NUTCRACKER FAQs

Who is eligible to participate in TDL's Nutcracker?
Students of all ages are welcome to participate (age 3 through adult!).  All students must be registered in at least one technique class at our studio in addition to their registration for The Nutcracker.  This is so that students can continue to develop their technical skills since Nutcracker rehearsals will focus on applying skills within a performance rather than teaching technique.    

How is this Nutcracker unique?
The Dance Loft is known throughout Long Island for our artistic vision, and we are proud to have a staff of professionals who are each at the top of their respective crafts.  While most renditions of The Nutcracker feature only ballet, our Nutcracker will feature a variety of genres--ballet/pointe, tap, jazz, hip-hop, acro, and modern.  You've truly never seen a Nutcracker like this before!  Performances will be child-friendly and will run roughly an hour in length.

When will The Nutcracker rehearse and what is the attendance policy?
Rehearsals will be held on Saturdays between the hours of 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM at either The Dance Loft (160 W. Park) or Professional Youth Theatre (75 E. Walnut).  Students will not be called for the whole time.  Younger students will be called for a maximum of 1.5 hours each week.  Older students will be able to choose how much time they would like to commit based on their availability and interest and will be cast accordingly.  Rehearsals will take place in September, October, November, and early December.  Students are expected to attend at least 80% of rehearsals so that they are sufficiently prepared to perform.

When are tech/dress rehearsals?
For any large-scale performance, tech/dress rehearsals are essential to make sure a show runs seamlessly.  We will plan to have mandatory tech/dress rehearsals on Sunday, December 1st, Tuesday, December 3rd, and Thursday, December 5th (time TBA) at 75 E. Walnut Street.

When and where are performances?   
Our sister program, Professional Youth Theatre, maintains a lovely theater space right in the heart of Long Beach, and we will be performing our Nutcracker there (75 E. Walnut Street).  Our tentative performance dates are Sundays Dec 8th, 15th, and 22nd with performances at 1:00, 3:30, and potentially 6:00 depending on demand.  If your child has an unmissable conflict with one of these dates but would still like to participate, please just let us know and we will do our best to work with the conflict.  

What is the participation fee?
The participation fee for all students is $99 per month billed September through December.  This fee covers six to twelve hours of rehearsal per month depending on a student's involvement, three tech/dress rehearsals, and supervision during and in between all performances.

What is the costume fee?
Most students will be in more than one section of The Nutcracker and will have a costume for each role they play.  Costumes will be billed separately from the participation fee, but efforts will be made to purchase costumes as affordably as possible.  We will also work with our Parent Committee to coordinate fundraising efforts to keep costume costs as low as possible.  Students will keep all costumes.  

How much are tickets and how can I reserve them?
Tickets will be $30 each, and reservations for tickets will open on our website in mid-September.  The capacity for our theater space is roughly 150 seats, and every seat offers an excellent vantage point.  We will be having multiple performances in order to give all who wish to come a chance to see this spectacular show!  We know that cost is a concern for many families and that some parents would like to attend every performance to support their kids. In exchange for volunteering at one show backstage, we are happy to offer one comp ticket per show for all other performances. In other words, if we have six shows and a parent volunteers to work at one show backstage, the family will receive five comp tickets (one for each of the remaining performances) for a free side seat.

When are auditions and how do they work?
All TDL students who wish to take part in The Nutcracker will be in it!  'Auditions' are necessary in order for us to place a student in the appropriate level and genre.  No student will be 'cut'!  Auditions will be taking place on Saturday, September 7th at 1:00 PM at Professional Youth Theatre (75 E. Walnut).  If your child is unable to make it that day but would like to participate, please let us know and we will make alternative arrangements for an audition.  

How do I sign up?
Registration for our school-year classes and The Nutcracker is open! Please click here to register online.  If you have any questions before registering, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.  Thank you!

We look forward to a beautiful show and wonderful season!