The Nutcracker

This winter, Ballet d’Jèrri invites audiences into a world of wonder, magic, nostalgia and transformation with the world premiere of Lé Craque-nouaix (The Nutcracker), a new full-length production choreographed by Katya Bourvis, and presented through the kind sponsorship of Ogier.

Inspired by both E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original 1816 tale and the beloved 1892 ballet by Marius Petipa and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Bourvis’ whimsical take honours the magic of the classic story while exploring the deeper realities that lie beneath it. At its heart is Clara, standing at the threshold between childhood and adulthood, navigating a world where dreams evolve, traditions change, and the people we love reveal themselves to be perplexingly human.

Lé Craque-nouaix asks a timeless question: what becomes of our sense of wonder once we grow up? Rather than turning away from life’s disappointments and complexities, Bourvis’ production embraces them, finding beauty not in perfect fairy tales, but in resilience, connection, and the family we build for ourselves.

The production brings together the professional dancers of Ballet d’Jèrri with more than 30 performers from across the island, including both children and adults. Selected through open auditions, the community cast forms an integral part of the production, reweaving the festive tale against the backdrop of Jersey.

For Ballet d’Jèrri’s Artistic Director, Carolyn Ramsay, that sense of shared ownership is central to the project.

“Katya [Bourvis]’s superpower is her ability to distill a complex story down to its essential truth and then translate that truth into the universal language of movement. In her Nutcracker, she captures the desperate longing of adolescence to preserve childhood belief as it slips away. We all want to believe that dreams come true, that Christmas is magical, that love lasts forever, that happy endings are perfect and final.

“Like in Hoffmann’s original story, Clara’s journey in this version does not shy away from the cracks in those illusions, but instead peers through them to reveal something more painfully and starkly beautiful than the dream could ever have been, because it is real. In a gentle and profoundly wise way, this story reminds us that our childhood dreams were never foolish or pointless; they simply led us towards a life we could never have imagined. That message feels especially poignant when I look at the children in our cast. It is my hope that we are building something that will grow alongside them, a tradition that one day they may pass on themselves.

“More than anything, I hope it reminds them to keep their sense of wonder alive, and to never lose faith in their own potential for magic and miracles.”

The production is Ballet d’Jèrri’s most ambitious to date, made possible through the generous Lead Production Sponsorship of Ogier, alongside a number of private donors.

Niamh Lalor, practice partner at Ogier in Jersey, said: “We are delighted to support Ballet d’Jèrri’s Lé Craque-nouaix, a production that beautifully brings together artistic excellence and community participation. At Ogier, we believe that a vibrant cultural life is integral to a thriving local economy, helping to make Jersey an inspiring place to live, work and do business.

“This production is particularly special in the way it creates opportunities for Islanders to engage with the arts alongside professional performers. Initiatives like this play an important role in strengthening community connections. We are proud to support a project that not only celebrates creativity and storytelling, but also leaves a lasting legacy for the Island’s cultural landscape.”