Let’s Make Magic.

Read below to learn more about the Nutcracker experience and commitment.

Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy offers local dance students the extraordinary opportunity to perform for an audience of 10,000+ while sharing the historic State Theatre stage with a full cast of esteemed professional dancers and a live 44-piece orchestra. 

All dancers, including dancers who have participated in previous Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy productions, must audition for performing and/or understudy roles in the 2025 production.

We consider participation to be a great honor.

Beyond the performances, the Nutcracker experience fosters friendship and community among a cast of dancers from all over the Twin Cities - all while strengthening dancers’ technique and artistry in a professional setting.

Our Artistic Team includes professionals from various Twin Cities dance organizations, and our rehearsal schedule is designed to complement dancers’ ongoing training at their “home” dance schools. Our team is committed to respecting each dancer’s existing affiliations. Rehearsals will focus solely on Nutcracker preparation.

There is no fee to participate aside from workshop and audition registration fees, but all dancers and families must sign a commitment form upon accepting any roles offered.

Dancers will be asked to provide tights, shoes, and basic hair/makeup supplies. All costumes will be provided.

More details on the required Nutcracker commitment are outlined below. Please note that all dates (with the exception of workshop and audition dates) are subject to change at this time. We will do our best to minimize changes and confirm any adjustments before the first audition. Meanwhile, we encourage families to carefully review the commitment information.

Auditions

All local dance students ages 6+ are welcome to audition, regardless of studio affiliation.

All dancers must audition for Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy on one of the below audition dates to be considered for the 2025 production:

  • Friday, August 15 - 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM | ages 12+ (for enrolled workshop students only)

  • Friday, August 22 - 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM | ages 6 - 11 (for enrolled workshop students only)

  • Sunday, August 17 OR  Sunday, August 24

    12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ages 12+) | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM (ages 6-11)

Auditions will take place at Lundstrum Performing Arts in Minneapolis.

Auditions will include a technique class and repertory phrases from Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy. Dancers will be evaluated by a panel of local and guest teaching artists to be announced closer to the audition dates.

Dancers may request feedback after the audition, which will be limited to their readiness for specific Nutcracker roles. We will not provide evaluations or recommendations regarding their overall technique or training.

Video auditions will be considered with prior approval from the artistic team, who will provide specific submission guidelines. Video submissions must be arranged in advance and will be due on or before August 24.

Casting

Casting will be finalized by Wednesday, September 3. Dancers will have the opportunity to review and formally accept their roles at this time.

Dancers may be cast in performing and/or understudy roles:

  • Performers will be cast in all performances. Some dancers may alternate into different roles on specific dates. Some performers may also be offered optional understudy roles.

  • Understudies will be invited to attend all rehearsals to learn and practice choreography but are not guaranteed a performing role. Understudies may be asked to perform in the event of a necessary casting change.

While we do our best to create as many opportunities as possible, we cannot guarantee a performing and/or understudy role for every dancer who auditions.

Nutcracker 2025 Performances

Venue: State Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Saturday, December 13 - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM

  • Sunday, December 14 - 3:00 PM

  • Friday, December 19 - 7:30 PM

  • Saturday, December 20 - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM

  • Sunday, December 21 - 3:00 PM

Dancers must be available for all performances. Latest call times will be one hour before each show.

Rehearsal Schedule

Rehearsals will be held on weekends at a Minneapolis location to be announced. Call times will be organized by role until after the MEA break, when we will begin assembling scenes.

Rehearsal commitment:

  • Young dancer roles (e.g., Toys, Young Cousins): 3 - 4 hours on Sundays

  • Corps de ballet roles (e.g., Rat Brigade, Snow, Flowers, Third Divertissement): 2 hours on Saturdays; 2-3 hours on Sundays

  • Dancers cast as Mice will begin rehearsing in October (2 - 3 hours on Sundays)

  • Dancers learning soloist and principal roles may be called for additional hours on select weekends (within the rehearsal timeframe specified below)

Rehearsal Windows: Saturdays (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM) & Sundays (1:00 PM – 6:00 PM). We will share a more detailed schedule before the start of the rehearsal period.

Rehearsal Weekends

  • Sept 13 & 14

  • Sept 20 & 21

  • Sept 27 & 28

  • Oct 4 & 5

  • Oct 11 & 12

  • No rehearsals Oct 18 & 19 (MEA weekend)

  • Oct 25 & 26

  • Nov 1 & 2

  • Nov 8 & 9

  • Nov 15 & 16

  • Nov 22 & 23

  • Nov 29 & 30 - see below

  • Dec 6 & 7 – Full cast rehearsals

  • Dec 2 through Dec 5 – Select afternoon/evening rehearsals TBD

Thanksgiving Week Rehearsals

  • Friday, Nov 28 – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (corps de ballet, soloists, and principals)

  • Saturday, Nov 29 & Sunday, Nov 30 – 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Full cast)

Tech Week (Dec 9 – 12 at the State Theatre)

Tech week is the most important (and exciting!) phase of rehearsal, where we assemble the full production, including dancers, orchestra, costumes, sets, lights, and crew.

  • Tue, Dec 9 & Wed, Dec 10: Afternoon/evening rehearsals

  • Thu, Dec 11 & Fri, Dec 12 (earliest dancer start time at 12:00 PM): Tech, dress, and orchestra rehearsals

  • Thu, Dec 18 (5:00 – 8:00 PM): Additional afternoon rehearsal

  • Fri, Dec 19 (earliest dancer start time at 2:00 PM): Full cast rehearsal w/ relevant cast changes (time TBD)

Some daytime rehearsals may require students to miss part of the school day. We do our best to minimize these occurrences and will provide support for securing excused absences. A finalized tech schedule will be shared closer to auditions.

Attendance Expectations

Our schedule is designed to be compatible with dancers’ ongoing training at their “home” dance schools. To accommodate unexpected or necessary absences, we allow for occasional missed rehearsals but will expect 80% attendance throughout the fall rehearsal period.

MANDATORY REHEARSALS:

  • Nov 29 – 30 (Thanksgiving/Holiday Weekend) & Dec 6 – 7 – These final weekends are very important for full cast rehearsals. Any potential conflicts must be communicated before the rehearsal period begins in September.

  • All Tech Week Rehearsals (Dec 9 - 12) – Any potential conflicts (e.g., school concerts, exams) must be communicated as soon as possible. 

Dancers must be available for all performances to be eligible to participate.

Students who are absent during mandatory rehearsals or exceed absences allowed by the  attendance policy may be replaced by an understudy or asked to share performances with an alternate. We will have a conversation with the dancer and their family before making any necessary casting changes.