TUCSON, Ariz. — The studios at Ballet Tucson look a bit more crowded this time of year.
The company's 33 professional dancers are joined by nearly 100 young dancers from across Southern Arizona for their annual Nutcracker production.
“Nutcracker is a big highlight," said Artistic Director Margaret Mullin. "Ticket sales for the Nutcracker for every ballet company across the United States is really important to the sustainability and survival of those companies.”
But this year, she says Tucson's ticket sales are slower than in previous years, attributing the change to economic uncertainty and increased competition in the region.
“We do have a little more competition in town with touring productions," Mullin said. "This year is the first in quite a while where there are two companies coming in the same season. I guess it speaks to the fact that Tucson is growing in popularity and has become more of a national destination.”
Tourism has grown leaps in Southern Arizona since the pandemic. In 2023, the state hit a record $4.2 billion in tourism tax revenue. Tucson specifically has shone on the international stage, earning a spot on the BBC's Top 25 Places to Travel in 2025 list.
While Mullin is happy to see her hometown shine under the national spotlight, she sees some of the effects on the local community.
“It becomes a little challenging for us when outside entities come in because there can occasionally be a perceived notion that local is less than,” she said.
However, Mullin assures the community that's not the case. Several of the dancers have spent years performing in the annual production, including Principal Ballerina Danielle Corte, who has danced with the company for eight years.
"When I first joined the company, some of the students were lambs, and now they’re debuting as Clara," she said.
As one of the company's professionals, Corte also teaches younger students at the studio.
"The magic is homegrown," she added. "There’s something special about the community that it takes to put on a production of this magnitude.”
During the final bow, over 100 dancers will take the stage, but those aren't the only Old Pueblo-based artists putting their work on display for the holiday performance.
The sets were designed and made by Tucson artists, and, for all five shows, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky's pieces live.
Mullin says he funds from those five performances are what fuel Ballet Tucson for the remainder of the year.
“The Nutcracker is definitely the lifeblood of our company," she said. "I think it’s important that people know that when they’re buying a ticket to our production, they’re really investing in supporting local artists, but also local children, local families.”
Ballet Tucson is a registered nonprofit, so money spent on tickets doesn't just pay the cast and crew and stay in the local economy; but any remaining profits go back into supporting Ballet Tucson's mission of bringing the art of ballet to Southern Arizona communities.
The five-show series jumps off Dec. 19 at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall at the Tucson Convention Center. You can buy tickets here.
