![\"Misty](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1208_nws_ocr-l-nutcracker-12.jpg\")
Misty Copeland takes a bow in front of Daniil Simkin after performing in American Ballet Theatre\u2019s \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d at Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n
Performances of holiday classic \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d will take place in San Pedro and Torrance early next month.<\/p>\n
San Pedro City Ballet, a nonprofit founded in 1994 by Cindy and Patrick Bradley, will present its community outreach performances of the holiday tradition from Friday to Sunday, Dec. 5-7, at Dana Middle School in San Pedro, with public performances scheduled for a few days later in Torrance.<\/p>\n
Public performances of The Nutcracker will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, and 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at the James R. Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive. The performances are made possible with the support of the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation.\u00a0 Tickets are available now at torrancearts.org.<\/a><\/p>\n Nearly 150 dancers \u2014 some as young as 4 years old \u2014 will take part in this year\u2019s production, with special effects and choreography delivered by the ballet company, which is known for discovering and training Misty Copeland,<\/a> the recently retired but internationally acclaimed principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre \u2014 who once danced in the San Pedro City Ballet\u2019s production of \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d as a young teen.<\/p>\n For more than 30 seasons, San Pedro City Ballet has produced the traditional holiday performance, offering special shows for Los Angeles Unified School District campuses. This year, expanded access through the district\u2019s Cultural Arts Passport program has allowed more than 2,000 LAUSD students to attend \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d at no cost. The performance also marks the culmination of a 10-week in-school dance residency offered through San Pedro City Ballet\u2019s Firebird initiative, which was inspired by Copeland.<\/p>\n Throughout the week, hundreds of local school children will experience \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d \u2014 many for the first time \u2014 through the outreach program.<\/p>\n \u201cDance has the extraordinary ability to build confidence from the inside out,\u201d said Artistic Director Cindy Bradley. \u201cWhen students discover movement, they also discover their own voice. Through our Firebird program, we\u2019ve watched countless young people find passion, discipline and joy \u2014 often for the first time. That transformation is why we do this work.\u201d<\/p>\n