I really enjoy this fresh choreography. It seems as though Thompson has taken the idea of freer transitions from one stanza to another and blurred the lines between them, much as hip-hop did for contemporary street dance. It makes for anticipation in the audience, though it took some getting used to due to my older, classically trained brain. But I believe it forced me to pay more attention to the intellectual structure of the movements rather than the staid patterns forced by the music.

However, I really was disappointed by the fact that the Sugar Plum Fairy did not in fact dance The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Instead, Thompson had the Grand Pas de Deux ballerina dance it as a variation. Plus, I did not care for the choreography in the last 4 bars. I suppose I wanted something a little more flashy; although the footwork was difficult, I felt it needed more "umph."

In general, I enjoyed this version and will add it to my "must watch" list for the season!

As a former student of ballet, I have always looked for a Nutcracker ballet that reminded me of the production I was involved in. It seems like there are a lot of different versions out there, with the characters, interpretation of the music, and themes of the dances never being quite right. This version takes me back 10 years to the amazing memories I have of performing this classic ballet. The music is beautifully done, the choreography is stunning, and the dancers are absolutely superb! For the person who is looking for the classic version of the Nutcracker, this is definitely for you. I will be watching this at Christmas for years to come!

After watching parts of 2 other "Nutcracker"Ballets available on amazon, I felt that this was the best one to show my students. There was nothing scary about it and it was consistent with the book I had previously read to them. The other two I watched had narrations and the stories were altered in some way. This one was strictly music and dancing. My 1st graders really enjoyed it and were able to understand the meaning behind it!

This is a nice twist on the story. Set in San Francisco at the onset of electricity with some spectacular performances, it provides a nice diversion from our old favorites. Although I'm partial to the Balanchine and Royal Ballet choreography, this version will hold up well and become a classic.

the sound quality isn't that good which is unacceptable for tchaikovsky's music. the video quality is subpar, too. choppy edits. I gave 2 stars because I liked the choreography from the portion that I saw. this ballet performance came across like a well done amateur video.

Having only heard the music from the Nutcracker and unable to go see a local production, I gave the Amazon version a chance. I was not disappointed. To see the performances carried along side the music is a treat. For those who are interested in owning a production of the Nutcracker, this is, in my experience, a descent production.

Of course, ballet is an acquired taste, but even then this is worth a view.

good performance. more centered on children performing than I expected. however I am no judge or expert on the arts of any kind

I have never seen the Nutcracker and wanted to check it out before I got a ticket to see it. It was great. I now want to watch the other versions of it. 'what an amazing amount of work!