UNCSA's 60th Nutcracker Lights Up Tanger Center, Community Welcomes

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts brought its 60th production of The Nutcracker to the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts in Greensboro this weekend. Ballet and contemporary dance students filled the stage as Ilya Kozadayev's choreography animated Tchaikovsky's score, performed live by the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra under the baton of alumnus Felipe Tristan. The run took place December 5 through December 7, offering families and community members an opportunity to attend one of the region's longest running holiday traditions.

Beyond its entertainment value, the production functions as a training ground for UNCSA students who gain professional stage experience and orchestra collaboration in a large civic venue. The involvement of an alumnus as conductor underscores the school to alumni pipeline and the role the institution plays in cultivating career pathways in the performing arts. Endalyn T. Outlaw, Dean of the School of Dance at UNCSA, joined the Local Vibe for a sit down interview to preview this year’s staging and its place within the school’s curriculum.

For Guilford County residents, the Nutcracker is more than a seasonal show. It serves as a point of civic engagement that brings audiences downtown, supports local businesses, and showcases publicly accessible cultural programming. The collaboration between a state affiliated arts school and a major municipal performing arts center illustrates how institutional partnerships shape cultural life and local economic activity. Those factors matter to residents who vote on municipal priorities and to local officials who allocate resources for arts infrastructure and public events.

As the production closes, questions of access and outreach remain relevant. Sustaining a six decade tradition depends on continued investment in arts education, equitable ticketing practices, and programming that reaches diverse audiences across the county. The Nutcracker this year demonstrated both the artistic strengths of UNCSA and the practical connections between arts training and community benefit in Guilford County.