s grace while turning her into an exuberant rhythm machine. The Sugar Rum Cherry’s elegance is heightened, yet it remains grounded in a fresh dynamism that never loses the sweetness of the character.

The rest of the cast—comprised of some of the most skilled tap dancers in the world—brings an infectious joy to the stage. The “Waltz of the Flowers,” for instance, is transformed into a vibrant celebration of rhythm, with dancers in flowing costumes tapping in intricate patterns that evoke both the swirls of the waltz and the imagery of blooming petals. Each dancer’s feet seem to be working in concert with the music, seamlessly blending percussion with melody in a way that’s not only captivating but deeply moving.

Dorrance’s ability to create contrast is also one of the production’s many strengths. The “Arabian Dance,” typically one of the more languid and mysterious sections in The Nutcracker, is here reinterpreted through a slow, meditative tap solo, with the dancer’s every movement deliberate and controlled, letting the rhythm unfold with a hypnotic quality. This grounded, slower section is beautifully balanced with the high-energy excitement of “The Russian Dance,” where the dancers engage in a fast-paced, athletic display of syncopated rhythms and dazzling footwork. The contrast between light and dark, fast and slow, gives the production a depth that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.

The brightly-colored costumes are stunning, designed by Andrew Jordan. They strike a perfect balance between the classical elegance of The Nutcracker and the modern, bold energy of tap. The costumes flow with the dancers’ movements, and the colors—rich reds, soft pastels, shimmering silvers—enhance the festive, dreamlike atmosphere of the production. The lighting design by Jeff Croiter complements this visual palette, casting a warm glow over the dancers and creating the kind of twinkling magic that makes the holiday season feel enchanted. The silhouette number was especially striking: the sudden disappearance of front-of-house lighting revealed the dancers as black cutouts, backed by colored cyclorama. So stylish!

Michelle Dorrance made her Soraya debut in the fall of 2023, appearing with ballet superstar Tiler Peck and a troupe of the best dancers in America. Among the many ballet talents onstage, everyone will remember standout Michelle Dorrance as the tap dancer who brought power, rhythm, and drive. 

Dorrance Dance’s The Nutcracker Suite is nothing short of a triumph—a dazzling reimagining of the beloved holiday classic that seamlessly fuses tradition with innovation. Under the visionary direction of choreographer and tap dance virtuoso Michelle Dorrance, this performance breathes new life into the familiar world of The Nutcracker, infusing it with the rich rhythms of tap dance while maintaining the magic and elegance that have made the ballet a holiday staple for generations.

Choreography & Direction:

• Michelle Dorrance – Choreographer & Artistic Director
  Michelle Dorrance is the founder and visionary behind Dorrance Dance, known for her innovative approach to tap dance and for blending various genres of movement into her work.

The company features a core group of exceptionally skilled tap dancers, many of whom have worked with Dorrance for years.

Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya)

18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit TheSoraya.org,

or simply call the Box Office at (818) 677-3000.

About The Soraya:
Located on the vibrant and diverse campus of California State University in the heart of Los
Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to innovating,
exceling, and amplifying access by offering a wide variety of performances that reflect LA’s
many distinctive communities and featuring new and original work from the Los Angeles region as well as artists from around the world.