The Nutcracker at The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater

Children’s pick – A behind-the-scenes peek at all the hard work, creativity, and excitement that leads up to the opening night performance of American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker.

Children’s pick – A retelling of The Nutcracker featuring woodland animals, in which Clara’s Uncle Drosselmeyer gifts her a nutcracker who magically comes to life, defeats the Mouse King, and brings Clara to a magical land full of dancing and sweets.

Children’s pick – In Harlem in the 1920s, in the middle of a family Christmas party, Marie receives a nutcracker from her Uncle Cab, which leads to a marvelous dream in this resetting of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s familiar tale. Includes historical notes.

Children’s pick – When dancers have a photoshoot at the Central Park Zoo, a young, African American ballerina and a polar bear form a special friendship. When his new friend leaves her scarf behind, the polar bear must venture through Central Park and out into Manhattan to return it before her performance at the Lincoln Center.

Children’s pick – Set in snowy Russia, this retelling of the Christmas classic features young Marie experiencing the magic of toys, animals, and the Snow Princess coming to life.

Children’s pick – A picture book biography of Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a Sierra Leone-born orphan turned ballerina.

Children’s pick – Dante is known for scoring goals on the soccer field, nailing his pas de chats at the Shimmer and Shine dance studio, and of course, his amazing jokes. He can do it all! But when Dante’s soccer friends tease him for his passion for pirouetting, Dante starts to wonder if he can really do both activities–and still be himself.

Teen pick – A full accounting of five incredibly talented Black ballerinas from The Dance Theater of Harlem, founding members among them, that illuminates their hard-fought, historic, and overlooked contributions to the world of classical dance at a time when racism shut out Black dancers from major dance companies.

Teen pick – A coming-of-age graphic novel following two dancers at a conservative performing arts school–exploring friendship, first love, and what it means to fall out of step with your own dreams.

Clara is searching for the special key to unlock a box from her late mother. Inside that box is a priceless item that her mother left for her. She embarks on a quest into a mysterious world which has four different realms: a snowflakes realm, flowers realm, sweets realm, and the challenging realm where the key is.

Adult pick – This gloriously transportive reimagining of The Nutcracker tells the tale of twin sisters, divided by envy and magic, set against each another one fateful Christmas Eve.

Adult pick – A brilliant, young photographer, Jin is at a crossroads in her work, in her marriage to college sweetheart Phillip, in who she is and who she wants to be. Lidija is a glamorous, injured world-class ballerina on hiatus from her ballet company under mysterious circumstances. Jin finds herself telling Lidija about a old familial curse, breaking a lifelong promise; she’s been told that if she doesn’t keep the curse a secret, she risks losing everything.

Adult pick – From the photographer behind the Instagram sensation Brown Girls Do Ballet, this stunning coffee-table book showcases breathtaking images of ballerinas of color of all ages and levels that reflect today’s beautifully diverse world of dance.

Adult pick – Based on a decade of unprecedented research, the first major biography of George Balanchine , a broad-canvas portrait set against the backdrop of the tumultuous century that shaped the man The New York Times called “the Shakespeare of dancing”–from the bestselling author of Apollo’s Angels.

Adult pick – A science fiction Nutcracker retelling by Sarena Ulibarri. Klara Silber’s parents paid their debt, but left her behind, in charge of the orchards and the android nutcrackers. She’s sure if she follows their example, she’ll earn her invitation to ascend the space elevator and join Petipa Colony in no time. Only, the android nutcrackers have been malfunctioning all season, and some of the other farmers have suddenly gone missing.

Recorded live 2013 December Walt Disney Concert Hall. Los Angeles Philharmonic ; Los Angeles Children’s Chorus ; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor.