A beloved holiday tradition is getting a new perspective as New York City Ballet brings George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” to Cosm Detroit, offering audiences an immersive experience that places them inside one of the world’s most celebrated ballet productions.
The production made its Detroit premiere at Cosm’s downtown venue, marking the first time ballet has been presented through the company’s Shared Reality technology. The experience also debuts at Cosm locations in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles, expanding access to a production historically associated with New York City’s holiday season.
Filmed at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, the ballet was adapted for Cosm’s 87-foot-diameter, 12K+ LED dome. Rather than viewing the performance from a traditional theater seat, audiences experience the choreography from perspectives that place them alongside the dancers, above the stage and within the elaborate sets.
Cosm President and CEO Jeb Terry welcomed guests to the Detroit premiere, describing the production as an example of what becomes possible when artistic collaboration meets innovative technology.
“You’re gonna be on the stage with the performers. You’ll be in the rafters looking down,” Terry said. “You’ll have sights, sounds and views that you cannot get anywhere else in the world.”
The immersive presentation takes viewers inside the Stahlbaums’ holiday party, through the iconic Snow Scene and into the Land of the Sweets. The ballet’s towering 41-foot Christmas tree, elaborate costumes and sweeping choreography are presented on a scale intended to capture the grandeur of the original performance.
First performed in 1954, Balanchine’s production has become a cornerstone of American holiday entertainment, attracting more than 100,000 visitors to Lincoln Center annually. Set to Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky’s celebrated score, the ballet combines classical choreography, theatrical storytelling and generations of artistic tradition.
Katherine Brown, executive director of New York City Ballet, described the collaboration as an opportunity to introduce the art form to audiences who might never experience the production in New York.
“We are so thrilled to be able to offer it outside New York City,” Brown said, expressing hope that the experience would introduce ballet to new audiences. She also acknowledged the extensive collaboration behind the production, calling the project a labor of love more than two years in the making.
For Jonathan Stafford, artistic director of New York City Ballet, the experience offered something unexpected. Having spent nearly four decades connected to the production as both a dancer and artistic leader, Stafford said the immersive adaptation revealed details he had never noticed despite attending dozens of performances each year.
“I’m seeing things in the production that I’ve never seen before, and I did not think that was possible,” Stafford said.
He credited director Philippe Safir’s creative vision for bringing a fresh perspective to the familiar production while preserving the artistry of its performers.
The adaptation features New York City Ballet principal dancers Tiler Peck as the Sugarplum Fairy, Roman Mejia as her Cavalier and Mira Nadon as Dewdrop, alongside more than 50 company dancers and students from the School of American Ballet. The production also features the New York City Ballet Orchestra.
For Cosm, the partnership represents an expansion of its entertainment offerings beyond sports and film into classical performance, following immersive presentations of Cirque du Soleil productions, including “O” and “Mystère.”
The Detroit premiere also reflects a broader shift in how audiences can engage with performing arts. By bringing one of New York City Ballet’s most celebrated productions beyond Lincoln Center, the partnership offers a different point of entry into classical ballet without requiring audiences to travel to New York.
As Terry emphasized during the premiere, the experience is ultimately about bringing people together through moments they might otherwise never have the opportunity to witness.
“What drives our company, what keeps us going, is when we see fans react to the work, when we see fans enjoy things together,” Terry said.
“The Nutcracker” in Shared Reality is screening at Cosm Detroit, 25 Cadillac Square, near Campus Martius Park. Tickets and showtimes are available at Cosm.com.
