Regardless of the recession, a trip to The Nutcracker, performed by the Hong Kong Ballet, is one tradition many families are unwilling to give up this Christmas. As tickets to the troupe's best-selling performance disappear fast, it's clear the city's love for waltzing sugarplum fairies, evil rats and life-sized toys is unlikely to fade.
Appealing to the young, old and ballet-phobic alike, The Nutcracker is the story of a young girl named Clara who falls asleep and dreams her wooden nutcracker is a handsome, brave prince. This simple fairy tale is enhanced by rich costumes, graceful dance numbers, numerous set changes and Tchaikovsky's magnificent musical suite, performed here by the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
The Nutcracker is also a magical treat for the dancers.
'The Nutcracker is a very important part of most dancers' lives,' says Brett Simon, one of the principal dancers playing the Nutcracker prince. 'You often hear of people going into ballet because they saw this show.'
Simon, 24, says his first professional ballet performance was a tiny role aged seven in an Australian adaptation of The Nutcracker.
His stage partner, Chantel Elizabeth Roulston, who plays Clara, also received her first taste of professional ballet through The Nutcracker.
'I was 13 when I was in the Australian ballet's version ... It was my first professional production. I remember really looking up to the older dancers and wanting to be just like them,' says the petite dancer, now 28.
