'The Nutcracker' at the New York City Ballet

Every Christmas since moving to New York I have wanted to see 'The Nutcracker' ballet. I finally managed to get tickets and was very excited to go last week.  

The NYC ballet is located within The Lincoln Centre on the Upper West Side.  It is a beautiful venue and worth arriving early to enjoy the views from the balcony.  I somehow managed to completely mess up the seating, so we ended up being right at the back of the theatre!  However, it wasn't a full house so we were able to sneak to slightly better seats.

The Nutcracker is a family ballet and although aimed more towards children, it is enjoyable for all ages.  If you haven't been to a ballet before it is a great one to see as it's not too long (1hour 45mins) and you will probably recognise a lot of the music.  The sets are spectacular, with a Christmas tree that grows to 40ft, falling snow and a flying sleigh.  

The dancing was amazing and my hairs stood on end when watching 'The Sugarplum Fairy' and 'The Snowflakes'.  Although the children were great, I enjoyed the second act more than the first as there were more adult performances.

It was a lovely experience and I left the theatre feeling very Christmassy and excited for the holidays!  

'The Nutcracker' is running until the 30th December and tickets start at $34.  For more information and to book tickets, visit http://www.nycballet.com/Ballets/G/George-Balanchine-s-The-Nutcracker.aspx.