As the red velvet curtain rises and the orchestral melodies warble in the air, the crowd is silent, enraptured by the practiced precision of the dancers’ every arabesque, leap, and en-pointe maneuver. This is The Nutcracker, the beloved Christmastime ballet, presented by the New Ballet company. However, instead of the traditional Russian aesthetics, the San Jose Nutcracker reinterprets the Nutcracker set in early 20th century San Jose, acknowledging and honoring the history behind our beloved valley. Thanks to the generous staff at the New Ballet, editor Mia Hanuska joins me on an extraordinary journey to San Jose, 1905 to witness this creatively adapted classic, The San Jose Nutcracker.
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Welcome back travelers, to The Daily Explorer. In this series, we travel to interesting places within the Bay Area, hoping to inspire the readers of The Shield to explore their hometown. Keep an eye out for some of your favorite writers from The Shield. If you have any favorite places, restaurants, parks, etc, please email me at emi.gruender@gmail.com to issue a recommendation. Your name and input about the place in question will be credited, of course.
Without further ado, buckle up and enjoy the blog-style ride of The Daily Explorer!
SUNDAY, December 16, 2025
6:26 pm, Trek into the Depths of Downtown San Jose
Returning to Downtown San Jose for the umpteenth time this series, we decided to leave as early as possible to ensure traffic would not result in a single moment of the show missed. Donning the most elegant clothes we owned—myself, a sleek blue jumpsuit; Mia, a boat-cut cocktail dress—we hit the streets in my sun-damaged Toyota Prius. As we chugged around the confusing labyrinth of one-way streets, we caught glimpses of Christmas in the Park, which was responsible for much of the traffic downtown. Often a candidate for Daily Explorer options, we decided to take a look around if time permitted after the show. A couple bouts of road rage later, we successfully pulled into a convenient parking spot.
The California Theatre isn’t hard to miss. Built in 1927, the California Theatre boasts an opulent interior and exterior alike. With a vintage facade complete with light-up marquee, the California Theatre is a venue for many different flavors of performing arts—from professional ballets to youth symphony orchestras. As we collected our programs and found our seats, the overhead lights dimmed and the musicians of Symphony San Jose began to play.
7:05 pm, The Nutcracker Begins
As explained by Mrs. Dahlia Rawson, the founder, director, and primary choreographer of the company, the dancers of the New Ballet strive for excellence in their craft. This mantra was evident from the very first glimpse of the performance, as a young Clara ran onto the stage, closely pursued by her mischievous younger brother, Fritz. Instead of being set in a small town in Germany, this particular show is set in 1905 San Jose, when the majority of the land was covered in orchards growing apricots, peaches, cherries, and much more. Though Clara and Fritz bickered, they were soon interrupted by the entrance of a plethora of party guests, among which was their Uncle—I think—Nikola. Instead of being a whimsical toymaker like the original tale, Nikola boasted a fabulous mustache, a long-tailed coat, and a splash of attitude as he presented his inventions to the partygoers. My favorite part of the toy parade was the dance of a robotic ballerina doll, attached to a long wire instead of the traditional wind-up knob. Finally, Nikola presents Clara with a Nutcracker doll, to which she takes a particular liking. But only later that night, when she sleeps next to it, does the magic truly begin.
Though my understanding of the story was less precise when I watched the production itself, the handy explanations in the program made everything clear. (I wanted to avoid as many spoilers as possible, to see if I could spot the references to San Jose history and culture on my own.)
7:28 pm, Westmont Cameo
When the face of the performer playing the come-to-life Nutcracker was revealed, both Mia and myself were taken aback. Unbeknownst to us, we had stumbled upon one of the only nights that Westmont student Dylan Tobias would be performing the Nutcracker’s track. Dylan has performed periodically at Westmont; during mandatory performances of the Musical Theatre class, mostly. But his true strength and passion clearly lay in ballet—evident from his performance at a past ASB-hosted Moonlight Dinner. On several occasions, I had been lucky enough to learn about his aspirations concerning ballet, and how he wished to become a professional. Now, three years later, watching him display these skills onstage with similarly passionate and talented people, his already-blossoming potential is unmistakable.
7:45 pm,A Whirlwind of San Jose Delights
With my cursory knowledge of the original plot of The Nutcracker, I was delighted with the San-Jose-ification of many plot points. For example, instead of the Rat King casting a spell to grow the Christmas Tree to enormous heights, General Mousima cast a spell to grow the San Jose Electric Light Tower several times its original size. During the parade of sweets in Act 2, every presentation alluded to some aspect of living in the Bay Area, furthermore. Specifically, I enjoyed the duet between the Gilroy garlic farmer and the Diamondback Rattlesnake, whose serpentine movements and precise hand chops mimicked the sinister rattle of this California native. In the dance of the wildflowers, one ballerina in vibrant orange stood out and led the ensemble. Even without the program, I was able to extrapolate her representation of the similarly colored California Poppy. A male ballerina in walnut brown emerged from a giant walnut shell and performed his piece, beaming. A woman with a comically wide skirt revealed the plethora of small children hiding underneath. An energetic dancer in a sparkling silver leotard leapt across the stage to mimic the 19th century Quicksilver Rush.
“I can’t believe so many songs I know are from the Nutcracker,” whispered Mia as the fourth familiar melody began.
Despite the considerable youth of many dancers, every performer enthusiastically and precisely carried out the choreography that I’m sure took hours upon grueling hours of rehearsal to learn. Much of the show was en-pointe—an impressive feat for such young performers. For those unaware of the intricacies of ballet dance, the practice of dancing “en-pointe” includes wearing a special type of ballet slipper with wooden toes, and balancing on the very tip of one’s feet. The “fingertips” of the toe, if I were to be so crude.
On top of being extremely physically demanding on the entire body—including core, legs, glutes, arms, and back—spinning, leaping, and balancing on one’s toes for extended periods require years of preparation to avoid injury. And yet: the audience only sees a 2-hour product of years of hard work, unaware of the sheer strength and willpower of these dancers. As a performer myself, I was blown away. I can only imagine the blood, sweat, and tears that went into every facet of the performance: from the readily apparent labour of the performers to the less-recognized but painstaking effort to choreograph every elegant move.
9:12 pm,Curtain Down
After the conclusion of the show, we followed the massive herd to the lobby, where we ran into several other Westmont students: Kara Hoogensen, Alyssa Lau, Michal Walwek, Max Cooley, and The Shield writer Logan Mendelson. When Dylan emerged clad in his New Ballet merch, we took several pictures and congratulated him on his stellar performance. But our energy was waning: so we said goodbye and walked out into the chilly streets. After a quick look around Christmas in the Park (it was much too crowded), and a pit stop and In-N-Out Burger (in true Daily Explorer fashion), we called it a night, ready for our dreams to be full of dancing sugarplums and Nutcrackers with strangely familiar faces.
Many thanks to the generous media staff of the New Ballet, once again. As the only Daily Explorer focusing on performance arts, The San Jose Nutcracker was an amazing experience, and I recommend the show to theatrical enthusiasts of any age.
PHOTO ALBUM:
THE VERDICT:
- Do not talk during the performances. No matter how quietly you whisper, everyone around you can hear.
- Ballet is one of—if not the most—difficult dance technique out there. Though ballets might seem stuffy to a modern audience, it is far from it.
- Come visit the San Jose Nutcracker for the 2026 Season. It’s never too early to start planning. CLICK HERE for the New Ballet website.
- As Mrs. Rawson mentioned, if you find yourself inspired to try ballet, the New Ballet company offers classes for those of all ages and experience levels. Don’t be afraid to hit the floor.
Join me in the next issue for yet another adventure, hopefully one with an easier parking situation.
Signing off until next issue,
The Daily Explorer