Ballet Ariel Announces 2025 Holiday Production:
Little Women and the Nutcracker Suite

Ballet Ariel brings beauty and charm, family and community to the holiday season with a duo of ballets December 12-28. See original productions of Little Women accompanied by live music by Gossamer Winds, and the Nutcracker Suite, performed at two locations.

The first ballet of the holiday production is Little Women, based on the 1869 book by Louisa May Alcott. It follows the four March sisters, Amy, Beth, Jo and Meg, from Christmastime and beyond, as they grow up during the Civil War era and find their place in the world.

For this Ballet Ariel debut, Artistic and Executive Director Ilena Norton wrote the scenario for the production and selected the music to accompany it with Gossamer Winds director John Richardson. That includes a blend of traditional holiday music such as “Away in a Manger” and “I Saw Three Ships” with classical pieces including several by Grieg from his “Lyric Pieces,” plus music by French and American composers.

Christmas is featured especially in the first Act, since it begins on Christmas day, and the story emphasizes virtues such as kindness, selflessness and forgiveness. The choreography highlights the special characters of each sister and events that shape their growth from girls to young women.  “We are excited to debut Little Women for the first offering of our 2025 holiday production,” says Ilena Norton, Ballet Ariel’s Artistic and Executive Director. “I enjoyed weaving elements of the classic story with select music accompaniment to create a joyful reminder of what’s important at Christmastime. It’s fresh, heartwarming and delightful.”

The second ballet of Ballet Ariel’s holiday production is Nutcracker Suite, a selection of dances from Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker. The Suite highlights some of the most famous dances from the holiday-themed ballet from Act II in which Clara arrives in the Land of Sweets. There she is welcomed by the Sugar Plum Fairy and treated to dances representative of various nationalities and cultures.

“Back by popular demand is Ballet Ariel’s version of the Nutcracker Suite. It presents the best of the classic with refreshed choreography,” explains Norton.

“I’m happy to bring this duo of beautiful visuals and engaging storylines together for our holiday production. We try to offer something to audiences that they won’t see elsewhere to provide new and additional ways for Coloradans to celebrate the season.”

DATES AND TICKETING INFORMATION
Ballet Ariel’s dual production of Little Women and Nutcracker Suite is performed at two locations.

Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, 80226
Friday, December 12 at 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 pm
Sunday, December 14 at 2:00 pm
Adult tickets $32-42 with discounts for seniors, students and children and $5 ticket fee

Parsons Theatre at the Northglenn Recreation Center, 1 E. Memorial Pkwy., Northglenn, 80233
Saturday, December 27 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 28 at 2:00 pm
Adult tickets $32-42 with discounts for seniors, students, and children and $1.50 ticket fee

For information on purchasing tickets, please visit the Ballet Ariel website at www.balletariel.org or call 303-945-4388.

ABOUT BALLET ARIEL
Ballet Ariel was founded in 1998 by Artistic and Executive Director Ilena Norton. The organization, which celebrated its 25th year in 2023, has evolved into a laboratory for developing original classical ballets, a collaborative environment where the beauty of classical ballet comes together with narrative storytelling and a contemporary vision. This professional company is known for its graceful and elegant, yet dynamic, choreography and staging.

Located in Denver at the Denver Dance Center, 2496 W. 2nd Ave., #3 in Denver, the company employs ten professional dancers under Ballet Master Patricia Renzetti. Ballet Ariel’s repertoire features original ballets such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (which also toured Fall of 2025); Little Women; and Tale of Molly Brown along with classical works including Konservatoriet, La Fille Mal Gardee, and “Aurora’s Wedding” from Sleeping Beauty.

Ballet Ariel receives funding from Denver, Jefferson, Adams, and Douglas Counties through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), and Denver Ballet Guild. Ballet Ariel is also the main sponsor of the DenverArtScene3.org website.

For more information, visit www.balletariel.org or call 303-945-4388. 

Short Description

Ballet Ariel’s 2025 holiday season production brings fresh looks at two classics: Little Women and the Nutcracker Suite. From December 12-28, at various times, in Lakewood and Northglenn, Little Women will be accompanied by live music from Gossamer Winds.

Little Women is based on the 1869 book by Louisa May Alcott. It follows the four March sisters, Amy, Beth, Jo and Meg, from Christmastime and beyond, as they grow up during the Civil War era and find their place in the world.

The Nutcracker Suite is a selection of dances from Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker. The Suite highlights some of the most famous dances from the holiday-themed ballet from Act II in which Clara arrives in the Land of Sweets. There she is welcomed by the Sugar Plum Fairy and treated to dances representative of various nationalities and cultures.