Ballet San Antonio | The Nutcracker

Ballet San Antonio brings The Nutcracker to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts starting Friday, December 4, with a run that stretches through mid-December. It's a holiday tradition for a lot of families across South Texas, and this year it's taking place in the H-E-B Hall at 100 Auditorium Circle.

The production is co-choreographed by Haley Henderson Smith and Easton Smith, who met while dancing together at Ballet San Jose. Both were in the pre-Broadway tour of Dirty Dancing—Haley as Penny and Easton as Johnny Castle—and Easton later danced on Broadway in Billy Elliot before retiring in 2013 to become a commercial helicopter pilot. On stage, the professional dancers are joined by about 100 children from the San Antonio community and students from the School of Ballet San Antonio, with Mother Ginger played by a beloved community member. Tchaikovsky's score is performed live by The Orchestra San Antonio, the Tobin Center's resident orchestra, conducted by Music Director Leonardo Pineda, who has led them since October 2025.

Ballet San Antonio is a professional company with a mission to share the splendor of dance through performances and outreach that reflect and enrich the cultural heritage of South Texas, and they've built their reputation on nurturing exceptional dancers and making dance accessible to the widest possible audiences.

The full production runs about 1 hour and 55 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission. There are plenty of dates to choose from: Friday, Dec 4, with a 10 AM student matinee of Act II and a 7:30 PM opening night; Saturday, Dec 5, at 2 PM and 7:30 PM; Sunday, Dec 6, at 2 PM; Tuesday, Dec 8, with a 10 AM sensory-friendly performance of Act II; Friday, Dec 11, at 10 AM and 7:30 PM; Saturday, Dec 12, at 2 PM and 7:30 PM; and Sunday, Dec 13, at 2 PM, the closing performance. The student matinee of Act II runs about 50 minutes. The sensory-friendly performance on December 8 is free.