Old North End Nutcracker Packs the House

Barnes parents and Old North End community members packed the Barnes cafeteria this afternoon for a performance of the "Old North End Nutcracker." Based on the famously Tchaikovsky ballet, but adapted by the kids who performed it, the Old North End Nutcracker tells the story of how the girl Clara receives a magical Nutcracker as a gift while celebrating the winter season with friends and family. The Nutcracker comes to life, toy soldiers battle mice, but Clara makes the King of Mice and the Nutcracker stop fighting and become friends. The three are then entertained by dancers from around the world, including both the Spanish, Arabian and Russian dances from the ballet and Nepali, Somali Bantu and Turkish dances from the cultures of various Barnes families.

The Turkish dance (with Clara and the Nutcracker in the lower right):


The crowd:


The Spanish dancers take a bow: