Arts Umbrella Dance Company shakes things up like a snowglobe in Mixed Nuts, December 15 to 17
The company’s version of Nutcracker is entirely its own
Mixed Nuts. Photo by Michael Slobodian
Arts Umbrella Dance Company presents Mixed Nuts from December 15 to 17 at the Vancouver Playhouse
THERE’S NUTCRACKER, AND then there’s Mixed Nuts, Arts Umbrella Dance Company’s signature holiday offering based on the classic ballet that’s entirely its own.
The artists perform a variety of dance styles in the show, presented annually at the Vancouver Playhouse.
It’s a chance to catch the region’s future dance stars while taking in some choreographed holiday cheer. Arts Umbrella is becoming world famous for exporting dancers to top companies in the world, like Nederlands Dans Theater. Students in the General Program, placed by age and academic grade, and students in the Professional Training Program, placed by audition, participate in annual Cecchetti examinations through to Level 8.
For more information, see https://www.artsumbrella.com/mixed-nuts/.
Gail Johnson is cofounder of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.
Related Articles
Mainstage performances presented by OURO Collective include Greece’s TARANTISM, German-American B-boy RubberLegz, and more
Montreal choreographer’s post-pandemic piece, inspired by a type of molecule secreted by moving bodies, comes to the Firehall Arts Centre
Exhilarating double bill featuring a virtuosic classic and a historic West Coast premiere lands here February 9 and 10, 2026
Junior company features eight dancers training with Modus Operandi and Arts Umbrella Dance Company
New exhibition and performance series opens with WTM / What’s the Move? art party featuring Lucy M. May, ĀNANDAM dance theatre, and more
At DanceHouse, the Montreal artist resurrects a piece whose stripped-down expression is still touring after 23 years
At the Firehall Arts Centre, Hiromoto Ida’s production based on the Japanese play Sarachi weaves together elements of contemporary dance and theatre
Co.ERASGA’s Alvin Erasga Tolentino performs three solos by Indigenous choreographers Starr Muranko, Margaret Grenier, and Michelle Olson
Work by Anne Plamondon Productions is centred on the molecules released by the muscles during physical effort
Co.ERASGA world premiere features commissions by three Indigenous women choreographers: Starr Muranko, Margaret Grenier, and Michelle Olson
At the intimate York Theatre, honed Aussie performers mix feral energy with a new level of circus sophistication
Triple bill includes return of global sensation BOLERO X, Medhi Walerski’s SWAY, and world premiere from Italy’s Sofia Nappi
Presented here by The Cultch, the Australian company’s piece is packed to the brim with ferocity and carnal energy
Event at the Vancouver Playhouse includes Barcelona-born singer José “El Cachito” Díaz and magnetic Sevillian dancer-choreographer Macarena López.
Vulnerable and visceral, the iconic work uses muscle, skin, and sinew to explore humanity’s deepest needs and desires
Poet Garth Martens says the Victoria-based troupe’s performances are a visceral and intimate conversation between words, music, and dance
Former Ballet BC head Emily Molnar praises artists in acceptance speech for Europe’s Nederlands Dans Theater and Complicité
In prelude to full season, artists explore their choreographic side with surreal touches like a piñata head, multitasking coatrack, and bubble-wrap sculpture
Curator Amber Barton shares all the unique outdoor locations where this year’s dance performances will appear
Alvin Erasga Tolentino performs three solos commissioned from Indigenous choreographers Starr Muranko, Michelle Olson, and Margaret Grenier
First show takes place in April 2026, featuring Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, Wen Wei Wang’s Swan, and more
The rare chance to see performers choreograph their own cutting-edge pieces regularly sells out
New ensemble work presented by Odd Meridian Arts draws inspiration from Studio Ghibli film Howl’s Moving Castle
Copresentation by TEMPO Dance & Visual Art and VLACC weaves contemporary movement with live music, video projection, and multilingual text
Evening of ensemble works and solo pieces features local company dancers alongside international guest artists from Montreal, Spain, and Mexico
Presented in Vancouver by Pi Theatre, Fleuve | Espace danse’s site-specific piece references the pollution caused by the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster
Packed program features Dance Film Masterclass, Jezebel at the PuSh Festival, residency showings, and more
Highlights include a new piece by Wen Wei Wang, a commission for Ballet BC Annex, and the return of The Dance Deck in summer 2026
Part two of New Works series highlights artists Sudhesna Mohapatra, Judith Colibrí, Ysadora Dias, and Punit & James
From short film “SOIS” to fiery masterclasses and a flamenco-infused take on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, there’s plenty in the lineup
