The Nutcracker – The Waltz of the Snowflakes (The Royal Ballet)

Enjoy this video? Subscribe to our channel to receive notifications about new ballet and opera clips.

---

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without this seasonal favorite, in which a young girl's enchanted present leads her on a wonderful adventure.

In this recording The Royal Ballet performs the Waltz of the Snowflakes in The Nutcracker, with Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Clara, Ricardo Cervera as the Nutcracker and Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, accompanied by the London Oratory Junior Choir and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, conducted by Koen Kessels, recorded in 2012.

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker score was commissioned by the director of the Russian Imperial Theatres, following the resounding success of Sleeping Beauty in 1890. Marius Petipa created the scenario – based on a fairytale by E. T. A. Hoffman – and Lev Ivanov provided the choreography. The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. It initially had a poor reception, but its combination of enchanting choreography and an unforgettable score have since made it one of the best-loved of all ballets.

In Peter Wright's classic production, the stage sparkles with theatrical magic – a Christmas tree grows before our eyes, toy soldiers come to life to fight the villainous Mouse King and Clara is whisked to the Land of Sweets on a golden sleigh. Tchaikovsky's score contains some of the best-known melodies in ballet, from the flurrying sounds of the Waltz of the Snowflakes to the dream-like Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the vigorous Russian Dance. Julia Trevelyan Oman's designs draw upon 19th-century images of Christmas, making this a classic production for the festive season.

[RoyalBalletAndOpera]

With our incredible ballets and operas, behind-the-scenes, Insights and exclusive series, Stream subscribers can watch the world’s greatest performers, emerging stars, leading choreographers and trailblazing creative teams from the comfort of their own home.

[isabelahart]

Man his cape is so magnificent! Looks so pretty when he spins.

[rem]

Okay I'll be honest right now. This music brought me some intense nostalgia because it reminded me of when I was a kid watching Barbie in The Nutcracker and Barbie in The 12 Dancing Princesses

[unicornspoon]

My mum insists the slightly imperfect synchrony of the snowflakes is a sign of bad dancing, but I think if it was done on purpose it's a brilliant touch! Snowflakes are unique after all :)

[MrMariofreak]

god this makes me cry... It's so beautiful. I want to do ballet so bad...

[rubydubdub]

That Clara and nutcracker are so well paired together. His lifts both show his strength and make her seem at light as air, and they dance beautifully in time with one another

[gluteusuterus]

never forget the time my sister was part of the choir in the orchestra pit i was so frickin proud of her

[thefreckledcormarant]

You get so many different kinds of snow in this music. Flakes darting by in a blizzard, flakes falling gracefully. It has the unpredictable spirit of winter in it. And you’ve just heard how to combine a boy’s choir, a harp, and a celesta to create the most Christmassy sound of all time.

[NothingSpecialVideo]

I miss being in The Nutcracker so much. It's my favorite ballet, hands down. The music, the costumes, the magic- everything about it. It's just so fun and a great Christmas tradition.

[veronicamunn]

I love his little reach back at 7:03, like, "thanks, I owe you big time"!

[TigerPrawn_]

Beautiful, the longing in Tchaikovsky's music and the gorgeous choreography.

[AydarAkhmady]

when I first watched it I cried at the end of the act one. it so sharply reminded me of my own childhood, those Christmas days, expectations of magic to happen... you, guys, created magic! I'm so grateful to you

[jonboyjon]

The choreography, the music, the set, the costumes - it's just perfect.

[princesszelda]

I've been doing ballet for about 15 years, and I NEED to be in Snowflakes one day!! It's been my dream for quite some time!

[MKIVWWI]

In a ballet score crowded with eternal classics,   "Waltz of the Snowflakes" has never quite gotten it's "due".    Beautiful piece of music.

[BallerinaBabe]

I love the way they choreographed this, the formations aren't quite perfect and they aren't quite perfectly together, just like snowflakes falling to the ground. This is some of the best choreography I've seen, it's so fluttery and light. I would love to be in waltz of the snowflakes someday.

[samiahuq]

my heart flutters every time i watch this. its so coordinated and in sync an also extremely beautiful

[Squirrelbear]

This is possibly one of the most beautiful scenes in classical ballet, it just goes to show how important the corps de ballet is

[Stickthedogboy]

My grandmother took me to the nutcracker every Christmas as a little girl, it was one of the few things we could do together. This was always my favorite part.

[grainneocruhuir]

The moments of the dancer playing Clara are so impossibly light!!! I sound like a heard of elephants just walking up stairs