Every December, the Brevard Ballet Youth Company brings Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker to life with 100+ dancers and professional guest artists. A look at the company’s signature production — and the holiday tradition Brevard County looks forward to all year.
Some traditions define a community’s holiday season. In Brevard County, one of them wears pointe shoes. Each December, the Brevard Ballet Youth Company presents Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker — the company’s flagship production and a cherished annual event for families across the Space Coast.
A Full-Scale Production
The company’s Nutcracker is no small recital. Choreographed by artistic director Elena Shokhina to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, it is a full-scale production with more than 100 dancers, elaborate sets and costumes, and professional guest artists in featured roles. It has grown into an annual tradition — by 2019 the company was already presenting its “third annual” Nutcracker, and it has returned every holiday season since.
Professional Guest Artists on a Brevard Stage
One of the hallmarks of the company’s Nutcracker is the caliber of guest artists who perform alongside its young dancers. The 2019 production featured Carlos Guerra — a former principal with Miami City Ballet and co-founder of Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami — as the Mouse King, with fellow Dimensions Dance Theatre artists Chloe Freytag as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Fabien Morales as the Nutcracker/Cavalier. In later seasons, advanced academy student Sophia danced the Sugar Plum Fairy, partnered by guest artist Alexey Minkin as her Cavalier — a vivid example of home-grown talent sharing the stage with professionals.
Home-Grown Stars in Featured Roles
The Nutcracker is also a showcase for the academy’s own rising talent — and a place to watch dancers grow from tiny roles into leads. Havi, who once danced the Toy Soldier and Kissy Doll dolls, rose to the coveted role of Clara in the 2025 production, while Celeste earned soloist turns as the Snow Queen and in the Arabian divertissement, and longtime company dancer Isabella “Bella,” a member of Brevard Ballet Youth Company since 2018, took the role of the Mouse Queen.
The 2025 Nutcracker cast showed off that depth across two performances. Havi and Enola shared the role of Clara; Pheonix and Maggie alternated as the Sugar Plum Fairy opposite a professional guest Cavalier; Daisy and Celeste danced the Snow Queen; and guest artist Joe Kienstra appeared as Drosselmeyer. Soloists lit up every divertissement — Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, and Russian — a reminder that behind every lead is a company of dancers ready to step up. Watching local dancers grow into these roles season after season is part of what makes the tradition so meaningful for Brevard County families.
The Story Families Return For
On a magical Christmas Eve, young Clara receives a nutcracker from the mysterious Drosselmeyer. After a battle with the Mouse King, the Nutcracker becomes a prince and leads her through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets — where the Sugar Plum Fairy hosts a dazzling series of divertissements: the Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, and Russian dances, the Waltz of the Flowers, and the grand pas de deux. It is a feast of dancing that showcases performers of every level, from the youngest academy students to the company’s most advanced dancers.
Be Part of the Magic
For many young dancers, performing in The Nutcracker is the highlight of the year — and the reason they fell in love with ballet. Training at Brevard Ballet Academy is the path onto that stage. Explore our classes to begin.
Dance in Next Year’s Nutcracker
The journey to the stage starts in the studio. Contact Brevard Ballet Academy in Melbourne, FL to enroll.
Contact the AcademyTags