Manhattan Youth Ballet and Manhattan Movement & Arts Center present The Knickerbocker Suite from December 12-14, 2014 and December 19-21, 2014 at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, 248 West 60th Street, NYC (between Amsterdam and West End Avenues) in the Lincoln Center area.  Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students.  Tickets are available at manhattanmovement.com/calendar or by calling 212-787-1178.  Performances:  Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 7pm, Sundays at 3pm.

The Knickerbocker Suite features New York City landmarks, such as The Statue of Liberty, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and NY sports teams, weaved into the time-honored holiday tale of The Nutcracker. Classic Nutcracker scenes like “The Land of the Snow” are transformed into a snowy frenzy of shoppers dancing in and out of stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s for last minute gifts. Perhaps one of the more well-known scenes, “Mother Ginger and her Polichinelles,” will be played by the Statue of Liberty and dancing immigrants who just arrived from Ellis Island.

With scenes of shoppers on Fifth Avenue, the angels at Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty, NY sports teams and the romance of Central Park in the winter, The Knickerbocker Suite is a celebration of New York City, its culture and the magic of the holiday season. The production with a story by artist, Elliott Arkin, features an opening scene with narration by Tony Award winner, Michael Cerveris; the choreography of Brian Reeder, Deborah Wingert, Daniel Ulbricht, Marina Stavitskaya, Nick Kepley & Natalia Boesch; illustrations by Katy DeHay and photography by Erin Baiano.