Photo by Megan Maloy

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- This holiday season, Nimbus Dance's Jersey City Nutcracker returns to the Nimbus Arts Center with 15 public performances from December 6-22, 2024, plus additional schooltime matinees for local students and groups. Now in its 14th year, Nimbus' lively and contemporary interpretation of Tchaikovsky's classic delights audiences of all ages with a heartwarming story set right in the heart of Jersey City.

Directed and choreographed by Nimbus Artistic Director Samuel Pott, Jersey City Nutcracker is a captivating journey through the city’s bustling streets, parks, and landmarks as two young characters discover friendship, community, and the magic of the season.

This unique adaptation features a jazzy twist on Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. Audiences will encounter beloved characters like the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Rat King, and Drosselmeyer, each reimagined with a Jersey City flair. Stunning animated projections by local artists Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger transform the stage, transporting viewers through parks, avenues, and even the city’s sewers in an enchanting urban landscape.

Photo by Megan Maloy

“For kids in Jersey City who have grown up with Jersey City Nutcracker, where the action takes place in this day and age, and the characters emerge straight out of real life, this wonderful holiday tradition celebrates qualities like adventure, empowerment and independence,” remarks Nimbus’ Founding Artistic Director, Samuel Pott, “Our show lifts up a sense of local place, rather than the exoticism and idealization of 19th century Europe portrayed by traditional Nutcracker productions.”

Due to the popularity of last year’s sold-out shows, Jersey City Nutcracker will run for three weekends, from Friday, December 6 to Sunday, December 22, 2024. Performances take place Friday - Sunday at 7:00pm; Matinee performances Saturday and Sunday at 3:00pm. Tickets range from $28-$65 and are available for purchase online. Nimbus Arts Center is located at 329 Warren Street in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The cast of Jersey City Nutcracker includes 15 professional dance artists from Nimbus’ award-winning company and 80+ youth from all over Jersey City. Debuting in the youth lead roles of Maria and Christina are: Colette Bildson (The Hudson School), Alyssa Gonsalves (Frank R. Conwell Middle School #4), Avery Judd (Our Lady of Czestochowa School), Sofia Pott (Little Red Elizabeth Erwin High School), Joanna Sytsma (The Hudson School), Beta Vino (Franklin School).

Special guest cameo performers for the run include the following for Mama Cannoli: Erin Barth, Stacey Flanagan, Yeon Benkovitz, Elizabeth Schedl, Bess Morrison, Esohe Alile, Erin Burton, Jessica Ramirez, Andrea 'Andi' Gunden, Jerly Marquez, Foram Patel, Ceallaigh Lorenz, Paula Mahayosnand, and Hollie Meyer.

Special guest cameo performers for Mayor Frank Hague include: Sean Hagerty, Roxy Arrojo, Wayne Burton, Stephanie Daniels, and Richard Dwyer.

Nimbus Dance bridges the gap between world-class performances and community engagement by presenting work that challenges, speaks to, and elevates the core beliefs of its diverse audience. Founded in 2005 by visionary Artistic Director Samuel Pott (former soloist with Martha Graham Dance Company) and based in Jersey City, Nimbus stands at the forefront of excellence in the arts, civic engagement, and equitable impact. With a highly physical and visually engaging aesthetic, Nimbus' international company of dancers "split the difference between traditionalism and modernism... A Nimbus piece can pivot from ballet to Broadway to Beyoncé in a few beats." (Tris McCall, Jersey City Times). The company performs on tour nationally and throughout the greater New Jersey/New York region, impacting more than 16,000 people annually. Recently, Nimbus performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood and is grateful for support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Jersey City Arts Trust, the O'Donnell Green Music and Dance Foundation and others.