#TheNutcracker

[anjiedromeda]

❄️Christmas Joyride. Just in time for Nutcracker Month❄️

[666candies]

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies from The Nutcracker Suite, in Fantasia (1938)

[withlovelunette]

Matryoshka Doll & Wooden Soldiers (WIP title)

— A Nutcracker Retelling

Genre: Fairytale retelling, adult fiction, speculative fiction.

Setting: Wintery, early 19th century Germany, Russia & other culturally-inspired fantasy settings with a touch of steampunk.

Summary: Clara Stahlbaum is forced to prematurely shelf her ballet career after a severe injury. Feeling lost and alone, the former ballerina leaves the comfort of her home in the countryside to visit the city and help her godfather run his toy shop while she recovers from her mental strife. After encountering a peculiar stranger with wooden hands who speaks of a fairy that can undo all injuries and ailments, Clara is pulled into a plot of curses, tragedy and lost personhood.

Themes: Identity & self worth, loss of humanity, defying fate, vengeance and repressed emotions, hints of unhinged womanhood if you squint.

Introduction & Context

Matryoshka Doll & Wooden Soldiers is a retelling and slight reconstruction of the beloved story The Nutcracker & the Mouse King, taking partial inspiration from the ballet, but is otherwise mostly based on Hoffmann’s original 1816 novel! I’ve been deeply infatuated with this story ever since I watched the animated movie by GoodTimes Entertainment (please tell me someone else watched this as a kid) and the Barbie version when I was little. I’ve since read the original book and been wanting to reconstruct the story into something new! Everything in this post is very much a WIP and subject to change as I develop the story, as it’s still in its first draft!

Inspirations & Vibes

Tchaikovsky’s music and the ballet (naturally), powdered snow, sweet Turkish delight, hot steam from the locomotive swirling in the crisp winter air, scent of gingerbread and mulled wine with cinnamon, winter wonderlands and peppermint candy canes, pastel baroque & rococo aesthetics, white marble with specks of blood, loss of humanity and sense of self, tragic romance, whimsical inventions, old fashioned toy shops filled with wonder, out of tune music box and other antique trinkets, freshly baked Berliner buns, the gritty and dark hiding beneath the prim and proper, prickling fingers on thorns while picking berries.

Main Characters

Clara Stahlbaum (23) she/her

Burnt out gifted kid filled with longing and passions she can no longer pursue, a romantic posing as a cynic to protect her feelings, loves messing with little trinkets and antiques and is kinda a nerd.

Hans Peter (25) he/him

Stoic, intellectualises his feelings, detached yet slightly vain, charming until you realise he’s not aloof for allure’s sake he’s just kinda socially awkward, but hey maybe that’s charming to some.

Godfather Drosselmeyer (52) he/him

Eccentric, mischievous, a bit sketchy but people brush him off as just a quirky old man, secretive, knows a lot and yet literally no one in the city knows anything about him he just showed up one day.

I might make a deep dive post about these characters to go into their psychology and development if that’s something people would be interested in! Deconstructing a character’s psyche is one of my favourite aspects of writing and I’d love to be able to share it. Also I know this seems very heteronormative as a story but I promise there are queer themes brewing beneath the surface here I would die otherwise.

✦ If you’d like to be added to a tag list for future writing updates/excerpts, please let me know! 

Story Tag; #md&ws

[lupita13fan]

🎄Silvisper - The Nutcracker🩰

Les deseo felices fiestas y prospero año nuevo, gracias por su apoyo😊

[theroguequeenaniki]

December Day 21: Book(s) 📚

#KimickaPhotoADay

Last Christmas I went a little overboard on buying Christmas books lol

#books #book #christmasbooks #charliebrown #howthegrinchstolechristmas #thenutcracker #olivetheotherreindeer #thepolarexpress #thenightmarebeforechristmas #rudolph #frostythesnowman #achristmascarol #thenightbeforechristmas #eloiseatchristmastime #christmas #countdowntochristmas #day21 #december #december2023 #photo #photoaday #photoadaychallenge

[universalzone]

[hobbies-miscellaneous]

What they looking at?

I haven’t drawn these two in ages lol

Pinterest references are so helpful omg - the ideas that they give me

[shibible]

I am alive

I really wanna post more here and tell my story through art and stuff, but college has been so draining that I haven't been able to draw for fun in literal months

I hope to get my act together and find more inspiration later on, but I thought I would throw these doodles out here to try and stay consistent

[wolffoflamancha]

How suite it is! 🥜 . . . #digitalart #drawing #art #illustration #digitalartist #procreate #makecomics #comicart #indiecomics #artistsoninstagram #sketchbook #ipadpro #thenutcracker #characterdesign #nutcracker#merrychristmas #xmas https://www.instagram.com/p/CmkFyLEPtyG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[montgomeryballet]

🎉✨ Special Collaboration Alert! Wetumpka Titans Join The Nutcracker in Montgomery! ✨🎉

Montgomery Ballet is delighted to announce that the Wetumpka Titans will be joining us for our Nutcracker performance in Montgomery! With this unique blend of ballet and local talent, the holiday classic will be even more magical! 🎄🩰

📅 Montgomery Performance Date:

December 15, 2024

LEAP Show: December 16, 2024, 10:00 AM for schools, seniors, and homeschool families

🎟️ Grab tickets now at www.MontgomeryBallet.org and celebrate the season with us!

📅 Nutcracker Performances:

Selma, AL: November 17, 2024 Pike Road, AL: November 27, 2024 Greenville, AL: December 8, 2024 Montgomery, AL: December 15, 2024 Montgomery (LEAP Show for schools, senior centers, and homeschool families): December 16, 2024, 10:00 AM

[anjiedromeda]

🌟Star Gazing🌟

[kimmccreight]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kimberly McCreight (@kimberlymccreight)

Wishing everyone a holiday guided by light, and filled with magic. ❤️💫❤️💫

[thelondonwhisperer]

Mayfair’s Christmas Tree and Lights Switch-On Party

The Mayfair Christmas lights switch-on party was the busiest it’s ever been 🎄

Hundreds flocked to see British designer Rachel Whiteread turn on her Connaught Christmas tree lights and the pretty blue bows on Mount Street.

Bamford had music, drinks, nibbles, goody bags and talented illustrator Alice Nyong.

Eskandar hosted ballet performances of The Nutcracker.

Huge queues formed in Mount Street for free food and drink from Maison Rabih Kayrouz, Christian Louboutin and Hideaway restaurant whilst at the wooden chalets they bought gifts and more libations from the likes of Mr Fogg’s and Roebuck Estates 🍸

Florist Neill Strain designed a decadent wreath where elves were ready for selfies and The Connaught were giving out their delicious treats.

Then it was time to head to Matches where fashionistas gathered for Johnnie Walker cocktails, and upstairs metallic manicures by Ruuby and piercings by Otiumberg 💅 Designer brand Raey had exclusive handmade Christmas Baubles too!

Rachel Whiteread’s Connaught tree design is to encourage Londoners to celebrate a feeling of togetherness and circles of positive brightness throughout the festive season.

Will you be visiting the tree this year?

[dancewithmarynyc]

Me backstage @musichallcincy waiting to go onstage as a soldier in #thenutcracker with @cincinnatiballet #tbt🔙📸 #tbt #tbt❤️ #nutcrackerballet #littledancer #backintheday (at Cincinnati Music Hall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpA_DRTgrmQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[3qmglueck]

Heute ging ein Mädchentraum von mir in Erfüllung: habe das Ballett "Der Nussknacker", von Peter Tschaikowsky im Jahr 1892 komponiert, nach einer literarischen Vorlage des romantischen Märchens von E. T. A. Hoffman in der @volksbuehne_rudolfplatz live gesehen. Oben links vom Balkon konnte ich das ganze Stück wunderbar sehen und genießen. Als ich ein junges Mädchen war, hatten mit meine Eltern einen feuerroten Plattenspieler geschenkt, wo der Deckel der Lautsprecher war. Ich erinnere mich noch an das Plattencover von "Der Nussknacker". Oft habe ich die romantische Musik gehört. Das fiel mir während des Stückes ein, dass ich diese Platte besessen hatte. Ich kann mich nicht daran erinnern, ob ich als kleines Mädchen das Ballett in einem so hübschen Saal gesehen habe. Muss ich meine Mutter fragen. Im Publikum saßen ganz aufgeregt und fiebrig auf die Tänzer:innen wartend kleine Ballerinnen in Tüllkleidchen mit glitzernden Haarspangen. Ob jung oder alt, das Publikum war hingerissen und am Ende gab es tosenden Applaus. Das ukrainische Ballett Theater Premiera hat sich in die Herzen des Publikums getanzt und wurde frenetisch gefeiert. Ob die kleinen Mädchen heute Nacht vom Ballett träumen? #kindheitstraum #tütü #ballett #volksbuehneamrudolfplatz #dernussknacker #thenutcracker #koeln #happy #tschaikowsky #grosseaugen #freude #glueck #diekleinendinge (hier: Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnNWZTHs3D4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=