A ballet tells a story through dance and music, with no spoken words. The dancers show the plot with steps, gestures, and faces, and an orchestra plays the score. The Nutcracker is the first ballet for many children because the story is simple and much of the music is familiar. A child who knows the story and a few of the tunes can follow a full ballet.
How a ballet tells a story with no words
Steps show character. A princess moves with long, smooth lines. A jester leaps and spins. A villain moves with sharp, heavy steps.
Gestures stand for words. Ballet has a set of hand signs called mime. Dancers use them in the story scenes.
Music sets the mood. The orchestra tells the audience when danger is near and when the party begins.
Ballet mime to learn at home
| Gesture | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Point to yourself | I or me |
| Both hands over the heart | Love |
| Hands circle each other above the head | Dance |
| Point to the ring finger | Marry |
| Hand circles the face | Beautiful |
| Wrists crossed, fists lowered | Death |
Teach three of these before the show. Ask your child to spot them on stage.
Words to know
- Choreographer: the person who makes up the steps
- Pointe shoes: stiff-toed shoes that let a dancer stand on the tips of the toes
- Tutu: the stiff net skirt worn in many classical ballets
- Pas de deux: a dance for two
- Corps de ballet: the large group that dances together
- Principal: a dancer who performs the lead roles
- Act: one large part of the story
Six first ballets
The Nutcracker, music by Tchaikovsky. A girl, a toy nutcracker, a battle with mice, and a land of sweets. First danced in St. Petersburg in 1892. See taking kids to The Nutcracker and the Nutcracker Suite listening guide.
The Sleeping Beauty, music by Tchaikovsky. The fairy tale, with fairies at the christening and storybook guests at the wedding. See the Sleeping Beauty listening guide.
Swan Lake, music by Tchaikovsky. A prince, a princess under a spell, and a lake of swans. The ending is sad in many versions. See the Swan Lake listening guide.
Coppélia, music by Léo Delibes. A comedy about a toymaker and a life-size doll that a young man mistakes for a real girl. First danced in Paris in 1870.
Cinderella, music by Prokofiev. The fairy tale, with a clock that strikes midnight in the orchestra. Read Prokofiev for kids.
The Firebird, music by Stravinsky. A prince, a magic bird, and a wicked sorcerer. It is short, under an hour. See the Firebird listening guide.
How to prepare
- Tell the story as a bedtime story. A ballet has no words to explain the plot.
- Play three or four pieces from the score in the week before.
- Watch a two-minute video of one dance.
- Practice three mime gestures.
- Explain that the dancers do not speak, and the audience stays quiet while they dance.
What to expect at the theater
The length. A full story ballet often runs about two hours with one or two intermissions. Some companies stage shorter family versions. Check the listing for the running time.
The music. Many companies dance to a live orchestra in the pit. Some dance to a recording.
The clapping. At the ballet, the audience claps during the show. People clap when a lead dancer first enters, after a solo, and after a hard jump or a long series of turns. Follow the crowd.
The bows. Dancers bow after their solos and again at the end.
Where to sit
A seat a little higher up, such as the front of a balcony, shows the patterns the dancers make on the floor. From the front rows of some theaters, the stage edge hides the dancers’ feet. An aisle seat helps with a child who may need a break.
Boys and ballet
Ballet is for boys and girls. Male dancers perform many of the highest jumps and lift their partners overhead. Some ballet schools run classes for boys.
Low-cost ways to see ballet
- Student performances at a local dance school
- Family matinees and shortened versions
- Open rehearsals, which some companies offer
- Ballet broadcasts in movie theaters
- Full ballets on video from a public library
Things to do together
Mime a message. Use the gestures in the table to say “I love to dance.” Ask your child to make up a new sentence.
Dance the character. Play the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” Ask your child to move the way the music sounds. Then play the “Russian Dance” and move again.
Tell it with no words. Act out a nursery rhyme with no speaking. Guess each other’s rhymes.
Listen for the clock. Play the midnight scene from Prokofiev’s Cinderella. Count the chimes together.
Print and play
Draw a favorite scene on a listening journal page. For more music to move to, see classical music for kids to dance to. For manners in the hall, read concert etiquette for kids. Read Tchaikovsky for kids for the composer behind three of these ballets.
More from this guide
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Taking kids to The Nutcracker ballet: what to expect and how to prepare
What happens in The Nutcracker ballet, how long it runs, which parts can scare a small child, and how to get kids ready at home before the show.
What does a conductor do? An answer for kids and parents
What an orchestra conductor does, why the conductor makes no sound, what the baton and the left hand mean, and how to play conductor at home with your child.
Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.