Nutcracker: welcoming new audiences to ballet

Anna Nevzorova as Ice Queen in Aaron S. Watkin and Arielle Smith's Nutcracker © Photography by ASH

19 December 2025

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With the festive season upon this, we were delighted to open our winter season at the London Coliseum and welcome audiences to Nutcracker.

Choreographed by our Artistic Director, Aaron S. Watkin, alongside Arielle Smith, Nutcracker premiered last year and is on stage until 11 January 2026 to spread seasonal magic once again.

Last Christmas, nearly 100,000 people experienced Nutcracker at performances in Southampton and London, with hundreds of thousands more enjoying the production digitally. More than half of the bookers for our stage performances where new audiences, and for many people, Nutcracker is their first experience of ballet.

For Watkin and Smith, that sense of welcome and connection sit at the heart of the production:

We wanted to create something that really connected with audiences today. And whilst we absolutely wanted to make a Nutcracker that inspires young people, we also wanted to inspire the adults in the room and help them find their inner child!

This is a production for both those who know and love Nutcracker, but also for those who might be experiencing ballet for the first time.

Set on Christmas Eve, the story follows Clara as she embarks on a magical adventure from Edwardian London to the Land of Sweets and Delights. It’s a world full of imagination, colour, and joy that speaks to the childlike wonder in all of us.

We’ve received wonderful responses from audiences after seeing the show.

This was my first experience of a full-length ballet. Was so much more than expected. The whole thing was a highlight… and a really lovely introduction to ballet.

Audience Member

Incredible, spellbinding, magical show

Audience Member

The dancers were incredible and the music, set design and costumes just took the performance to another level. The best adaptation of the Nutcracker I have ever seen!

Audience Member

The production inspired similar sentiments from some of our younger audiences too…

Every performance of our Nutcracker leaves a little magic behind – welcoming audiences, creating treasured memories, and inspiring a whole new generation of ballet fans.

So whether you’re a first-time visitor or devoted ballet lover, everyone is invited to join us at the London Coliseum this festive season.