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All times are local to the venue · America/New York
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Carolyn Paine’s dance production combines a Tchaikovsky-inspired soundtrack with hip hop, ballet, projections and a SnowBall scene on exercise balls.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
An ugly-sweater Christmas party and dancers in illuminated tutus are part of the holiday world CONNetic Dance brings to Aetna Theatre. Nutcracker Suite & Spicy returns to Hartford December 18–20, 2026, with a mix of dance styles and a distinctly playful take on the classic.
The production’s SnowBall sequence puts dancers in LED tutus on white exercise balls as snow falls. An Ugly Sweater Christmas party provides another comic turn; it is a scene in the show rather than a separate party for attendees.
Those choices sit alongside choreography drawing on ballet, contemporary dance, hip hop, breakdancing, jazz, tap, ballroom and acrobatics. CONNetic Dance also describes projections designed to work with the dancers and choreography.
Further reading: Nutcracker Suite & Spicy ↗ · ABOUT | connetic-dance ↗
Creator and director Carolyn Paine sets the production to an eclectic musical mix inspired by Tchaikovsky’s traditional Nutcracker score. For someone choosing between holiday shows, that combination of familiar inspiration and varied dance forms signals an adaptation rather than a conventional presentation of the ballet.
CONNetic Dance says the production has been performed in Hartford for more than 15 years and describes it as suitable for all ages.
Further reading: ABOUT | connetic-dance ↗ · Nutcracker Suite & Spicy ↗
The run is listed for December 18–20, but individual showtimes have not been provided. Check the time for your chosen performance before making plans.
Ticket tiers, additional fees and booking conditions are not specified. Confirm the total and purchase details before booking.
The event is at Aetna Theatre, 29 Atheneum Square, Hartford, CT. Use the map links to calculate directions from your starting point.
Hartford.com says parking is free on most streets after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends. Check signs and meters for the rules at your space.
It is Carolyn Paine’s adaptation, with music inspired by Tchaikovsky and choreography that combines ballet with styles including hip hop, tap and ballroom.
No separate party is listed. The Ugly Sweater Christmas party is described as a scene in the production.
Individual performance times have not been provided for the December 18–20 run. Check the showtime before booking.
CONNetic Dance describes it as suitable for all ages, though a specific age policy is not stated.
29 Atheneum Square, Hartford, CT
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-10-30 against the linked sources.