Composer
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Rehearsal: Chinese New Year (A Ballet in Two Acts)
Wed. Jan. 29, 2025
1:30p.m.
Event Information
-
Genre
Performances for Young Audiences
National Ballet of China’s Chinese New Year. Photo by NBC.
NATIONAL BALLET OF CHINA
Rehearsal: Chinese New Year (A Ballet in Two Acts)
Enjoy an insider’s look at our visiting companies as they prepare onstage for performance.
With its dazzling hybrid of western ballet and Chinese culture, National Ballet of China has won a distinguished reputation for performing cherished works and original creations. The renowned company returns to thrill audiences with its luminous fusion of traditions, telling the story of a family’s Chinese New Year celebration—set to Tchaikovsky’s treasured Nutcracker score. This colorful, fresh tale is brought to life by vibrant characters and radiant choreography. As a young Chinese girl celebrates the New Year, she embarks on a mystical journey through a world of festive Chinese customs. Audiences will delight as a scroll of Chinese folklore unfurls, showcasing the legendary monster Nian, the elegant and graceful Fans, the extravagant dances of Silk and Spinning Top, and more wonders in the ravishing Porcelain Kingdom.
January 29, 2025
Opera House, recommended for grades 6-12
Estimated duration is approximately two hours with an intermission.
Image caption: National Ballet of China’s Chinese New Year. Photo by NBC.
What to Watch for & Think About at a Ballet Rehearsal
- At an open rehearsal, audiences are invited to watch the final stages of preparation before opening night. You will be able to watch as the artists and technicians work out the final details of their production.
- While the details can change based on what the cast and crew need to be ready, most rehearsals include a full run-through of the piece, with occasional stopping and starting. Watch carefully during these breaks and think about the full elements of a production.
- Although a rehearsal is often very similar to a performance, it’s possible there will be some differences, like some performers will be conserving their physical movements for the real thing or some costumes may be getting their finishing touches off stage. And staff and technicians may be in view, observing and making notes that you might not see during a performance.
- Even though the performance is not quite ready, why do you think the company would want to invite an audience to see a rehearsal?
- For a deeper dive into what you can expect, visit our Know Before You Go: Ballet Rehearsals guide.
Explore More With Our Digital Resources Library:
- Discover how a ballerina’s footwear is specially constructed to look dainty while being amazing gear with the Pointe Shoes feature.
- Explore famous examples of the love dance duet in the resource “Pas de Deux: It Takes Two.”
- Dive into the five major elements in dance and how they aid in artistic expression in “Do You Wanna Dance?”
Key Figures
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Related Resources
Media Know Before You Go: Ballet Rehearsals
This resource offers a quick guide to what you may experience at a ballet rehearsal.
Media Ballet Basics
Learn the basics of Ballet, a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century, developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia, and has since become a widespread and highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary.
Media Pointe Shoes
With their flat, stiff fronts and special construction, pointe shoes give ballerinas the footwear that helps them stay on their toes and wow audiences
Media Pas de Deux: It Takes Two
In ballet, a pas de deux is a dance duet in which two dancers perform ballet steps together. But the pas de deux is not just a dance of love.
Lesson Ballet and Classical Music
In this 3-5 lesson, students will choreograph a sequence of ballet movements to tell a story. Students will explore conceptual and practical elements of classical ballet and learn basic ballet vocabulary through demonstration.
Lesson Ballet Positions and Movements
In this 6-8 lesson, students will be introduced to basic ballet terms, positions, and movements. They will discover the history of ballet, the meaning of keywords, and practice French pronunciation. Students will demonstrate basic ballet positions and movements through planned choreography.
Collection Ballet
What does ballet have to do with the Russian Revolution? What's a plié or a jete or cinquième? How do ballerinas condition their bodies to perform like athletes? Delve into an art form with a language all its own and a rich history interwoven with cultural revolution, political rebellion, and artistic innovation.
Collection China
An army of buried warriors, lion dances, dancing shadows and a tornado of fire... experience the vibrant diversity of the arts across China.
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