Meet The Joffrey Ballet’s Newest Additions

Before Santa and his reindeers, the magical imagery surrounding the holidays beckoned from the stage. THE NUTCRACKER with is unforgettable Tchaikovsky score has and will always be a holiday mainstay. Countless ballet companies have reimagined the battle of gingerbread soldiers with sinister mice, the enchantment of the sugar plum fairies and elegance of pirouetting snowflakes. And this year, the JOFFREY BALLET will transport audiences to a magical moment in the city’s history—The Nutcracker set at Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair. It's an enchanting—and unprecedented!—undertaking headlined by acclaimed choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. The two-act ballet will feature six new dancers to the prestigious ballet company; Aaron Renteria, Riley Horton, Chloe Sherman, Lucia Connolly, Yumi Kanazawa, Olivia Tang-Mifsud and Alonso Tepetzi. Ranging in age from 19 to 25, many of these young dancers have dreamed of being part of The Nutcracker since the first time they put on their slippers. And their undeniable freedom and fervor on the stage makes this show so much more magical.