You may think you’ve heard every version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite available. The holiday classic has been covered many times. You won’t find any dog barking in this collection but I’m sure you’ll find something new to add a bit of sugarplum, spice, or humor to your classes this holiday season.
Royal Ballet dancers Miyako Yoshida and Steven McRae
Electronic and Remix
The Nutcracker Suite (Baz Kuts Breaks Mix): Christmas Remixed – Holiday Classics Re-Grooved
The Nutcracker Suite (Operatica’s Nutcrackeratica Mix): Holiday Chill – The Christmas Remixes
Sugarplum: Bond – Explosive – The Best of Bond
Sugar Plum (short and long version): The Nutcracker
A Little Jazzy
Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies: Harry Connick Jr. – What a Night! A Christamas Album
The Nutcracker Suite: Brian Setzer – Boogie Woogie Christmas
The Nutty Cracker Suite: Thoroughly Modern Millie
Three Suites – Duke Ellington
Vocal Virtuosity
The Sugarplum Dance (Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy): Take 6 – The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
A pop à cappella take on the classic.
Crack the Nut: SoVoSo
Another à cappella but with less pop sensibility. The Arabian variation is especially unique.
A Little Different
Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy: Baby Einstein – Baby Santa
If you’re familiar with these CDs, you’ll know that this sounds a little like an electronic toy piano.
Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite & Other Works by Delibet, Fauré, Llobet & Vivaldi: Modern Mandolin Quartet
I particularly like the Russian, Arabian, and Chinese variations.
Waltz of the Flowers: Christmas Music / Metal Madness – The Best of Rock Guitar Collection
There are other Nutcracker selections on this album. The arrangements aren’t all that innovative but if you’re looking for screaming guitar riffs, give this a try.
Selections from the “Nutcracker”: Overture Miniature/Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies/Valse Des Fleurs: The Carpenters – Christmas Portrait
Waltz of the Flowers in 6/8: N2k – Nutcracker 2000
Waltz of the Flowers under the Big Top? That’s what it sounds like. The other selections on this album aren’t that notable.
Do you have a favorite, fun, or twisted version of the famous Nutcracker Suite selections?
Nichelle Suzanne is a writer specializing in dance and online content. She is also a dance instructor with over 20 years experience teaching in dance studios, community programs, and colleges. She began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with a passion for movement education and an intuitive sense that a blog could bring dancers together. As a Houston-based dance writer, Nichelle covers dance performance for Dance Source Houston, Arts+Culture Texas, and other publications. She is a leader in social media within the dance community and has presented on blogging for dance organizations, including Dance/USA. Nichelle provides web consulting and writing services for dancers, dance schools and studios, and those beyond the dance world. Read Nichelle’s posts.
