Nutcracker variations: Holiday classic to be performed en pointe - and on stilts
Imagine one of the holiday's beloved tales told two different ways by some of the area's most talented youth - one the traditional way, with pas de bourées, brisé volés and arabesques - the other with acrobatics, juggling and stilt walking. Area audiences will have the opportunity to see both this weekend as the Academy of Ballet Arts in Hadley performs "The Nutcracker Story" in Amherst and the New England Center for Circus Arts performs "The Flying Nut" in Brattleboro, Vt.
