Two Ballets with Holiday Style

Scene from The Nutcracker. Photo: Rosalie O'Connor.

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Two Ballets with Holiday Style

ABT brings two whimsical ballets by Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, California this holiday season: The Nutcracker and Harlequinade. These two magical ballets evoke the joys of the season with bold, bright and beautifully unique costumes by award-winning designers Richard Hudson and Robert Perdziola.

**Can you guess the source of these stunning styles: The Nutcracker or Harlequinade?**

It’s the Columbine Doll from The Nutcracker! Drosselmeyer entertains guests at the Christmas Eve party with four life-sized dolls before presenting Clara with her beloved Nutcracker.

Luciana Paris in The Nutcracker. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

Harlequinade! Harlequin wears his signature diamond pattern in vivid colors throughout the show as he chases after his love, Columbine.

James Whiteside in Harlequinade. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

These petite polichinelles are from Harlequinade! In Act II, 34 young dancers from the ABT William J. Gillespie School will take to the stage dressed as mini versions of the main characters.

Scene from Harlequinade. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

The Nutcracker! This bubblegum pink and emerald green confection belongs to the Nutcracker’s Sisters. The 5 sisters perform to the iconic Dance of the Mirlitons music in the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Melanie Hamrick in The Nutcracker. Photo: Gene Schiavone.

Pretty in pink, this is Columbine from Harlequinade. With help from a magical Good Fairy, Columbine goes against her father’s wishes and marries her true love, Harlequin.

Isabella Boylston in Harlequinade. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

These colorful characters are from The Nutcracker. Eight polichinelles and one little mouse hide inside Mother Ginger’s massive skirt!

Duncan Lyle in The Nutcracker. Photo: Doug Gifford.

Did you recognize Clara all grown up? In ABT’s The Nutcracker, Clara sees a vision of her older self as a Princess in this beautiful ivory lace tutu, dancing in the arms of her Nutcracker Prince.