Nairobi, Kenya, November 4, 2026 — Following a completely sold-out 10th anniversary season, Dance Centre Kenya’s beloved production of The Nutcracker returns to the Kenya National Theatre on Friday, 20 November, for its 11th annual season. This year marks another exciting milestone as the production expands beyond Nairobi for the first time, bringing the magic of The Nutcracker to audiences in Mombasa and Diani.
Over the past decade, The Nutcracker has become one of Nairobi’s most anticipated holiday traditions, bringing families together to experience the magic of classical ballet and live orchestral music. First performed in 1892, Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet is celebrated on stages around the world, but Dance Centre Kenya’s production has developed a character uniquely its own, reflecting the extraordinary diversity, talent and spirit of Kenya’s growing dance community.
This year’s production brings together more than 175 dancers representing 25 nationalities, ranging from young children taking their first steps on stage to advanced teenage dancers performing some of classical ballet’s most demanding roles. Among them are approximately 50 scholarship students supported through Dance Centre Kenya’s partnership with Artists for Africa, which provides professional-level training and educational opportunities to talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ten of these scholarship dancers will also join the production’s historic first tour to the Coast.
“We want to show the world that ballet is for everyone,” says Cooper Rust, founder and artistic director of Dance Centre Kenya and a former professional ballerina. “It’s about passion, talent and dedication – not fitting a certain mould. What makes this production so special is seeing children from completely different backgrounds come together, work towards the same goal, and create something truly beautiful.”
An essential part of the production is the Dance Centre Kenya Orchestra, once again performing Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score live under the baton of Kenyan conductor Antony Muriuki Kaburu. The collaboration between young dancers and professional musicians creates an experience rarely available to young performers and audiences in Kenya.
“Live music changes everything for the dancers. They feel every swell and every pause in Tchaikovsky’s score, and they dance with the orchestra, not to a recording. For many children in the audience, it may be the first time they hear a full orchestra play, and that is a moment they carry with them,” says Kaburu.
Beyond the performances themselves, Dance Centre Kenya is committed to ensuring that the magic of The Nutcracker reaches children who might otherwise never have the opportunity to attend a professional ballet. Each year, through the generosity of individual donors and corporate sponsors, DCK provides 500 complimentary tickets to children from disadvantaged communities across Nairobi. Since the programme began, more than 4,000 children have experienced the excitement of live ballet and orchestral music at the Kenya National Theatre.
Individuals and companies interested in sponsoring charity tickets for the 2026 season are invited to contact Dance Centre Kenya at +254 796 370 937 or info@dancecentre.co.ke.
Performances
Nairobi – Kenya National Theatre
- Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026
- Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 2026
Coast tour – first time ever
- Saturday 5 December 2026 – Cinemax Nyali, Mombasa
- Sunday 6 December 2026 – Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort, Diani
Tickets available at https://dcknutcracker2026.
What critics say
“Dance Centre Kenya’s Christmas production of The Nutcracker is a highlight of the capital’s cultural and social calendar.” – The Guardian, 2019
“At Dance Centre Kenya’s productions, teenagers (and even pre-teens) perform at such a high level of precision, grace, beauty and elegance that watching them perform will be a joy and privilege.” – Business Daily 2017
A backstage photograph of Dance Centre Kenya’s 2023 Nutcracker by AFP photographer Luis Tato was chosen as one of the BBC’s Pictures of the Year 2023.
