San Jose, CA – This year’s 58th The Nutcracker by San Jose Dance Theatre, will not only entertain audiences with the classic Christmas story of a girl’s dream of a waltz of flowers and the Sugar Plum Fairy, but it will also be a dream come true for this year’s Clara, Anika Sison. Dancing the role of Clara in “The Nutcracker” has always been a dream and goal for Anika, since she first saw her first Nutcracker performance at 4 years old at the San Jose Center For Performing Arts. At the time, she had been taking dance lessons for two years at a local dance studio. Fast forward to almost 10 years ..read more

As the San Jose Dance Theatre approaches its monumental 58 th annual performance of “The Nutcracker,” the company’s board and artistic team have found inspiration in the vision of their founders, Paul Curtis & Shawn Stuart. With an incredible knack for storytelling and meticulous attention to detail, their influence on the ballet’s creation remains a guiding force even after all these years. Drawing from the original choreography of the first act, with minor updates to keep it fresh, the team has managed to uphold the essence of the timeless classic. A Timeless Tradition and the Challenge ..read more

Artistic Director Linda Hurkmans speaks about the legacy of San Jose Dance Theatre’s “The Nutcracker” and how the current 54th production continues to inspire young dancers by working with world-class professional dancers from San Francisco Ballet on Mike Jacobi’s live show “Raising the Standards” KSCO Radio Santa Cruz. Broadcast on November 30, 2019. Listen to the interview on KSCO (Interview starts 10 minutes into the segment ..read more

My journey with SJDT began at the age of 9, when I first performed in The Nutcracker, as a 1st act party boy. I studied with the original founders of SJDT, Paul E. Curtis & Shawn Stuart, who both helped shape me as a dancer, artist and performer. I continued to dance with SJDT throughout my childhood and teen years, eventually becoming a Company member at 19 years of age. I danced many roles over the years including the Nutcracker Prince, the Harlequin Doll, Mouse King, Spanish, Marzipan, Waltz of the Flowers and for many years, the Snow Prince (still my favorite dancing role in The Nutcra ..read more

San José Dance Theatre is honored to feature Chisako Oga and James Cunningham, courtesy of the Cincinnati Ballet, in the principal roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier at the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose for the weekend of December 8, 9, & 10. These artists are leading the cast of the 52nd annual Nutcracker production, the longest running Nutcracker in San Jose’s history. Photo Credit: Hiromi Yamada Platt Ms. Oga is dancing the role of Sugar Plum Fairy, a role which was her favorite as a child, and one she always dreamed of dancing. Mr. Cunningham will play ..read more

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Photo Credit: Cecile Carlos-Janicek San José Dance Theatre is honored to present Julia Rowe, soloist for the San Francisco Ballet, dancing the principal role of Sugar Plum Fairy at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts opening weekend of December 1, 2, and 3. Ms. Rowe has fond memories of dancing The Nutcracker… “I grew up on the East Coast in Pennsylvania. My school, the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, performed George Balanchine’s version of The Nutcracker. In that production, the second act begins with the youngest students as angels encircling the Sugar Plum Fairy as she does he ..read more

For a young ballet dancer, it doesn’t get much better than opening your Nutcracker casting letter to find out that you’ve received the role of Clara. This year, San José Dance Theatre presented this news to Twilight Lin and Natalie Ramskov. Receiving the coveted role of “Clara” is their first opportunity as a dancer to carry the narrative of a ballet. Twilight and Natalie have their own unique style and path that has led them to this role. Both dancers share their story of dedication and success in their spotlight profiles. Introducing, Twilight Grace Lin, a 6th grader at Waldorf School of the ..read more

SAN JOSÉ, California – One of the Bay Area’s leading classical ballet institutions, San José Dance Theatre (SJDT) is pleased to announce its continued partnership with the Cambrian Symphony. The Cambrian Symphony will provide a full symphony for the 2017 production of The Nutcracker. Scott Krijnen, Cambrian Symphony’s conductor, and Linda Hurkmans, SJDT’s Artistic Director are joining forces for the fifth year to bring live music and dance to Tchaikovsky’s holiday ballet. The San José Dance Theatre has provided generations of audiences with the magic of The Nutcracker. Now in its 52nd year, SJ ..read more