Being a fairly new Fodorite, I was curious if any of the many visitors to NY go to a performance of the ballet. There are countless inquiries about Broadway and I know the ballet isn't everybody's thing, but I've never seen any questions about NYCB (or other dance companies). IMO, it's one of the jewels of this city - any visitors going?

I'm with you. We do the Nutcracker almost every Christmas - when most people are doing the Music Hall - and never seem to have heard of the Nutcracker.

I think many people are just not familiar with the ballet - and don;t even think about it as an option.

My childrens first ballet was the Nutcracker
They saw Giselle and Swan Lake too .. as munchkins. ( My son recently saw La Bayadere in Tokyo )
We used to go to the City Center and see some wonderful ballet as well, Twyla Tharp etc.
Gads! I have so many good memories of the American Ballet and NYC Ballet companies..

We try to see ballet wherever we visit too..I have seen ballet in London, Paris and in Oregon, as soon as the season gets started, we will see it in Buenos Aires

I think it is a great idea for visitors!

Radio City still has the Nutcracker every Christmas. Its still very popular.

Radio City doesn't do a full length Nutcracker ballet.

nytraveler - Which Nutcracker do you go see? My favorite is the City Ballet's version - the one with the tree that grows on stage - just brilliant!

Scarlett - I am very impressed - it's one thing for kids to see the Nutcracker, but Swan Lake is a whole other level - all those tutus could scare a kid off! How did you find out what was available in Buenos Aires?

I'm so sorry that I didn't see the Kirov while they're in NY - this is the last weekend.

My 4 year old, when asked how he liked the Ballet (Nutcracker) told us, he liked the music but wasn't sure about the dancing lol.

buenosairesherald.com

the only news I can read lol...

It sure is a shame that more visitors DON'T want info about ALL the opportunites at Lincoln Center (Avery Fisher Hall, Met Opera, NYC Opera, NYC Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York Chamber Orchestra, Alice Tulley Hall, State Theatre....and lots more I can't think of right now) and Carnegie Hall.

Some of the BEST performaces in music, classical, jazz, choral, opera,,,,,in the WORLD are available year round at both Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

Try these websites for more info.

www.lincolncenter.org
www.carnegiehall.org

THANK you for adding this to the board,,,,,Broadway isn't all that New York has to offer!!!!!

The following is the site for New York City Ballet

www.nycballet.com/

The following is for the American Ballet Theatre

www.abt.org/

The following is for Alvin Ailey

www.alvinailey.org

The Joyce Theater. A Modern Dance Theater located in New York City.
www.joyce.org/ -

Also check Time Out NY and Village Voice for what is being staged that week.

Also Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner bldg.

And two of my favorites - the Vivian Beaumont and Mitzi Newhouse theaters at LC. I love those theaters because of their size and shape - it's such a different experience from Broadway. And let's not forget those free lockers to put your coats in - great in the winter!

I'd have to second the recommendation for ABT and the Joyce theater. The NYC is more traditional, perhaps stuffy.

The ABT performs more contemporary dances, uses more modern, varied music. And the choreography and wow factor is amazing. You cannot believe the moves these dancers can pull off. It boggles the mind.

As for the Joyce, for example, I saw Savion Glover dance/tap to Bach and Vivaldi there. That was eye opening and different. America's arguably best tap dancer, tapping to Air and the Four Seasons.

We lived in the Saratoga area for two years and so would see their summer performances at SPAC. I took DD when she was 4 to the Nutcracker there and we had amazing seats. I kept saying too bad she wasn't old enough to appreciate just how good of seats they were, lol! Those performances at SPAC are still one of the highlights of living up there.

I'm not a tourist in NYC, but love going to the ballet!

"The NYC is more tradional, perhaps stuffy."

Couldn't be further from the truth!

When Balanchine brought his talent to NY, his vision of classical ballet was considered somewhat radical. He wanted dance with music and nothing more - no stories or plots that had always been associated with ballet - particularly full length ones (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, etc.) He collaborated with 'unstuffy' composers like Stravinsky. Many of his ballets had dancers attired in black or white leotards - not a tutu in sight. These 'new' ballets were not traditional and yet the dancers' steps were definitely classical - his ballets became known as Neoclassic. The ABT, on the other hand, and which is a fabulous company too, began as a purely classical company. Over the years ABT has diversified their repertory to include other types of works including those by Balanchine. Dancers not trained in the NYCB way were challenged by the speed of Balanchine's steps - definitely not stuffy. And Balanchine, like any prolific artist who created over many decades (think Picasso for instance), eventually did come to create more classical ballets with story lines too. And if you look at the NYCB repertory today, you will see a wealth of work by Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon and others that is varied in style, mood and especially music - not stuffy.

Although it must be obvious that I'm a fan of NYCB, there are ballets in their repertory that I don't care for - which is natural when the body of work is so vast.

Bottom line, we who live in or visit NY are so lucky to have great dance companies to choose from - like being in a candy shop!

My first ballet was a couple of months after moving to NYC and getting married. My husband took me to see Giselle at the NY State Theatre. My love of Ballet started then, I have seen Nureyev and Barishnikov and Tharp and Godunov and I watched Makarova do La Bayadere in the Met ...I was SO lucky to live in NY and to be able to experience all the ballet they had to offer.
And my children too!

We won't talk about my daughter dancing in the living room one hot summer day with her friend, in her friends tutus, and sneakers...little hot ballerinas..bouncing around the apartment..
So visitors definitely should see whichever ballet appeals to them at whatever venue they can get to...and bring the children!!

Makarova, hmmm? Your dating yourself, Scarlett! She was fantastic, wasn't she? I swear her arms were like wings when she did Swan Lake. I started loving ballet when Martins and Farrell were dancing together at NYCB - many moons ago.

I am really a very old woman ~

There are benefits to really living in NYC. Have seen tons of ballets with local companies - including some with Barishnikov and even Nureyev once - but also seen some great foreign companies. Although I think the Kirov in St Pet was much more impressive than in NYC.

nytraveler - I love your last line! Do you think it was the excitement of being in St. P that made it better?

Did you see the Kirov here recently? I regret missing them. I saw they were doing Rubies from the NYCB's 'Jewels' which is a favorite of mine. Oh well, there's always next time.

I, too, saw Nureyev once - at the end of his career and he was still electrifying.

Scarlett - maybe ballet keeps us young at heart.

I posted a few months ago about seeing a great Alvin Ailey performance...but my biggest kick was actually taking a lesson at the Alvin AIley school. For ballet lovers, I highly recommend it. Anyone can sign up for a lesson, and although I haven't taken a dance class for over 35 years (!!) I didn't care and just loved every minute of being in that building and hanging out and then participating in a class. Best $15 I spent in New York.

How much pain?