The 2020 Guide to Nutcracker Performances is presented by Dance Academy of Libertyville. Learn about their new safety procedures and classes.
Music. Magic. Mystery. Mesmerizing dancers. Along with Santa, the Sugar Plum Fairy is also coming to town. The Nutcracker is a favorite family holiday tradition. My girls love getting dressed up and having a girls’ day enjoying one of the most beautiful performances of the season. With some of the country’s most accomplished dance studios right in our area, there are plenty of opportunities for your family to enjoy this time-honored, traditional performance.
This year will look very different. Read on to find out where to see The Nutcracker in Lake County and the surrounding areas, as well as where you can stream it this holiday season.

Nutcracker Performances in Lake County
Schaumburg Dance Ensemble – The Nutcracker
Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg | (847) 895-3600
Canceled for 2020
Schaumburg’s dazzling production of Tchaikovsky’s magical ballet continues to fill the house and delight audiences of all ages while featuring live narration and a cast of over 40 dancers from all over the Lake County area. The Nutcracker follows the adventures of young Clara, who visits a dream world of beautifully costumed characters, including leaping Russians, waltzing flowers, and of course, the graceful Sugar Plum Fairy. Younger children will appreciate the narrator telling the story as it progresses.

Dancenter North – Clara’s Dream
2020 Announcement Pending
Enjoy a shortened presentation of The Magic of the Nutcracker designed specifically for a young audience, with all the same cast, choreography, and grandeur of the full-length performances. Children will be delighted by Clara’s adventures, beginning with her family’s annual Christmas party and her mysterious Godfather Drosselmeyer. Excitement builds in a spectacular battle scene with over-sized mice and soldier dolls. Finally, Clara travels to the Kingdom of Sweets where she is greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her friends from all around the world! Tickets (additional cost) are also available for Clara’s Special Party on stage following the performance. Enjoy a meet-and-greet with the dancers, photos, autographs, and goody bags! Tickets are limited for this event. Learn More at Clara’s Dream the Nutcracker for Preschoolers.

Ruth Page Civic Ballet – A Sugar Plum of a Tradition: Ruth Page’s “The Nutcracker” Past, Present & Future
Online presentation, November 27 – December 31, $20
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts is proud to share a new, behind-the-scenes view of the beloved holiday tradition and the longest-running The Nutcracker in Chicago’s history. This online documentary produced by HMS Media shares archival film footage, performance highlights, and commentary from the creative forces that have brought this famous Holiday production to millions of people since 1965.
Ballet Makkai – “Gets a Little Nutty”
Virtual Performance
December 12 2:00 and/or 4:00 p.m., $35
The Ballet Makkai Youth Company and students from the Irina Makkai Classical Ballet School perform dances new and old.
Find McHenry County Nutcracker performances at Little McHenry County.
Worth the Trip:
Joffrey Ballet – VIRTUAL ENCHANTED EVENING: THE NUTCRACKER
Ages 4-6: Friday, December 4th from 6:30-7:30 PM (CST)
Ages 7-9: Friday, December 11th from 6:30-7:30 PM (CST)
Join Children’s Division Liaison Trish Strong for a Virtual Enchanted Evening, highlighting The Joffrey Ballet’s one-of-a-kind Nutcracker! We are thrilled to bring our annual Enchanted Evening event to a virtual format, complete with dancing, music, and stories. The Joffrey Academy of Dance’s Trish Strong will lead a class of young dancers and dance enthusiasts on a Nutcracker journey, complete with special guest appearances from The Joffrey Ballet Company Artists! Tickets are $15
Where will you take your children to see The Nutcracker this year?
Dance Academy of Libertyville is still dancing safely! Registration is ongoing and the spring session starts at the end of January.

Dance Academy of Libertyville’s faculty has been providing quality training for dancers ages 2 thru adult, for over 20 years. With careful attention to detail and encouragement, dancers learn the skills to excel not just in dance but in all areas they choose to pursue. Dance Academy of Libertyville is also proud to house two pre-professional companies; Ballet Theatre of Illinois and Jazz Theatre of Illinois.
Disclosure: Dance Academy f Libertyville is a paid advertising sponsor of the Nutcracker guide.

Here’s another one…
Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker – performed by the Moscow Ballet alongside local youth from area dance studios (including Lake County dancers) at the Rosemont Theatre on Sunday, December 2 at 1pm and 5pm
https://www.nutcracker.com/your-city/get-tickets/rosemont-chicago