Alexandra Rodriguez

There is no better way to spend this holiday season than with a festive mash-up for the entire family. You have the opportunity to see The Hip Hop Nutcracker perform at the Hanover Theater on December 29. The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary dance spectacle set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. The unique and joyful event is performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of the hip hop’s founding fathers. This re-imagined and re-mixed version of the classic and dynamic performance of The Hip Hop Nutcracker will take us on a journey that celebrates love, community and the magic of the holiday season.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is directed, choreographed and co-created by Lucille Lortel and Bessie award nominated Jennifer Weber. Weber who has choreographed, Disney’s Zombies 2 releasing on the Disney Channel in 2020 and &Juliet a new musical featuring the songs of pop songwriter, Max Martin believes,“The Nutcracker is more than just a ballet, it is a piece of American pop culture. I was inspired by the music, the narrative, and the opportunity to work on something on such a large scale.”

When asked about what inspired Weber to create a Hip Hop interpretation of a ballet classic Weber said, “I have been working for a few years on re-imagining the narratives of various ballets into the language of Hip Hop. I had created a version of Stravinsky’s The Firebird and also Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. In the same way that theater directors often reimagine Shakespeare, I wanted to reimagine the classic ballets and translate them into the world of hip hop.”

Randi Freitas, the associate director, choreographer and principal performer of the show, spoke about the upcoming show. The performance is referred to as a “ whole new twist on an old classic” and the audience will be able to experience joy. According to Freitas, “We use the original music but we have brought the storyline to modern time and we use hip hop dance as our way of telling the story! They can also expect people spinning and flying through the air.”

Freitas, is a professional dancer in underground freestyle and commercial industry scenes in Los Angeles. Her work can be seen on a AT&T commercial and she also appeared as a soloist on The Ellen Show for Justin Timberlake.

With its new twist, the show goes on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets and learning the lessons of the holiday season. The Hip Hop Nutcracker, “Is the story of the struggles of a family, which can appeal to older generations. It has magical moments and playfulness which appeals to the younger generations and it ends with love triumphing over all which appeals to everyone,” Freitas said. She believes the show is for any and every audience.

With it’s innovative digital graffiti and visuals, this show transforms the landscape of German composer, music critic, and artist, Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. The beloved story turns from traditional 19th Century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City. The cast, who rehearses for two weeks prior to the opening show, alters its choreography to fit each year’s cast.

“We are all truly a family. Everyone works so well together and having Kurtis be a part of the show is truly special! We couldn’t have The Hip Hop Nutcracker without having one of the founding fathers of Hip Hop,” Freitas said.

The Hip-Hop legend Kurtis Blow, was the first rapper to be signed by a major label, Mercury in 1979. The American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer has released ten albums in eleven years. With Blow’s first single “Christmas Rappin” he sold over 400,000 copies, becoming an annual classic and the first successful Christmas rap song. Being the special guest MC for The Hip-Hop Nutcracker, Blow opens the show, rapping.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is touring annually across the U.S and premiering on PBS this Fall. Hitting the road this holiday season for 28 cities in the U.S. Tickets are ranging from $42.50 through $62.50 depending on seat location.